The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-02-09
STATE HIGHWAY
OEPARTM'T CUT
To LOW POINT
Governor Moore's Pro
gram for Road Econ
omy Goes Into Effect;
Cut in Personnel.
(SpeciaD.


siole number Of employees required to
carry on actual maintenance work and
construction now under way the
State Highway Department began OPP
era,;ons Tuesday morning with a list
OF only 40 employees on the payroll.
This reorganization was carried out
under instructions from Governor I.
c. Moore who on January 3rd asked
for the resignation Of all employees
in the highway department in order
that the highway expense might be
cut to only that work absolutely nee
essary to maintain roads already built
and TO carry out contracts now under
way.
In addition TO the 40 employees on
the highway work, nine men will be
retained in the Motor Transport Sec
ton, where the materials and supplies
received from the u. s. Government
are taken care of. This force. to-
gether with two in the general Office
makes a total of 90 employees. On
December Jist there were 220 en-
pioyces. The reduction cutting out
100 employees.
This reorganization slashes approx
mately $4,000 from the monthly pay
roll. On January LIST the total pay
roll. including Motor Transport Sec
ton, was $2o,383.o7. The estimated
payroll for the month of February
will nos exceed $4,000.
Reduce Ali Wages
In making the reorganization Gov
ernor Moore has abolished the office
OF Director of Highways at a salary OF
5000 per year and this work will be
carried on in the future under the d.
rection of the Commissioner of Pub
lie Works. Col. p. ID. Olson. who has
filled this position for the past four
years. retired from the office We'd
nesday.
Further changes in the department
include reduction Of the wage of men
employed in maintenance to a scale
which will not exceed the scale paid
by contractors for the same class OF
labor. which is approximately from 40
to 50 cents per hour for labor, 40 to
IS cents for teams and from so to
621 cents for foremcn.
Reduce Districts
The number OF district in the state
has been cut from seven to four in
order to save all possible expense.
This reduction to four districts will
really be in effect a reduction to three
districts because No. 4 district, which
is the home district. will be admins
tered from the Boise Office and the
District Engineers will handle the
maintenance for this district.
The highway employees on the pay
roll for February LIST are as follows:
District No. I. Pooatello. 4; District
No. z. Idaho Falls. 2: District No. 3.
Shoshone. 2: District No. 4, Boise, S;
District No. S. Challis, 2; District No.
Lewiston. Is; District No. 7, Occur
z; Boise Office. accounting
and clerks, S; stenographer, 1; drafts
men and computers. ;; Bridge Depart
nent. z; Chief Clerk, 1; blue printer,
|; total 40. /,
Hold Engineers
One District Engineer in each OF
Districts No. 2, S and 7 will only be I
On the payroll for the next ten or
hfteen days. They are being held for
hat period in order to properly effect
he transfer OF the Office records and
avoid mixing them up. In District
4 two residence men will possibly
released by the end OF the month,
It which time the entire staff would
'e reduced to a. or As employees, un-
ess extraordinary maintenance or
emergency due to weather conditions,
arise, in which event the neces-
airy help TO properly care for the
ituation would have TO be employed
or such time only as was absolutely
Iecessary.
The disestablishment of the District
'hces at Challis. Idaho Falls and at
]ocur d'Alene will be completed not
liter than Feb. Is T~wenty-three of
~ employees retained are en-
loyed on actual construction work,
here being at this date p construc-
jobs upon which work is actively
rosecused.