Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-12
Municipal Affairs
ENGINEER WANTS SIX
DEPUTIES INCREASED
SAYS VALUABLE MEN LEAVE
CITY'S SERVICE
Work and Responsibilities Increased
by the New Harbor and More
Money Is Wanted for
Salaries

The board of public works will pre-
sent an ordinance to the city council
when it meets Wednesday, providing
for an increase in the salaries of six
employees of the city engineers depart
ment. When the annual budget was
presented to the council by the nm
ance committee in August, an effort
was made TO have the salaries of these
same six men increased, but owing to
the shortage of the city's resources,
the ordinance presented at that time
failed of passage. The finance com
mittee advised against it and the coun-
ell was forced to accept the re common
dation of this committee.
But since Los Angeles has acquired
a harbor, the work and resp jnsi5u-
tiles of the engineers department nave
greatly increased, and the city enei-
neer believes these added responsible
tiles should be met with better sal
aries for his deputies who must shoul-
der the responsibilities. III report
to the board of public works, City En-
gineer Hamlin explains the nature and
reasons of the increases. They are as
follows:
so far as the present ordinance is
concerned the following changes are
contemplated
CHleI utpQlyB IdloCu -AOiAA T-@O -
$3.50; one engineer, raised from $500
to 1920; two engineers, raised from
$175 to S1S2; two bookkespers, raised
from S100 to $110; one draughtsman,
raised from S175 to $1S2.
Regarding these changes, I will state
that the salary of the chief deputy
has remained at 1925 for slightly more
than three years, during which lime the
business of the office has increased to
1Npr
of men included in the ordinance has
increased about so per cent.
More Work for johnson
my present chief deputy, ]. W.
Johnson, will from now on have added
duties and responsibilities on account
of the necessity of my spending lruch
of my time on the harbor work. The
position is one of unusual resporSi-
bility, and the services Of an exp ri
enced and competent man is an ao-
solute necessity. Such services should
be properly compensated.
"It is proposed to raise the salarv
of H u. Osborne, jr, engineer, from
5000 to 1920. Mr.. Osborne is in charge
of the preparation of plans and ordi-
nances for street improvement, a very
responsible position.
1T is also proposed to raise the sal
of street construction; ]. c. Clauson,
engineer in charge of sewer construc-
tion and maintenance, and j. R. Prince,
draughtsman in charge of general
draughting, from $175 to $1S2. These
are all positions of responsibility.
'It is also proposed to raise the SAL
ary of two bookkeepers from $100 to
$110 each, per month.
"I earnestly recommend that you
approve these proposed advances in
salaries. They are well deserved and,
in my opinion, necessary and wise.
your attention is directed TO the
fact that since January of this year
we have lost the services of eleven
men, most of whom have left 20 ac-
cept positions elsewhere at better sal
aries.
at is simply impossible to carry on
the work of the department econ9mi-
cally or within a reasonable time if
We are continually required to train
new men not familiar with the work
or the methods employed.
"If these recommendations meet with
your approval I request that you send
the accompanying ordinance to the
finance committee with your indorse-
ment."