The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-23
THE CITY'S DEFICIT.
Conference of Leading Officials
in the Mayors Office.
The Conclusion Reached That All Just De.
mands Against the City Must Be Paid.
The 0verdrawn Funds.

An important conference was held In the
Mayors Office last night among the leading
officials OF the municipality for the purpose
OF considering the financial situation, and
preparing plan of meeting the large def
cheney Of the last fiscal year. There were
present Mayor Sanders0n, Treasurer Wild
Der, City and County Attorney burst,
Auditor Smiley and his deputy, Louis Jacobs,
Supervisors Elert and Burling of the
Finance Committee, and Clerk Russell of
the Board of Supervisors. The meeting
was secret one, and the utmost pains were
taken to conceal the proceedings. The
session Of the officials lasted till ii o'clock,
and while newspaper reporters were walt
ing for irs termination those present
quietly stole out through the back door of
the Mayors office and wendell their way
through the partially completed scaffolding
of the rotunda to City Hall avenue. All
managed to reach the street unhurt save
Auditor Smiley, who, in crossing over some
planks, stumbled and almost broke his
leg. Before the meeting Mayor Sanderson.
ence. stated that it was simply little
family party, and that there was nothing to
divnlge.
The officials present went into an exhaust
i've consideration OF the city's finances, and
from the figures presented it was known
that the deficiency will not exceed S195, 600.
The proposition was how to meet the deficit.
The conference came to the conclusion that
the city must meet its financial Oblg atoms,
and that all just bills must be paid. Ia
this respect the conference agreed with the
conclusions which had been reached by the
Finance Committee of the board.
1t was stated that $4,000 of the de-
fciency was due to the excess of txpendi-
lures over appropriations in funds over
which the board has no complete iurisdc-
ton, such as reporters fees. the Recorders
copyists and election expenses. In the ap-
propriatiOns for the coming fiscal year
there was appropriated S4S, 900 for the pay
ment Of judgments against the city and
other unpaid claims. AS there are few judg-
nlents against the city, it was proposed to
utilize this money for the part pay
ment of the def ency. Again there
were SURPRISES left in several of the special
tuads, and these will be transferred to the
General Fund and used to still further re-
duce the deficit. A large part of the de-
the Special Fee Fund. such as sta
tioneiy, etc. The bills against this
fund will be especially scrutinized,
as those expenditures which were
unauthorized will hardly meet the approba-
ton OF the Finance Committee. Again, it
was found that there are some bills against
the city. making up Il portion of the deficit
which have been long outstanding against
the city, and on legal advice furnished
1t Is probable that the payment of these
can be avoided They amount 20 about
$4,000. The result of the conference was
very satisfactory to those who attended, and
the outcome was In perfect accord with the
conclusions arrived at. These in the main
agree with the position assumed by the FL
nance Committee of the board, the details
of which will be presented at the meeting
on next Monday evening.