The San Francisco call., 1910-05-14
WOLLENBERG ASKS
PAY FOR AGED HELP
Tells Health Board Inmate AS
sistants' Pittances Should
Not Be Taken Away

The board of healths action in cut
ting In two the meager salary paid to
inmates of the relief home who have
been aiding in, the maintenance OF the
institution was the subject of a vigor-
Gus protest yesterday upon the part of
Superintendent Wollenberg. Wollen-
berg told the commissioners that their
action was working havoc with the
conduct of the home and asked them to
at least restore the pay of the aged
employees to the SIS they were getting
before last weeks cut.
OWN SALARY CUT
Wollenberg also warned the board
that it had acted without authority in
cutting his own salary 800 a month
and referred to their reductions of
other civil service members of the staff.
Concerning the cut in the old peoples
wages he said:
In regard to abolishing the salaries
cf certain inmates 1 do wish to enter
protest. If it were necessary TO OBJ
tain funds for creating new positions
and the president of the board were
designated to effect same, | think he
should have consulted with the su-
per1ntendent of the institution and
not with a committee of subordinates
| understand that the suhor-
dinates were telephoned to report at
the office of the president of the board
of health, and therefore there is no
complaint to be made against them
The amount of money saved by
abolishing certain salaries heretofore
paid to inmates could easily have been
saved without working a hardship on
certain departments, which under the
present order are considerably handi-
capped, particularly the hospital de-
partment and l would request author
ity to make an adjustment, consulting
with the finance committee of the board
of health, in whose province L believe
this is, whereby the same amount of
money can be applied to the salaries of
the new appointees without making
the disturbance which this present or
der will make in the institution
WANTS DUTIES DEFINED
Wollenberg also asked the board to
point out the duties to be performed by
its recent appointee, Thomas Gosland,
as chief commissary." George Cur
ran, Wollenberg said, had been and was
"commfssary,' and 1t was not clear in
the superintendents mind just what
the "ehief commissary'' was supposed
to do.
President Eaton refused to discuss
Wollenberg's statement that the salary
cuts made were imperative and the
board also took under advisement VOL
lenbergs suggestion that the old people
be given back their pittance.
Although Wollenbergs letters, upon
filing with the board, became public
documents, an attempt was made to
conceal their contents from the re-
porters. The letters were discussed
nr11 in
then given out that no action had been
taken.
REPORT SUPPRESSED
The nature of Wollenberg's protests
was, however, learned from a private
source, and the board will hardly be
able to continue an attitude of suppress
sion in reports made to it by one of its
executive officers concerning the wei |
fare of the institution of which he has
charge.
STREET REPAIRS ESTIMATED
George Renner of the Draymen's as
sociation asked the supervisors finance
committee yesterday to set apart $685.
600 in the new budget for the repair
and upkeep of downtown business
streets. Renner said the last board ex-
pended money generously on the city's
highways, but leaned too much to put
ting the work on boulevards and that
sort of thing, which smoothed the paths
of the automobility, but gave less aid
to the workingmen.
Mrs. Lowell White and Attorney w
w. Sanderson appeared on behalf of
Pioneer park crowhing Telegraph hill
and asked that it be well cared for in
the annual outlay. Superintendent Nc
Laren was reported TO have the plans
ready to beautify the hills crest If the
appropria ton is made.
superintendent Roncovieri spoke a
good word for music in the high schools
and called the members attention to
the fact that the state law made music
regular part of the curriculum and
the state university made 1t a require
ment for admission. Roncovieri added
that 1t was ones of the most noble and
useful things which could be taught |
youths and girls of the high school
age and asked liberal sum for its
promotion.
j. M. Rothschild called attention to
the need for lights in the south of
Market street section his association
represented.
Supervisors Kelly, Mclaughlin and
Herget took all the recommendations
under advisement