The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-27
RUNNING INTO DEBT.
indianapolis is Doing 1t at the Rate of
Several Thousand Dollars a Year.

One mouth ago the finance committee of the
Board Of Aldermen submitted a statement show
ing the aggregate amounts expended by each de-
partment for nine months ending with the 1st Of
March, being three.fourths OF the fiscal year.
That statement is far from soothing to tax-pay
ers. 1t exhibits the fact that nearly every de-
partment has expended in excess of the es IT,
mate for that department and that the city is
rush headlong into debt. The figures were COM
piled by Alderman Hamilton, who called the
attention of Journal representative to the
table, yesterday, and whose name, with those
OF Alderman Seibert and Alderman Mussmann,
is appended to the statement. 1t shows that
the Board of Health on an estimate OF $500 a
year, Isl ,s75 for nine Inonths.J has expended
$1,953S5 in nine months; that on estimate of
81, 5O0ayear for bridges, $4,913. 80 have been
expended in nine months; that the city dis
pensary, the city hail. the city hospital and
branch, have all exceeded the estimates in their
outlay. The fire department In nine months
has expended S5s, 1885, 18, being So, 1856 Is in ex-
cess OF the estimate for that time The street
improvement account, on basis of $7,875 for
nine months, shows an expenditure during that
period of S14, 1929. SO, being $6,154.s3 in excess
OF the appropriation for that time. The street
department, repairs to bridges, estimate for nine
months Sc, $50, got away with $4,57s.65 in that
time and the repairs to sewers also exceeded the
esrimate The White river rIp-rap has had 49,
4O5. 27 expended upon it up to March l, 1883,
and there is Call for a further expenditure
from that quarter The total OF the estimates
for these nine months is $272717. This state
ment shows that $292, 9S0.87 have been ex-
pended during that time, being an expenditure of
2O,263 81 over the estimates.
THESE are very pretty figures, but when one
takes into consideration the fact that last year
this city exp pended 1873 900 more than Its rev.
enue and that at the rate are now going 1t will
expend more than $4,000 for the present fiscal
year, ending with the lat day of May, II looks
ike lt is time to call half. To this amount of
$l23,54i interest paid in that time, which Will
give u total of expenditures for three-fOurths OF
the year, OF $4l6,521.S7, and the totaI estimate
Tor the entire year. embracing all receipts Tor
general purposes, is hut S496.127.
Mr.. Hamilton when questioned yesterday, as
to what could be done 10 stop this depletion
replied that he could see but one cOurse-t0 re-
duce expenses In every department. He did
not see how any great saving could be made IL
the hre department. Though he was OF opinion
that some money might be saved by contracting
for hay, grain and other supplies instead OF
bnying, as now, from day to daykfor immediate
need
1t is thought by councilmen and aldermen
alike that the cost of the police force under the
metropolitan system will be increased nearly or
quite $4,000 year over the present estimate,
while the receipts from the may or's office in the
way OF fines turned into the city treasury Will
diminish 81, 900 or $4,000.
The city's bonded debt Is In the neighhorhood
OF s., 900 600 (ut which 100000 is Belt road
bonds, and merely CONTINGENCY, the assessment
Is as high as it can go, and the tax levy as high
as IL can be got. The question is how TO de-
crease expenditures-nO easy question with the
OF improvements, regardless OF the financial
straits OF the metropolis.