The daily gazette., 1878-12-20
The City Council.

and have the Streets Cleaned by Con-
trdct.
The City Council met in regular ses-
sion, last evening, President Lichtenstein n
in the char.
Mr.. Guthrie, chairman of the Finance
Committee, pr asented the following re-
port on the communication received from
City Treasurer Vincent at the last meet
Ing:
To he President and members Of the City
Council.
GENTLEMEN :--Your Finance Com
mittee, to wLom was referred the COM
munication of the City Treasurer, at our
last stated meeting, beg leave to report
as follows:
We have given said communicate on
due consideration, and find nothing
therein that Is not already well known,
except that portion wherein the Treas.
urer compares the present Council TO
preceding Councils. Your committee has
the greatest respect for the City Treasur-
er, but we beg leave TO differ with him
wheR he states that it takes the constant
watching of both himself and his assist
ant to prevent Council from overdraw-
ing their appropriations. He says all are
alike in this respect. The first year he
was Treasurer he says that he found six
appropriations in danger of being over
drawn, but he found it out afterwards
Your committee would most respectfully
remind the Treasurer that with all his al
legged watchfulness, he has not prevented
preceding Councils from overdrawing
their appropriations, and he need not &c
back To the tiiue he was first made Trea-
surer, but IN less than four months ago,
when the present Council came into
power they found not only five appro-
priations overdrawn, but the bank ac.
count also. The present Council has not
overdrawn any of their appropriations,
therefore there cannot be any parallel
between the present and preceding
Councils, as the present Council has not
done any of those things that require
any watching by the City Treasurer OIL
anv body else.
be nothing to what may be done in the
Treasurer's Office in this city. We say
in answer that unfortunately for the
city 1t has had some experience in
Tweedism. But II isan undenable fact that
all the Tweeds in this city were Of the
same political complexion as the City
Treasurer, and therefore cannot i'll any
degree apply to the majority in the pres
enJ City Council or the party they rep
resent.
Your committee would state for gener.
al information that the bulk of ths city's
money is deposited in bank by the tax
collectors to the credit of the city, and
simply receipted for by the City Trea'
suTer and is paid out in drafts or checks
and each check or draft must have the
signature of the President of City Coun-
Gil and Clerk of Council, and also the
City Treasurer. Very little money il
actual cash passes through the hands Of
the City Treasurer, only the rent of city
properly collected by the Clerk of the
Market, and small amounts from the
Surveying Department, the whole moi
exceeding $1,000 per annum.
As the Treasurer says he does not wan
ball of wax or lump Of dough in hi,
office, your committee would recommend
that the position of accountant, or Trea
surer's Clerk, be abolished; and as eco
nomy and retreuchment is the para
mount duty and object of the majority
in the present Council, we hope that viii
be done, and $720 per annum saved to thu
city. II is the opinion of many that i
the CITY Treasurer will devote less tim'
to writing lengthy communications, ant
devote mo re to the practical duties OF hi
office, he will have no need of an assist
ant.
JOHN GUTHRIE.
A. j. HART,
Finance Committee.
The report, on motion of Mr.. Guthrie
was adopted, without discussion.
The City Treasurer reported: Balance
In bank subject to current expenses, 81,
SOL 81; paid during the week on the draf
of the Water Commissioners, S123 o6 to
tai paid to date, S143, ,553 IL.
l ...,ltF fAV
men, and 8 double teams en- ployed IN TIL
Street Department; pay roll, sos 88.
The Chief Engineer reported u mel
employed in the Water Department an.
10 the extension of water pipes; pay rol
$3.50 81.
The City Auditor reported collection
for the week amounting to S253 IL.
Petitions and communications wer
read and referred as follows:
From His Honor, Mayor ALMOND, al
nouncing the appointment OF Daniel L
Woodward as prison-keeper or turnke
for 1879, and asking for his confirmatio1
From Davidson & Bro. asking that
clear space of l6 feet be kept in front c
their place of business, Fifth and Kin
streets on market days.
Mr.. McGlinchey offered the followln
resolution:
Resolved, That the Law Commute
he and are hereby instructed to have
ordinance prepared for the purpose c
,exterminating all dogs that may be foun
running at large in this city.
Mr.. McGlinchey, in support OF hi
resolution, said he had given the su6Jet
|. | careful consideration, and he could ne
see the use of SO many worthless dog
running around the streets. They weI
a source of constant danger, and he di
moi think all the dogs in the country wer
of the slightest account In compariso
With the one human life that had Deel
sacrificed during the past few days, iron
the bite of a worthless cur.
Mr.. Norton objected to the sweepln
character of the resolution. ana dio he
want TO include all dogs.
Mr.. Taylor said that last summer th
dog oue,tion was referred to u sptcis
committee of Council, who reported INA
: the existing ordinances, II properly ei
, forced, were amply sutficientfor the Pre-
, lection of the pubic.
The resolution was adopted.
Mr.. Guthrie introduced an ordlnanc
: tn repeal the ordinance providing ior 1h
, annoi ntment of an Accountant OF Ires
surer's Clerk. Read talce' .p.;,,,,
! on Mr. Norton's motion, the r.in.iu VI,
l | Committee was authorized 10 lhslCe pi,
4 nosals for printing 100 or oo copies
nnnripted ordinances OF the Guy.
Mr.. McGliuchey gave nolce tna.
= The next meeting of Council ne wo9l
;ntroduce an ordinance 10 proviue Ie
.ha ci.,aning of the streets OF the CITY