New Britain herald., 1918-01-25
SALARY COMMITTEE
 DOES A BACk-FLIP
ReSCindS All Previous Action and Begins Anew
RAISES NOW IN ORDER
Mayor Gives Committee Some Ad- vice-Rutherford's Salary Back at $2, 2,50O-Quinliyan Gets Raise and So Do Others-Hearings Planned.

TO OTflSfS-ficaT1ngS Planned.
 Executing an "about-face' and do- ing a graceful back-flip, the salaries Arevision committee of the common #eouncil met last night and not only < #Frescinded all actions they took at the initial meeting on Monday night, but also passed some actions which were
 diametrically opposite to those taken
 at the earlier session. To use the .~Words of Fred Beloin, it looked "as if all were in better humor," for the sal- ary of Building Inspector Arthur N Rutherford which was cut from $2,500 to $2,200 on Monday night was again recon mended at $2,5O0, and an increase of $500 which was formerly denied to Plum ping Inspector Thomas QulnllV2n was last night recomme ended for him, as was an increase of $500 for Court Clerk Emil J. Danberg, in con- N trast to the first vote, which recom- 4 mended that no action be taken on his petitions. An increase from $2,000 to $2,300 was also recommended for James Towers, superintendent of the water department, and they also gave S1G0 to the water department fore man, who had not asked for it. Be- fore the meeting adjourned until next Monday night it was voted to summon all applicants for salary increases be- fore the meeting to show cause why their petitions should receive favor able action
 Quiglcy Sends Letter. Mayor Quigley was present at last nights meeting and the other mem- bers of the committee who attended were: Chairman A. F. Eichstaedt 4 w: J. Lenehan, Francis McDonough, Daniel J. Sullivan, Hedley P. Garter, Jacob Krawiec, Gordon J. Ely, c. J. Dehm, Charles May and Fred BeIoin. R Others present either as spectators or as interested parties were: Dr. George Bodley, Alderman M. I. Jester Coun- cllman Charles Mueller, Lawyer David Dunn. Albert Woodward, Attorney # E. J. Danberg, Daniel Shea and Coun- cilnlan Abraham Gorbach. Tn opening the meeting, Chairman Eichsta edt remarked that himself and \ other mem bers of the committee were rather new at the business of revis- ing salaries and T believe we went at it a little bHndly and hastily" Con- @ tinuine, he said:
 "I don't know whether or not you < will want to reconsider any of the &C., < tiDns taken, but I believe we would be B Justified if we did reconsider some of M the actions we took"
 He then read the following letter M which he received from Mayor G. A. M Quigley following the meeting on # Monday night: ~N> N MT. A. F. Eichstadt,
 City.
 Dear sir-If the newspaper reports @of the recent meeting of the salary #Mrevision committee are correct, your conlmittee seems to be acting in a very # peculiar manner.
 To my mind, it will be necessary, before you can act intelligently upon \ such an important matter as salary Provision, to properly investigate the < worlz of the individual employees and @ officials before a decision can be Preached as to a proper salary to be
 paid.
 M Much criticism of employees and off, x cials was indulged in by the members x of your committee, apparently without @ knowledge of the duties or the value of their services to the city. While M am not in favor of large salary in- E creases and-feel that we should all be willing that some of the officials and E Mennployes who have applied for salory # Increases should receive some increase # and that if it is not your desire to in- @ crease the salaries of others, you can Z bts least treat their request in a courte- I pus manner and not indulge in unnec- ssary sarcasm at their expense. I.
 eel that the various officials and em- bloyes should be called before your K ommlttee and be given a courteous S earing.
 Z Hoping that you will give the mat M CTS mentioned in this letter consider @@ ton, I am,
 Very truly yours,
 GEO. A. QUIGLEY,
 Mayor.
 Reanarlzing upon this letter, Chair 2 lan Eichstaedt said he did not know M yhether or not the committee did
 1ake any more sarcastic references
 an any other committee, the com-
 on council or the legislature. He s hid he considered that the committee
 ad done it's work in an honest way. The mayor then asked permission NE sseak and said that he was person
 llv acquainted with the work of the H#HHa rious city officials and would hesi- @ te to sit down to readjust their sal 5S rios without careful thought and con- S deration Taking up the matter of
 educing the building inspectors sal
 ,, from $2,500 to $2,20O, he said
 at he did not think the committee 3#ES .ve that the consideration to which
 was entitled. He then explained 8A at No take this position the incum-
 Int had given up a good business of 8s own and to maintain the position
 g to run his own automobile at an sz anal expense of from seo0 to s700. H8 st year, the mayor said, the inspec- drove 10, 900 miles on city business SS .ich leaves him but $1,800 or $2,o00
 his actual salary. The mayor then m i that ba favored calling anv off,