Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-05
COUNCILS TO ACT
0NPAY RISE BILL
Measure Increasing Sal
aries Under $4,000 Up
for Passage Today
METER ORDINANCE, TOO
Finance Committee to Report
100000 Peace Fund and
Other Appropriations

Councils are expected today to pass
the 10 per cent salary increase bill that
will benefit 1854 city employees who re-
ceive $4,000 or less year.
The increase will be effective as OF
July l. and Mayor Smith will sign the
measure within the next day or two,
making it possible for the benefciaries
to get their back pay this month.
1t was the administrations backing to
: this increase measure that led hundreds
of delinquent city and county officehold-
ers to pay UP their political assessments
to the Republican city committee long
after the November election was over.
Not until the administration approved
the increase did many employees Of most
bureaus dig down to swell the war
chest" a part OF which. II was said.
went to cover expenses incident to tho
Fifth Ward murder cases.
So many hundreds of city and county
workers failed to pay up before election
that 1t was evident that without bonus
of some kind the collections would fall
many thousands of dollars below the
| ers.
| Administration Made Good
1t was after this situation became
| dangerous that a third and last appeal
! was sent out and at the same time the
administration made good its 10 per cent
! increase promises of long standing. AS
the political assessments range from
two days pay to or per cent of the
| IN a1a, h,, ,,to hnII 1,a
increase handsomely covers the fund
| demanded by the politicians.
The most important bill. from the
viewpoint of the average citizen. that
will be reported to Councils today is
the one providing for universal water
meterirg of the city during the next
five years.
This measure will be approved by
| Councils special committee on water
meters prior to the meeting of Councils
AS framed it provides that the property
owners will have to pay the cost OF in
stallation Of meters after that cost has
been ascertained through the city's Sc
curing proposals from the different
meter companies. 1t divides the city
| into five districts, each district to be
metered in each of the next five years
1t provides further that the owners
of property shall pay the minimum
change for the water supply, while all
in excess Of the minimums shall be COL
lectable from the tenants. To secure
prompt payment OF excess water charges
no tenant failing to pay water charges
can secure water in any section Of the
city until the old bill is settled.
Bills that will be reported from the
Finance Committee include salary
bonus measure for 1919 and appropria-
tion bills for most of the large city de-
partments. In these latter measures
provision will be made for 100000
peace fund for Mayor Smith, out of
which will come s60,000 for overcoats
for the home defense reserves The
remaining $4,000 will probably be used
for "incidentals." Provision will also be
made allowing $4,000 extra for plumb
ing at the city's home for the insane at
Byberry. This was made necessary
because William McCoach, Jr, threw up
his contract with the city for the plumb
ing. this allowing the buildings to re-
main useless over another winter. Suit
against McCoach and the National
Surety Company will be started as soon
as a new contract can be let.