Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-13
THE MAYOR INQUIRIES
Into theEXpenses of Pittsburg
as Compared With Those
Of Other Cities.
OUR VALUATION HIGHER
By 0ne-Third Than Either Detroit,
Buffalo or Cincinnati.
MlLWAUKEE'S ONLY HALF AS BIG,
The Nillage, Though, Is Much Heavier
Than That Adopted Here. ?
OUR VALUATION HIGHER
MlLWAUKEE'S ONLY HALF AS BIG.
FIGURES THAT ARE OF INTEREST NOW


compares with other cities in the way of
municipal financial affairs, Mayor Gourley
recently sent letters to the proper officials
OF a number of cities in various parts of the
country asking for information which
would make the comparison plain. To each
city he sent the same list of
questions-as to their population, their
taxable valuation in 1891, tax millage and
amount raised thereby, amount derived
from other sources amount Of city debt, and
expense of city government per capita.
For some reason many of those who sent
replies either did not understand the ques-
tions or were indisposed to go to
much trouble in the matter, and
their statements did not give the
information desired, and from the
figures given it would be impossible to cal
crlate the points covered in the Mayors
queries Three notable exceptions were
Buffalo, Detroit and Cincinnati, each about
the size of Pittsburg, and, therefore, in a
comparison of this kind of more interest
than some of the more important cities
might be.
Buffalo's Valuation and Taxation.
Buffalo, with population of 256, 900, had
in 1890 taxable valuation of $3.50, 0OO, 600,
Oh which s., SAT, 900 was raised by tax rate
OF 16 80 mills The amount raised from
other sources was 81, ITO, 900, and the total
expense of the city government for the year
was SIS, 900, or rate of SIS. 20 per capita
The city debt is s11, ,42S, 600.
Detroit's population is 2O6,ooO Her tax
able valuation last wear was S175, ,000 900, on
which s., 596,0 900 was raised in 1891 with
tax rate of 16.7 mills. From other sources
there was derived 81, ,13S, 600, and the total
expense of the city government was S. 644,-
600, though the total appropriation for 1892
Is only :, ,935 600. The expense per capita |
is SIG 40, and the city debt only s., $50 800.
Cincinnati has population of 100000 |
and her taxable valuation for 1892 is $751; |
O0O, 900, estimated to yield So, ,O56, 10O on |
tax rate of 81 mills The estimated rev. |
enues from other sources are 81 604, $50, |
and it is expected the city government |
will cost 81, $50, $50, at an expense per cap
lta of 30. The city debt foots up S24,
$50. 500
The other cities heard from give interest
ing information, but not in the form asked |
tor. From the Philadelphia figures it is
found that the taxable property valuation
Is S7S2, 800, 800, and taxable personal prop
erty 50. .395, $50.
Expenses of the Quaker City.
The tax rate is SIS mills Last years
total expense for city government was S23,-
232, GIL 12, of which IS, ,255, 1S5 was for the
Department of Public Safety, s7,071, $50
Tor public works and 1854, 123 for
charities. The city's funded debt is S54.-
4I3,620. Some interesting statistics come
from Baltimore. Her population by the
census of 1890 is 434, ,000 Her funded debt
is S3l, 7S4. .050, an increase of 81 692, 263 dur
ing 1891, but she has STAG, 126 OF this in
sinking funds on which she pays interest to
herself Her taxable valuation is $780,
S67 ,069, and there was collected up to the
first of this year 81, Cos, 5S4 in taxes for 1891,
that being little more than - per cent OF
the whole. The millage is not given.
The city debt includes So, 600, 600 OF bonds
recently voted by the people for improve
ments, of which 81, $50, 900 was for sewers |
$500, 900 for schools, $3.50, 600 for improving
the parks and the balance for widening and
repaving streets. The parks of Bait wore
cover $50 acres and there was expended last
wear for maintenance S224, 459, of which
S174, 916, Ga came from the street railway
companies in the form of e park tax
Minneapolis has a population of los, 900,
a net funded debt of Sc S02, 500, taxable
valuation of S13S, IA 562 and her tax rate in
1891 was 23.1 10 mills, including 1 mill, the /
revenue from which the law requires to be
set aside to provide for the principal of
bonds when due The revenue from taxa
tion in 1891 was S2,6S4,7 ,744.
Miwaukee's Low Valuation.
MiIwaukee's population is 2O5, ,0o0 The
assessed valuation is S113,675 120 (about
Iwo-thirds the cash value), and the tax rate
p. 80 mills, which is less than for several
years past. Her netdebt is IS, S27, 600, but
will be increased 1925, 900 this year on bonds
to be issued for park, bridge, school and
other improvements.
The population of Newark, n. J., is 1872
coo. Her taxable valuation in 1891 was
S119, 32l ,094 (about so per cent cash valued
aud tax rate 1S.20 mills, which has been the
rate for several wears. The citv's net
funded debt is s., ,S9S, $751;
The statement of Pittsburg's financial
condition on tie basis of 1891 compares
favorably with the cities above noted Her
population is estimated at considerably
more than 240, 600 now, though the census
OF 1890 gave her only 239,000. Her net
funded debt on February 1 was So, 462 602
and she had money in her sinking
fund TO cover the remainder of S3741, 800 of
her gross debt. With 4 tax rate of u mills
on a net valuation of S2i0. COO, 600 will yield
easily 3, $50, 900. The cost of operating the
city government last year was s., ,465, 900
and this year it is estimated it will cos. S4,-
9a9 S02, which includes considerable
amount for permanent Improvements and
purchase of property.