The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-26

noneys are in the keeping Of the city
treasurer and the entire responsibility 81
the safe Keeping OF same II thrown upon
hffn- In other words. city money. unaef
the provisions OF the charter, Is either de-
posted in designated depository, or II
Is kept by the treasurer.
The place referred 10 By the word de-
posited' IN section s. must De construed 20
be identical with depository named In
section s.. and any other disposition OF
the money worid be .xeeping, as con-
templated in the latter portion OF section
IS: He shall keep such funds ana %
responsible therefor
"Under the last provision, which an
thorizes the treasurer 10 keep such funds
and be responsible therefor the reason
which applies 20 the requirement.
that be shall report the place
where deposited entirely falls; for Ia one
case the council takes the responsibility OF
second case the responsibility rests upon
the treasurer.
IF the council should desire TO have re-
ported to it the place where city moneys
are deposited the council has full power
to name places Of deposit and require the
treasurer 70 place the money Of the city
therein. and then require him TO report
every month the amount so deposited. and
where. This could be done by order OF
the council at shy meeting thereof.
"The last sentence in section 80 gives adj
tional power If 10 is not already made
clear BY sections o. and So:
"'He shall keep such accounts, make
such other reports and perform such other
duties incident TO his Office as In this
charter or by ordinance required
This power lying and resting in the
council, 10 specifically command the treas
urer TO do all that IL may require with
reference to the deposit and reports regard
ing the moneys of the city, the council
may, IL the provisions of the charter
are not sufficiently clear. supplement such
provisions at any time by requiring the
treasurer to do whatever they may desire
in these matters by ordinance; provided.
same Is not in conflict with the charter.
THE treasurer is not required to both
deposit the money OF the city in places
named by the council, and then take the
responsibility Of the safe keeping Of such
money. And If the council are salts
he'd with letting the responsibility
rest upon the treasurer, By virtue of his
right under the charter TO keep such
money, the council can with no show of
reason both ask him to be responsible and
require him to name any depository which
he may have selected.
"if the council are not satisfied. all it
need to do is to designate the repositories
as required by the charter, and the re-
urer will then be clear and definite.
an contemplation of Law there is no
depository except that designated by the
council. The moneys of the city, il kept
in any other than designated repositories,
would be a keeping rs set forth in the lat
ter part of section %.
ii. therefore, conclude that the council,
having never designated repositories for
the funds OF the city, and In default of
such action. the charter having LAID the
responsibility for the safe keeping
of the funds upon the treasurer,
the council cannot require the
treasurer to report the banks
in which the city's funds are deposited:
and the words In section "a. providing
that the treasurer shall report the places
where the city's funds are deposited, ap-
plies only TO repositories designated
by the council. But the treasurer can
DO required To name the banks where the
city's funds are deposited. whenever the
council desigBates the repositories.
"P. S.--Section o.. Ii considered alone,
would require the treasurer to report the
repositories in all cases, but this is modi-
ged by section 95, as above stated"
"Now," said Tacoma PosT-INTELrI-
eEscKR bureau reporter to Mr.. Boggs, Elf
the council names the depositorie, you'll
have to report7"
Certainly" rejoined the genial Mr..
Boggs. Certainly. I'D give many dol
lars to have the responsibility taken off
my shoulders"
"But how about you having the council
fixed so it won't name repositories
.'oh, no." said Boggs, with a long face.
"That's not so; that's not So"