The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-03-09
CITY Finances.

CITY Finances.
The Ottawa Republican has published an artici'
purporting to be a review of the expenses OF Inc
city for the last two years. Nothing wouid Ut
plore useful or commendable than the publlca
ton from time to time in our local papers OF q
correct and fair statement Of the finances of the
cty A fair and lust criticism Of the acts OF the
city officers would be equally proper and bene-
cal. Persons who accept positions Of trust have
no rirht to complain of the closest scrutiny and
must submit gracefully to such criticism rs, in
Justice and fairness, their official acts deserve.
This article, however, evidently was written
without giving the subject Of which it treats Il
single moment of thought or investigation, and
without even taking the trouble of asking a
question or Inspecting the city records for an eX-
PLANTATION.
The books and records Of the city are open for
.he inspection of any citizen, and when state
ment is made which is incorrect and unfair it
must be attributed to either negligence, malice
or cupidity. There would seem to be no occasion
or excuse at this time for publishing statement
Of the finances Of the city in this loose and care
less manner.
The footngs, published from time to time by
upon the city treasury, furnish no basis upon
which the expenditures of the city can be accur-
ately stated Take, for instance, the item
$4,000 contingent expenses IL Is Impossible
for any person to tell without inspecting the rec
ords what enters into this item to make up that
sum; but any person of ordinary mind could see
at first blush that there must be some eXplana-
ton that does not appear upon its face, and this
explanation can easily be obtained from the rec
ord. Owing to the nsuiliciency of the appropri-
atoms made by the former council, the finance
committee of the present council were obliged to
negotiate temporary loans to bridge over the
time until the taxes levied by the present council
should replenish the empty treasury. The first
item was 81 800, the second $1,000, and the third
5000. Orders were drawn on the treasury for
their several sums and the several amounts were
deposited in the treasury when obtained. After
which the same money was drawn out of the
treasury by similar orders to pay the current eX-
penses of the city. Each Of said items was after
wards renewed; that is to say, the several loans
were extended and ORDERS again drawn on the
treasury for the amount of each Of said items, and
the old order taken up. 1t will be readily seen
that orders have been drawn for these items lin
all $4,000 three different times, and all charged
10 the item of contingent expenses. Upon re-
lection, it will also appear that the treasury or
Gcrs thus drawn do not enter into the current eX-
pcnscs of the city at all, and the final report Of
the treasurer will show that this item of cOntin-
gent expenses will be almost entirely blotted
out.
These items, making $500, have been used by
the finance committee to meet the current eX-
pcnses of the city from the spring of 1877 until
the present time, and these orders are now being
paid by the taxes coming into the city treasury.
This has been briefly referred to in order to illus
tratc the injustice of that article.
The article purports to state the ordinary"
md extraordinary" expenses Of the city for the
past year, but find it so grossly erroneous that
| feel it my duty to correct the errors by Civ
ing detailed statement showing the gross
amount of orders drawn during each month sep
arately since the beginning Of the present NUM-
cipal year; also showing the items of cXtraordi-
nary expenditure, so far rs the same can be elm
mated from the items of accounts, and subtract
these from the gross footings of each month, to
ascertain what have been the total ordinary cur
rent expenses of the city during the present
municipal year The figures given below will be
easily understood and the ordinary city expenses
for each month added together will give the total
ordinary expenses of the year, which were some
thngunder $4,000.
NJ,