New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-19
BOARD RESTORES
SALARY SLASHES
Mayor and Controller Out
voted in Fight to Keep
Budget Mems Cuts.
ADAMSON ON HAND
TO DEFEND CHIEFS
Action on Firemen Decreases
Postponed-Mitchers COM
promises Lose 3 to 2.

ooh. FOL de roll" was the Mayors
comment yesterday on the report that
II the Board Of Estimate allowed the
cuts the subcommittee on the budget
are expected 70 make in the salaries OF
the chief, deputy chiefs and battalion
chiefs Of the Fire Department these
officials would request 20 be retired on
pension of one-half Of their salaries.
When the appeals from reductions in
salaries, allowed by the subcommittee,
began TO be heard last night by the
main budget committee II was evident
that few employees in any OF the city
departments whose salaries were
threatened need fear the action of the
committee. A sharp alignment Of the
committee members developed, with
the Mayor and Controller Prendergast
on one side standing by the recon-
mended reductions of the Bureau OF
Standards, and President McAneny, OF
the Board of Aldermen and Borough
Presidents Pounds and Mathewson, on
the other side, repeatedly voting
against the Mayor and Controller and
restoring salaries to their present fg-
ures. Each member has one vote IN
committee. While this situation arose
during the appeals of the heads OF
other departments than the Fire De
partment, il was fairly indicative OF
what would happen when the final rul-
ing on the Fire Department cases came
up.
Action Postponed.
The main budget committee held
conference yesterday afternoon IN the
Controllers Office, at which the Mayor
was present. Ii decided TO postpone
action on the recommended reduction
Of Chief Kenlon's salary and that OF
Deputy Chief Lally, of Brooklyn, as
well az those of battalion chiefs and
other officers of the Fire Department,
until an opinion could be had from the
CORPORATION Counsel. The conference
Of the main committee was called at the
request of Fire Commissioner Adamson.
Besides the Mayor and Controller
Prendergast, the members OF the sub
committee on the budget who had re-
fused to take action on the recon-
mended reduction of the Fire Depart
meut officials salaries, President Nc
Aneny of the Board of Aldermen
and Borough Presidents Pounds and
Mathewson attended the conference.
Commissioner Adsmson and Fire
Chief Kenlon were on hand prepared to
present their COLLECTIONS TO the com
mittee, but were not questioned, as the
Controller announced the intention OF
the committee TO await an opinion from
the Corporation Counsel.
Commissioner Adamson said he did
not think the salaries of the chief, the
deputy chief or those Of the captains or
lieutenants would be reduced. CHIEF
Kenlon, when asked II he would retire
if his salary was cut from SlO,OOO to
1000, as recommended, said:
you forget what fascination the
Fire Department holds for some people.
] don't wish 70 retire. I'm too young a
man TO talk about retiring
Chief Kenlon said that Deputy Chief
Lally. of all men in the department,
was worth three times the salary he -
now receiving, which is $1,000, and ia
stead Of reducing his salary to $4,000,
as recommended, the city should be
glad to have him continue at his pres
ent pay so long as he wished 70 remain
in active service, and then retire him
on full pay.
Split Expected.
The division of the members of the
Board of Estimate budget committee
had been looked for Several times the
Mayor offered a compromise, but oaly
once was il accepted. Salaries in mos,
all cases heard by the main committee
last night which had been reduced by
the subcommittee on the recommend
tons OF the Standardization bureau
were restored TO their present state,
the vote being TO 2 against the reduc-
tons
The first appeals heard were those Of
the Tenement House Department. Com
missioner Murphy fought hard to have
the proposed salary cuts in his depart
ment removed and was successful in
most cases, with the assistance Of the
two borough presidents and Mr.. Nc
Aneny. II was in the case of the sal
airy cut. from $4,000 TO $1,000, Of Su-
perintendent A. J. O'Neil, of the
Brooklyn office, that Mayor Mitchell of
fered a compromise of $1,000, which
was finally accepted by the committee.
IL was the only compromise of many
that the Mayor offered 10 which the
committee agreed
A lively controversy ensued when
President Adams of the Municipal Art
Commi ssion objected 70 the reduction
of the salary OF his stenographer, Miss
Clark. from 81 500 TO $1,000. Con-
troller Prendergast said few women
stenographers could be found in the
business world who received more than
500 a month Mr.. McAneny said that
Miss Clark was not only a stenog-
rapher, but acted as secretary, and
earned the salary she was being paid.
The Mayor offered a compromise Of
81 $50. Three votes went against the
Mayor and Controller again, and Miss
Clark's salary remained at its present
figure.
Supervisor David Ferguson of "The
City Record" succeeded IN retaining
81 $50 as the salary of Washington
Teller, a storekeeper. who mad been in
the department for twenty-five years.
The Bureau Of Standards recommended
a reduction 20 81 200. The Mayor Of
fered a compromise Of $3.50, and the
Controller stood by the recommenda-
tion Of the Standardization bureau, but
they were beaten again, three 10 two
Somewhat exasperated at the repeat
ed action Of the other members of the
committee in voting down himself and
the Mayor, Controller Prendergast Of
fered 10 submit this case 10 amy COM
mittee Of business men" and pay what
ever salary they agreed was right
"'Thy hold a postmortem and au-
topsy?" asked Mayor Mitchell. We've
already voted on this question. II we
don't look out the stenographer's
charges will amount TO more than the
money we tried TO save by the reduc-
ton"
ELLIS ISLAND ORDER OFF