The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-16
Even Cut Own Salaries to Low
er Tax Requirements.
First Time in History of Shaw
nee Such Action Taken.
NO MORE DETENTION HOME
Entire Department viii Be
Abandoned Immediately.
Mothers Pension Law and Free
Fair Cause Move.
SLASHIkG IN ITS CLERK HIRE
Reductions in Many Offices for
New Economy.
Sheriff Asked to Save $1,000 a
Year in His Office.

One of the most sweeping
economy measures ever enacted
by a board of county commits
siOners in Shawnee county, was
made today. The order calls for
a reduction of clerk hire in the
offices of the county treasurer
and the probate judge, puts a
limit on the clerk hire in the Of
fices of the register of deeds and
the county clerk, and does away
with the county detention home.
The commissioner also cut their
own salaries.
The order was made, the COM
miSSiOnerS say, as a measure of
economy without meaning Of
fenSe to anyone and was caused
by the added expense put upon
the county by the free state fair
and the mothers pension law.
Last year with a levy of .023
mills the county raised approx
mately S500,000.00 and this year
the commissioners raised the
general revenue levy to .0278.
How Saving viii Be Made.
Saving will be made in the follow
ing manner:
The clerk hire in the office of
the county treasurer be reduced
$500 from September l. The law
allows the treasurer $500 for
clerk hira)
The same reduction shall be
made in the office of the probate
The register of deeds shall be
limited to s1,56O per year for
clerk hire. (1he law allows
s2.OCO)
Mrs Bundy to lie notified that
the county detention home will be
discontinued August 81.
The county physicians drug bill
will not be paid by the county
after August 81.
After August 81 the county sur
veyor will only be paid for three
days work each week instead of
six.
From September 1 the county
commissioners salary will be re-
duced $25 a month each. The
commissioners salary is $50
month.
That after September 1 the di-
vorce proctor fees be divided a.
per cent to the county and 25 per
cent to the county attorney. The
prOctor's fee is $40.
The clerk hire in the office of the
clerk of the district court be linn
tied to So 200 a year. (The law
allows a S2,400 limit.)
That the sheriff be requested to
submit a proposition by which at
least 1000 per year may be saved
in the expense of his department.
May Mean Changes.
This order probably will cause sew
eral changes in the county offices and
will mean reduction of salaries in some
cases. In the office of County Treas
urer Matt Weightman $4,000 a year
10 spent il. clerk hire and at rush times
extra clerks are hired. With this or
de- TO cut off $500 this extra help
cannot be obtained. The abandonment
of the county detention home also will
cause some Inconvenience.
For some time the commissioners
have been contemplating some re
trenchment policy that would reduce
the county's expense and make it pos
Sible for the work to be done with the
money available. J. G.. Simmer. chair
man of the board; f. E. Nipps and
Boyd Pollom all thought the plan
submitted this morning was the only
solution to the problem.
Under the present system of ex-
county the commissioners felt that the
county was facing sure bankruptcy
unless something be done.