The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-03-31
THE STREET DEPARTMENT
figures Which Show the Expsndi-
lures Under Two Admin
istrationS
Employment Given to Nearly Two
Thousand Men During the
Past Year.
For tho Money spont Therc II Value
Shown. aud In One Instance the City
Saved $4,000.

Expenditures In tho street department
unde Mayor Curtin's administration are n
feature of his work that the mayor Ia esre-
cially dosirous tho people should know all
about. From May /. 1892. to March II,
1888, the %expenditu ea In this department
wee $3.50. 374. 80. The heaviest expenditure
was in October. 1892, when 1872 mon were
employed, and the payments amounted to
$22. 400. 20. For this expenditure there are
no EXCUSES to DO made. This large number
OF mon was put on by the mayor at the
written roquost OF some OF the heaviest
property owners in Helena. including MIR.
Lockoy. ns the following letter shows:
HELENA. Mont. Sept. Is, 802.-John G.
Curtin. Mayor of the City OF Helena. Dear
Sir: We, the unde signed, members of the
capital committee of tho City of Helena,
desire to lay before you the Importance of
Helena for the approaching campaign as
possible. We know OF no way of doing
this 30 we'll. and in which the burdens will
be distributed SO equitablv as by putting
men voters. regardless of politics. at work
on the al, eets. If this suggestion meets
would be pleased to have you 10y tho matter
before tho council and mako arrangements
to get as many men at work on the streets
az possible. As this is being asked for en-
tirely in the interests of the capital we be-
lieye the taxpayers will sustain you in
taking the action which we suggest.
Sincerely yours,
Il. w. BEATTIE. A. j. ) EL1uMAN
s.. z. HAUsER, Fl. M. PARcHEN,
JOHN L. MURPHY. A. j. tTEELE,
A. w. LYMAN, A. NJ. HOTTER,
RICHARD Jockey.
The work of these men was not thrown
nwav. A hundred or more were kept at
wo.k opening Lawrence street, n for the
money expended in that direction the city
has q great and much needed public i'm
provement to show.
When tho opening of Lawrence street was
decided upon, it was estimated by contrac-
tors who were approached on the matter
that it would cost about $4,000. Mayor
Curtin at first put a small number Of men
at work and when the call came from the
capital committee he increased the force
on Lawrence street. The cost Of the work
no far done. ns estimated by the engineers,
has been as follows:
G,10i yds earth a 40c par. yd. .........S 3,2i1 60
400 yas cfmont gravel q SOC per yd.. 2,15l 80
4.5s7 yds loose rock g 65c per vi. ,..... 2.9t9 05
ISIS yds solid rocA @ S1.l0 per yd..... $3.50 80
Total $40. 1914 95
As the Improvement is a permanent one.
this should in all fairness be deducted from
the total expenditures of the street depart
ment during Mayor Curtin'f administra-
ton. The engineers estimate of the work
yet to be done, and its cost. is as follows:
Amount necessary to bring street to grade fall
width:
8,Us6 yds earthl@ 400 per i........... s1.454 40
1920 y~ds'cement gravel q 900 pal yd.... el0 90
2,274 ,ds loose rock @l65c per y ,......... 1,47S 10
1864 yds solid rock g $L1O per yd. .... 1000 40
Total" ST, $40 90
As the contractors estimated the work
would cost $3.50, COO. and as under MIR. CUT
TINS plan the cost will be SIG, 235. 50, it will
be seen that tho mayor saved the city about
STA. 600 on the work done A less conscien-
tious Official. or ono who did not look after
the city's affairs "a lie would after his own,
would have agreed TO tho contract plan.
formed by som of the aldermen. But
Mayor Cartin took the matter in his own
haads, and so far "a he could control it
there was q profit in the work, and his en-
pIoyes. the people OF Helena, got the bene-
tit OF it.
The following shows tho expenditures in
the street department. under Mayor Klein
sohmidt's administration for May, 1891, to
Ma oh, 1892, md then Mayor Curtin for the
same length Of time in the following year.
This table also gives the number of men
employed each month. Mr.. Kleinschmidt
in an expenditure OF 500, O7G.05 had Ill men
on tho pay roll. Mr.. Curtin in an expendi-
ture of $500 so, had no men on the
roll, or four times as many as did Mr..
K!einschmidt. The fignres are: