TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL REPORT 43 



cost of living, which is especially shown on our men by reason 

 of the very low scale of salaries at the Park. In order to remedy 

 this injustice, the Society has decided to contribute a sum be- 

 tween $11,000 and $12,000, to be raised by special subscription 

 among the Board of Managers in order to provide in 1917 a 10% 

 increase over the salaries of all the employees of the Park and 

 Aquarium whose annual pay is less than $1,300. There is every 

 indication that this amount will be furnished by the Board of 

 Managers. 



Another year, the Society must have an additional $12,000 

 for its employees to take the place of this voluntary subscription, 

 and also a similar amount must be provided for restorations and 

 repairs, as the Society cannot continue to assume this burden, 

 which properly belongs to the City itself. 



The sum of $47,000 was provided by the City for the main- 

 tenance of the Aquarium during 1916, and proved sufficient in 

 spite of the increased cost of all supplies, which necessitated 

 extreme economy on the part of the management, but in 1918 

 increases in the salaries and an allowance for repairs must be 

 made. 



The total annual cost to the City for the maintenance of 

 these two institutions for the year 1916 in spite of the reduced 

 attendance is between 7 cents and 8 cents for each visitor. 



CO-OPERATIVE STORE. 



In order to assist the employees of the Park to meet the 

 strain of the increased cost of living, the Society has established 

 a Co-operative Store for their benefit, and has invested $700 

 in the stock, besides paying one-half of the salary of an attendant. 



FINANCES. 



The lack of an adequate Endowment Fund to supplement 

 the income derived from Annual Members has cramped the So- 

 ciety's activities in every direction, and nothing except the most 

 rigid economy and disregard of all opportunities to expand has 

 enabled your Committee to keep the expenditures during 1916 

 within our available resources. The balances to the credit of 



