Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1916-01-21
SALARIES Of
OFFICIALS
SLASHED
Council Uses Axe on City
Payroll, and Wages Are Re-
duced in Every Department
Of Municipal Government

The city council unde? the new
regime did not appear exactly In the
light of Santa ciaus to the men
who ara upon the municipal payroll
when Il got down TO business In It's
first regular session last night. There
was general choppIng down of
salaries. and with few exceptions the
employees. from auditor and police
judge TO teamster, Will have 10 trim
their living expenses during the next
~ months.
The fixing OF salaries becoming the
order OF business. the mayor recon-
mended that the suggestions recent
ly made by the tax leage be followed
in establishing the payroll The
auditor and police Judge had been
paid a salary OF $1,000 during 1915.
but from this ho was obliged TO en-
ploy his own Office help, His salary
for 1915 was placed at $1,000,
though II was agreed by the council
that II ho should need an extra
amount OF help ut any time II should
be provided. He will still supply as
sistance to meet ordinary emergencies
from his own salary.
Tho police force Will represent q
material saving. The chief was re-
duced from $50 to SIS per month.
and tho patrolman Will receive his
old nat salary OF s65, but there will
be no pay for extra time 10 swell
these amounts. Under the former ar
rangemcnt the chief and the one
other officer served 12-hour shifts,
and divided the salary of n third pa
trolman between them. This made
the chiefs salary s101.66 per month.
and that OF the patrolman sS6.66.
Under tho new arrangement the chief
Will serve from noon to ten o'clock
at night. when the patrolman will go
on duty TIL eight o'clock in the morn
ing. AT that hour Street Superin-
tendent Dean. serving "a a police
man. Will do duty TIL noon, Mr.
Dean. who is also city engineer
Plumbing inspector, street superin-
tendent In charge OF streets and
parks, and few other things not
enumerated In the ordinance. will
continue to draw his old salary OF
$50 per month,
The chief OF the fire department
suffered n reduction OF salary from
$S5 to 80 per month. and tho assist
ant from $65 TO 500. Heretofore
both these men have been on constant
duty Mt the engine house during the
"a hours, but committee from the
council Is to attempt u readjust-
ment OF duties and give the men some
hours OF relief during each "a, dur
Ing which time only q single man
need bo at the station
The city teamster was reduced
from $40 to $50 per month, and the
city attorney was instructed to draft
an ordinance repeating the old ordin-
ance that establishes the wages to be
paid to day labor ut $2.50 for eight
hours time. The attitude OF tho
council, as gained from remarks
made by the individual members dur
ing the discussion, is that laborers
be- paid whatever the ruling wage In
the open market Is at tho time.
There was no contest over any OF
the reductions except In the case OF
the city engineer. Mr.. Dean called
attention to the report OF the tax
league wherein the work Of his de-
partment had been commended and
no request made for a reduction. The
motion made to reduce his salary to
SIS was defeated by tic vote, the
reduction being favored by Council
men Atchison, Burke, Knips and Pad
dock Tho motion IN leavo Tho oai.