New Britain herald., 1919-12-30

Hearings to city employees who arc seeking higher salaries because of the . high cost Of living was given by the salaly committee Of the common council last evening Representative es Of several or the city departments A, F. Elchstaeot presided and Council - man NJ. F. King filled the clerk s chair
 Raises for Public Works.
 Chairman k. N. Humphrey or the board of public works was first heard. He asked for salary increase for all members of that department. In the ease Of the city engineer, who is now receiving 5000, Mir. Humphrey stated that his salary should be raised to S6,ooo and, even then it is possible the city cannot retain him should he re- eeivo offers elsewhere, "tlts work } takes in. tho street, sewer and water departments and know from my knosledse that he is, kept busy six days t week and some. weeks he works evenings and Sundays 50 every thing can be In sood shape Mr. Humphrey aoid Also. I would like Ho saS tho assistant engineers arc tnderpajd, considering the present living conditions and what It cost them for . college cducation," he added. Regarding the clerk and -lenogfaphcr, he said tlat both were efficient and have proven competent Empioyes The assistant engineers work eight hours per day willie the clerk of tho board has been installing new system and has worked three nights overtime each week
 Water Board supt
 In speaking for q aalary raj sc for the superintendent of the water board, James Towers, Mir. Humphrey said that tho superintendent gets out and works as hard as any of the la borers and is always ready to work on any or the city matters in his line In case il vacancy occurred in that office he said that ha knew Of only one
 
 offices in the city buildings should be run OH the same schedule of hours so there would be no Jealousy existing between different offices, he added
 Police Want Increase.
 F. k, King made appearance for the board Of police commissioners and explained thut the Board has recon nended a salary increase of sl day for patrolmen.
 Mir. King asserted tl,at all mon on tho police force are underpaid. con siderlns tho wages paid the average laoorer at the present time. The po- llcemcn have to provide forl two out f1ta, their uniform and civilian clothes, making & bs increase in the.r person al expenses. The local police force works one hour longer than any Of the forces in neighboring cities, Mir. King said and 1t should be consid- cred that during the war the police were loya, from beginning to end even when they had better offers elsewhere. Mir. King said that the ! board recommends three grade sys- tenn. Tho elimination of one grade would give some or the men n Sl25
 
 ask for a two grade system, he said
 Alderman c, r. Curtis questioned Mr. King as to whether tho New Britain police force was paid n high CT salary than paid clseWh here last year. Mr King replied he thought tlsey were, Mir. Curtis then asked Mir ! IinG about tho rate paid elsewhere for the coming yeor and Ar. King brought out tho fact that should the increase asked be given, the local fogce would be receiving. more than the members of tho Hartford force, but asserted 1t must be borne in mind that the time of service is longer.
 TaN Collector I.oomis 1Icard
 Tax Collector Berradotte Loorns vas neNt sivcn a hearing He asked for sn increase which would bring his salary up to S3,200 n year. He is at the present time receiving $2.200. He declared Chat his salary for the amount of work he does, Is tho small est paid by any city in the state the size or New Britain Mr. Loomis' pay waa fixed In l9lA when he first en- tered the office and has not been raised since that time Mr, Loomia also spoke for the deputy tax collector Tor whom he favored q salary in crcesc, saying thnt her pay should be sdual that paid tho first clerks else ! where. Mir. Looms insisted that if he was allowed one-half of one per cent. ouA all money collected he could af- . fora to take the office over and pay all his hGlp. If the commission basis is accented he would collect tho street |. and Sprinkling and other aa9essm ents without extra charge from the city Inspector Allen Appears.
 BulldMg Inspector John w. Allen was GlNNn q hearing. relative to the