The morning call., 1892-12-29
A BIG SHORTAGE.
The City's Funds Largely
Overdrawn.
RECORD FOR SIX MONTHS.
The Incoming Board of Supervisors Is
Left a Troublesome Legacy.
Official Figures.

When the present Board Of Supervisors
retires from Office next week to make room
for its successors it will leave legacy in
the shape of a shortage in the funds varying
between $4,000 and $4,000.
The first half OF the current fiscal year
will close on Saturday, and when the ac-
counts are all in and balances struck there
suit will not be to the credit of the present
members of the board.
1t is evident from the present condition OF
the various funds under ontrol OF the Super
visors that some one has been reckless in
the expenditure of the city's money.
Funds that were increased to a degree
thought to be sufficient for all requirements
are already exhausted and the drainage on
others has been so heavy since the election
that large shortages exist.
No one. however, knows how it occurred.
The Supervisors in the past have come 10
regard shortage at the end of each year in
evitable, and they acted accordingly, buying
this and that regardless of where the money
was to come from.
The most recklessly conducted of all the
funds was that of the Fire Department,
controlled by Supervisor Coffee. The
monthly appropriation for the running ex-
penses Of the department is $1,000 90, sum
amply sufficient 10 meet all requirements
provided strict business rules are adhered
| TO. Yet for some reason or other there
were unpaid demands against the fund on
December Is amounting to S34, asa II. In
| this sum Is included bill of Sic, 500 for
fire hose. for the payment of which a special
fund Of SIS, GOO was set aside in the last tax
levy. The actual shortage in that fund ex-
elusive of the bills for the present month
which are now being filed. is Sl9 4S4 II. The
bills for the month will aggregate nearly
$4,000 and when paid will swell the short
age TO $4,000. This is the record In this
| department for the first half of the current
fiscal year.
Ii 10 likely that the Endorsement and pay
ment of these bills will be left to the incom-
ing board, as there is hitch between Super
yisors Coffee. Burling and Wilkinson over
the affair. The trouble arose over the re-
fusal of Coffee TO vote for the payment of
w. I. Y. Schenck's hose bill of Sic. 800,
which had been ordered by Buring and
Wilkinson without Coffee's knowledge
Supervisor Burling retaliated by refusing
to sign the Fire Department bills presented
to him by Coffee. The latter begged and
implored Burling and Wilkinson TO sign,
claiming that BY refusing they unneces-
sarlly withheld money from parties who
had earned it.
Il will not sign the bills" replied Bur
ling decisiyely. "You wouldn't help me
out, and now I'll have nothing to do with
your bills. Let the incoming board sign
them.'
In conversation with a reporter Super
visor Burling stated that the greater por-
tion of the Fire Department bills which
now remain unpaid were contracted by
COffee since the election.
Il refused to sign the bills because
knew nothing about them," said Burling
Many OF the bills are for materials and re-
pairs TO ire apparatus, and they are so ar
ranged as to come within the $500 limit in
order TO avoid advertising. For instance,
take the claims OF O'BIien & Sons. On No
yember 10 they filed bill for $3.50 go for
material and repairs, and on y Noyember so
two bills were filed, one for 1896 for hose
wagon, aud another for S4SS 80 for material
and repairs. In order TO prevent adveriis-
ing these bills were contracted under sep
arate requisitions so as to keep within the
$500 limit. There are other bills without
number Of which know absolutely nothing,
aud / therefore refuse to indorse them"
Among the funds which are heavily over
drawn is that of advertising. There is q
shortage OF 5000 in this fund, and il all tha
bills were 10 be paid to-day there would n OF
be cent left in the fund 10 work with dur
Ing the next six months. Then there is the
fund for fuel for public buildings which is
oVerdrawn TO the extent OF $1,000. The
monthly appropriation is $500, but during
the winter months a sum largely in excess
OF that amount Is required. 1t is therefore
certain that the fuel fund will be exhausted
long before the close of the fiscal year.
In the past six months the fuel for light
ing the public buildings, for which the
monthly appropriation is S2250. has been
oveIdrawn to the extent Of S3lO9 SO. There
are unpaid demands against this fund car
RED over from last year which amount to
SG930 Il. These sums therefore bring the
shortage to $4,000.
The next shortage of Importance is in the
stationery fund. The appropriation per
month for this purpose is $3.50. On Decem-
Der 10 there were bills against the fund
amounting TO S9436 90 contracted during the
fiscal year. and bills of last year amounting
to $40, l2O %, making total deficiency OF
Sl9,556 10. The total expense for stationery
during the year will not fall short of S25. 600.
thus leaving a deficiency of at least $4,000.
the same as IL was last year. This added to
the amount OF unpaid bills OF last year will
make a total deficiency OF $50,
There are many minor funds which are
in depleted condition, particularly the
smallpox hospital fund of $1,000, which is
already exhausted, with bills to December
10 unpaid. amounting TO S11S9 As The
public buildings fund, under control of
Supervisor Hunt, for furniture and repairs,
Is already $500 in excess Of the appropria-
ton, and when all the bills I'D to January
l. 1898, are in, the shortage will be danger
ously close to $1,000.
The fund for prison expenses is over
drawn TO the extent of S1467 81. and the
hospital fund now falls short of meeting
outstanding bills by nearly $1,000.
The Finance Committee of the board is
preparing its semi-annual report upon the
condition of the funds, but it is not likely
TO belp matters much.
The shortage at the close of the last fiscal
year was 100000. but il the present rate of
expenditures be maintained the deficiency
this year will largely exceed that sum.