The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-12
WHOLESALE SLASH BY COMMISSIONERS
 IN CITY'S PAY ROLL
Feagin McNay and Wilkerson All Discharged-Four Asss tan City Attorneys and Fourteen Policemen Lose Heads
 Hugo Black Elected Recorder-Annua Saving $31, ,460
Intmation Comes That Yesterdays Is Only Preliminary to What Is Yet to Come-Cty's Expenses Must Be Within
 Income-Other Departments May Be Touched Today

plOyeS or the city are today without positions and the city administration is less expensive by $a1,460 per an- mum.
 This number of men and the cash savings for one year were made eff fective within the space of few min utes yesterday, but until late yesterday afternoon the commissioners were in session deciding upon policies and get ting their ideas in shape for further and perhaps more extreme reduction and cutting to be made today.
 The city's attorneys office was the first touched yesterday by the flash of commission lightning and a re- suit four assistant attorneys were de- posed.
 The cleanup in the attorneys office resulted in the release of the follow ing:
 Robert Thach. assistant city attor- ney, salary $2400 per annum.
 J. o. Smith, assistant city attorney, salary $1S0O per annum.
 c. B. Smith, assistant city attorney, salary $1200 per annum.
 Roscoe Fillmore Scott, assistant city attorney, $120O per annum.
 Three Recorders Discharged
 The recorders came in the cutting and Judge Noah B. Feagin, at a salary of s3000 per year; R. P. McNally, at &1S00 per year, and Horace Wilkerson, at 5000, were discharged. Their du- ties will be performed by Hugo L. Black at salary of $125 per month. The commission by one resolution abolished the position of park commits sioner, occupied by J. P Lambert. at S1500 per year, and left 1t permanent ly vacant. The position of park keep CTS, held by Burt Wetzel. J. H. Bailey, B. S. Weir, B. Pitts. J. M. Harrell and l. Epstein at s72O each per annum, were abolished as was the job of J. F. Will Hams, at 5000 per annum. At the afternoon session the commits zion dropped B. F. Weakley as issist- ant city clerk and official stenographer and 12 policemen.
 9ssss Policemen Dropped The policemen dropped were s. M. Cornett, J. w. Hildebrand, w. W. Brent, D. R. Blue. J. c. Davidson. A. H. Court ney, J. F. Fuqua. G. A. Simms, c. R. Allen. R. c. Anderson. R. G. Powell, w. E. Chambers. There was strong talk of dropping others put action was postponed until another meeting. The commission suggested that in the place of the patrolmen released John Wren. Irby Zeigler and c. J. Jus tin, now detectives could be placed on beats and work as patrolmen in lieu of their detective work.
 This action was not final. but 1t Is expected to be made SO.
 Further Action Today At the meeting to be held today fur ther action will be taken to reduce the operating expenses of the city It is currently rumored that the office of . comptroller of the public improvement funds, now occupied by George Eustis, city auditor, now occupied by c. s. Pet erson; city treasurer, now occupied by w. B. Copeland, and tax collector, now occupied by J. J. Boggan will be consol- 1dated into one department. This senti- ment seemed to prevail at the meeting yesterday when Judge Lane declared that the city could not stand the enor- nous expense of the offices and the echo from the other commissioners concurring in his opinion. rHt-s
 The commissioners today will also trim the fire department to some extent, but 1t was positively stated by President : Exum and Commissioners Lane and . Weatherly, that the efficiency of the de- partment would not be impaired in the slightest degree.
 The trimming by the commission will enter into every department. The city engineer will be trimmed this morning, 4 perhaps, and the commissioners yester- z day did not hesitate to say that this was 2 one of the biggest jobs they had to < tackle. This department now has an item of s2Oo per month to Julian Ken drick as consulting engineer, which will not be allowed, 1t is believed. He was former city engineer of Birmingham and was succeeded by Maury Nicholson, the Incumbent .s.
 The health offices, sanitary inspectors, plumbing inspector and the street depart ment will come in for their whack today, at is expected.
 Commissioner Gafford of the street 1e- partment told the commissioners yester- day that he could drop 50 men easily, although he did not at this time have sufficient force. Tho commission ordered him to compile a carefully arranged memorandum showing what he could do along this line.
 At the meeting yesterday the com mlssioners postponed action on a loan of $3o0.O00 until it could be investigated further. It was also apparent that some Investigation would be made into the methods of giving contracts in the city. It was declared that some contractors seemingly were in combination which resulted in the awarding of contracts to the proper one and at the proper time. This viii be broken up.
 The commission will disallow the ren- sion of Uncle Tom Jeffers former mayor of Birmingham. He is now an honorary member of the fire department, drawing $40 per month, and has been ever since Mayor Ward went into of flee the first time That pension. the commission declares, is not permissible.
 Old Precedent Smashed aoJ An old-time precedent was smashed 2Nyesterday by the commission in refer Hence to the death of Captain Teeter oe D the fire department. As rule the em- ployes losing their lives in the city ser vice, are carried on the payrolls for a stated time. President Exum was yes terday instructed to notify Chief Ben nett not to do this in the case of Cap- tain Teeter.
 A resolution, however, was adopted, de- caring the commissions sympathy for Mrs. Teeter and Secretary Ryai was in structed to send her a copy of the res olution
 Tn refe5 nee to the letting of contracts, Commis} X k Lanc introduced resolu- taoa te get that au contracts shah
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