St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-20
ORDERS AT INTEREST.
So the Board of Control Bills
Will Be Settled.
HOT ROW I'M THE BOARD
Auditor Burns RoastS the
Boards Lavishness.
MONEY rs YET DUE TO II
According to the Claim Of All
Of It's Officers.
MONEY rs YET DUE TO II
THE ESTIMATE OF THE COUNTY.

The board of county commissioners
had red hot meeting yesterday after
noon, and adjourned until week from
today at o'clock in the afternoon,
when there is likely to be very warm
fight over the tax levy and the allow
ances to be made to the seveaal county
institutions. This matter. together
with the board of control tangle.
brought out an animated discussion
yesterday. Ali of the comm issioners
were present, but the mayor failed to [
put in his appearance, and Mr.. Law allie
was called to the chair. /
The debate alluded to was begun when
Commissioner Lavalle as chairman of !
the committee on expenditures, re-
ported relative to the board of control |
was submitted. This provided for car
rying OH the expenses of the aims house
and hospital by having the county audi !
tor draw warrants on the county treas |
urer for the monthly bills for the sue
ceeding six months. These are to be
presented to the county treasurer, who /
Will indOrSe on the warrants that they !
cannot be paid for the want of funds. |
They would then draw interest and be- I
come negotiable. 1t was stated that !
the Overdrafts of the board of control |
amount TO $4,000, part of this, or SS. ZOO,
being Incurred for permanent improve :
ments.
Chairman Kerwin, of the board of I
control, stated that there is mistake in !
claiming that his board has overdrawn /
its account. He claimad that four years
ago the board had an allowance OF
$1,000, which they have not received,
and that last year there was $4,000 put
into the tax levy, which was designed
for permanent improvements, but
which has not yet been turned over. E. ,
Auditor Burns-The board of control
spends too much money. and it must
realize that it must get down to an eX-
penditnre of $1,000 per month.
Mr.. Kerwin--We have to take care of
the poor. We can't get down belowthe
needs of the people. We Investigate
every case. There are eighty inmates
in the poor hospital to take care of. We
turn away people and are trying 10 keep
down expenses. 80
Mr.. Burns-I don't want to see that
report adopted until the committee in"
yestigates the matter.
Commissioner Daly-It is impossible
to regulate Charities. We can't let peo-
pie starye. Some tunes it costs more
than others and no scale OF expenses
can be fixed. "a
MIR. Burns-They are sinking $4,000
a year i'll the poor farm. -.
Commissioner Hanna-I don't want
that report adopted if 1t gives the board
OF control power 10 spend as much
money as it wants to.
Commissioner LavalIee-We want to
provide for all Overdraft by making the
accounts negotiable, because the county
has no other way to raise money to pay
its debts.
DIR. Ancker-We are short not be,
cause we have spent more money than
was appropriated, but because the
money has not been collected. Our
Institution is run cheaper than any
other in the country, and L can satisfy
any one of the fact by the reports from
other cities. There was $4,000 app
propriated to our institutions for 1892,
but we have not spent half of it. The
$1,000 allowed us four years ago was
not collected, but was charged against
US. We have not received the $4,000
allowed us last year for permanent im-
provements although we have made
the improvements and paid for them.
We were short $4,000 at the begin-
ming of this year and we have only
spent SIS, 900 this year out of the $55,-
goo allowed us for operating expenses
Mr.. LaValle-And if the over drafts
are paid it will make $47, 200.
Mr.. DAILY Obserued that it is a good
thing for the county that he is not on
the board of control, as be could not re-
slst many cases of application for relief
that are not now allowed.
10 nf
adopted by a unanimous vote and the
bills will be provided for by warrants
drawn, and which will bear interest and
become negotiable. -
DR.. Ancker invited the board to visit
the hospital and poor house, and the ins
Vltatlon was accepted and the time fixed
for 10 o'clock Monday morning.
The report of the county surveyor as
to the bids for the pile bridge and grad|
Ing on EdgertOn street was made, and
by resolution of the board the contract
was let to z. II. Thornton for the grad1
ing and bridge at his bid of 81. .554.
County Auditor Burns submitted tha
estimate for the tax levy as required bv
the law. 1t provides for sweeping cuts
In some departments, and Will entail
animated discussion before adopted. Ii
is very probable that it Will be amended
IN some particulars by the board at an
adjourned meeting to be held a week
from today. The estimate was evidently
surprise to members of the board. but
no discussion was had on the matter,
commissioner Hanna said concerning
1t, that he is not familiar with many of
the matters, but as to the road and
bridge fund he wanted to be UNDER
stood as saying that the estimate does
not provide one-fOurth enough money.
The estimate provides as follows.
County revenue fund S140 3on
County bond and interest fund. 40 01d
County poor fund an 0oS
County road and bridge fund .... T00Ci
Total. ......-................ .S22O, ,Oto
In his statement the county auditor
speaks as follows:
The above estimate is submitted with
the knowledge that it is possible to con-
duct the affairs of Ramsey county on
the figures submitted without i'll any
manner injuring the public service.
The net reduction in this estimate as
compared with the estimates of 1892
amounts to $4,000. and if allowed to
stand by this board. and the city gov
ernment consents to retrench in propor-
tion when making up its annual budget.
there is no good reason why the tax
levy for 1898 should not be reduced from
20 to Is mills. as practical starter on
the road to retrenchment and reform
and lower taxes.
The estimate makes cut to a large
amount I'D the poor fund, the road and
bridge fund, the advertising fund. the
fund for taking care Of the court nouse
and city hall. as well as other matters.