New Britain herald., 1919-01-07

WOIh WclS ipI1G DN tlIt' tiSI h C14ti N' ''O
 considers 9 clerk essential in the
 office. Councilman Gorhach asked if
 the mayor favored hiring a clerk to which the speaker answered in the affirmative.
 Charity Board.
 Chairman Frank Riley, of the crari- ty board, strongly favored an increase for the superintendent, investigator and steDographer, whom he considers very efficient He quoted salaries paid ! in Hartford where although the city IS 1 larger, the work does not in any res pect come up to that in this city. Those 1 in charge of the office work have 1 reached a high degree Of efficiency, 1 and in order to keep this efficiency, ! it would be necessary to pay falr { sa lary, Mr. Riley informed the com mittee. The chairman paid 8 high trl~ l bute 10 the work of the investigator, 1 who during the recent epidemic was ! the target for criticism, but MT. Riley ] took the occasion last evening to de l nounce these claims as false and un- warranted, and at the same time he 1 gave a resume of the duties of the in l spector. Councilman Gerbach, asked ] questions concerning the duties of the 1 investigator. Mr. Riley said that tle { work necessitated very close applica ! ton of time and effort, and that 67 [ families were visited each week. In 1 dividual instances of where the inVes- l tigator proved his mettIe were recited , by the chairman. Speaking for the ] superintendent, MT. Riley said he was 1 the holder of hard and trying posi- i ton, and through his thoroughnesa l the city was saved much money by 1 <, i has a first class clerk at present, Mr. ] Riley said,
 Towers Wants Raise.
 l James Towers, superintendent of the l water department, in supporting his i request for a salary increase said he 1 had been in the department for 16 1 years, during which time he has tried 1 to conduct the position in business l like maner. He said that there were i three other men in the city who 1 possess the same knowledge of the 1 water system that he does. Through l his own ideas, the city saves each spring 3O,000,0 900 gallons of water at 1 Shuttle Meadow lake, which would i represent in money more than his l salary. MT Towers said that the ! place is one that makes the hours the { longest of any city employe here. He
 { is satisfied that he is entitled to more { salary. Labor conditions during the l past year have been such that many ] times he handed to employees as high ! as $42 a week for services, which ] was more than he receives, and which 1 "hurt,'' he said. MT. Towers said that i the new stand pipe arranged on | Wooster street, was his own idea, and 1 through it the city water system would 1 ho i1.Y,19 icT ' staedt said that after a man had put 1 15 years on g. job, he should be able 1 to furnish some new ideas. He also 1 asked about John Maher, foreman for 1 the departm ent, whose name was not ] on the petition for salary increase. In ! reply to question of Councilman ! Gorbach, MT. Towers said that the water system was understood by 1 others in the department, in a small [ wey. In concluding his remarks MT, ] Towers said he considered it only fair l that he be granted a raise.
 ] Ii was later agreed by the commit ! tee that the name of MT. Maher be l included on the petition for increase l Chairman Rossberg of thke board ap- 1 peared for the clerk of the board, who he said was an efficient emplove, l drawing $1,35 a year which he con- ] SlQCr9Q was too LOW. MI. IkOSSDGES l said that the position was worth at ! least $1,500 a year. In answer to a | question of Councilman GorbacE, MT. 1 Rossberg outlined the mum merous tlu- | ties of the clerk of the board. He 1 showed that during the months of 1 January and July the office is kept l open every night for the collection of ! water rents, and the clerk can also be 1 found in his office 0?l Monday and 1 Saturday evenings. MT. ROssberg took ] the occasion to Iaud the work Of John 1 Maher, the departm cnt foreman, who l he said was the oldest man in point l of service in the department, and the | best empIoye in the service of the l city. Chairman E!chstaedt asked if l the chairman was seeking a raise. l No. but he deserves One,' said Nr. Rossberg Further talk regarding the i chairnan's job clicited the informa-
 ton that he receives $1,000 8 year 'Is that all you get?" asked Mayor 1 Qufgley.
 "Except that on the side" Mir. ] Rossberg laughingly answered. All
 ] hands joined in the laughter.
 1 Mayor Helps Out
 ! Movor George A. Quigley appeared
 in support of his stenographer, who
 asks for an increase from $500 to
 lSSO0 The mayor told CT the excel
 lent work rendered by his steno-
 grapher. but he would not sugge st the
 amount of increase to be given. He
 told of the $500 provision made for
 clerk hire that was in vogue when he
 took office At that time he said
 the oA7ca x,as not kept open all day.