The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-24
EMPLOYES AT CITY HALL TO
 GET INCREASE Ordinances Adopted Provid- ing 10 More Assist
 ants.
MINORITY MAKES
 STRONG OBJECTION
Oppose Ordinance Permit ting Director of Public
 Works to Fix Salaries.

After a caucus of the Republcan aldermen last night in the City Hall which lasted from 7:s0 until after ten o'clock the Common Council, despite Mayor Wilson's statement that salary raises should be confined to the tax commissi oner and city auditor, voted salary increases for many of the em- ployeS in the City Hall. The minority Democrats also held a caucus before the meeting of the Council but theirs was over by eight o'clock and the four Democrats were forced to wait the pleasure of their Republican colleagues with as good grace as they could mus ter.
 The salary increases granted at last nights meeting are as follows:
 Tax commissioner, $4,0o0 to $5,eoo a year; city treasurer, $2,O00 to s2,5 500; assistant treasurer, $1,5oO to $1, 800; building inspector, $2,400 to 5000; assistant city clerk, $2,e00 to $2,2o0; assistant tax collector, $2,000 to $2,200; assistant town clerk, $2, 600 to- $2,20O; deputy city auditor, $2,o0O to $2,200; assistant building inspec- tors, s2,o0e to $2,5Oo; superintendent of bridges, $1.5o0 to $1,80o; harbor master, s1,5o0 to $1,So0; building commissioners, from $S for each meet ing attended to salary of $500 an nua11y; sealer of weights and meas ures, $1, 800 to $2,00 city engineer, $4,000 to $5,0o0.
 Besides establishing these increases for city officials ordinances were adopted providing for 10 regular as- sistants in the town clerks office at | S1 200 a year each; a chief clerk to the city clerk at $1, 800 a year; and an assistant at $1r2oo a year; two special outside tax collectors at S1, soc each, a chief clerk at $1,8oo, and three clerical assistants in the tax collectors s office at $1,200 each; a deputy tax commissioner at $2,200, a clerk at | s2,200, a block map clerk at $2,oOO,
 one secretary at $2, 900 and two cleri- cal assistants at $1,200. These posi- l tions are all filled at present but at a. salary averaging $200 a year less than the salaries providing for these clerical jobs last night.
 | These increases were not put through however, without protest from the minority members, Alder man William H. Hogan acting as spokesman for the Democrats and t&sking that the matter of salary in- Hefeases be laid over until next week
 until more light could be shed .on
 raises were doing. This motion was voted down promptly and efficiently by the Republican members.
 | Alderman Hogan's chief point of at tack during the meeting, however
 was on the ordinance which will per-
 nit the director of public works and Hsuperintendent of streets to fix the Isalaries of employees and 1ajborers in [ their departments at their own dis cretion, being permitted by this ordi-
 nance, passed at the meeting, to pay
 laihorers $S, s5, or s5O0 per day if they so wish.
 Alderman Hogan pointed out tn at this ordinance without any maximum
 limit to it will offer an opportunity for unwise spending and might possi-
 bly, be used, especially around election
 time, in a way that might work great harm to the best interests of the vot- CTS of the city. The alderman asked
 that a limit of s1o at least be put or
 this proposition but Alderman Mo Manus, chairman of the committed
 which framed the ordinance, put the
 matter to a vote without any change
 and it was passed. MdManus admit ted that the ordinance might ope1
 up 1eeway for irregularities, but fur
 ther added that it was necessary t' trust to peoples integrity
 In regard to the salary 1ncr l Alderman Hogan asked a number iquestions deemed pertinent to tn