St. Paul daily globe., 1893-07-04

salaries or supplies in year it was the
fault OF The departments.
Mr.. Wheelock said as far as he could
learn the fire department had been very
economical in the management OF the
department. f<G 80
Miller's --latest Sensation.
City Treasurer Miller made a very
sensational staten ent to the effect that
at several of the fire stations there was
hay and oats enough Oh hand to last
full year.
the fire board, questioned this state
fhent. and Mr.. Miller said the station he
referred to was the chemical house at
the corner of Victoria aud Ashland. He
said he had been informed that the hay
used there was hardly fit for bedding.
= Ihe mayor said this statement could
{, ,st be true, for when lie had Inspected 9
the engine house no such state of affairs
existed. SESssess sS ~
-, MIR. Wheelock said the jebbers' union
had been asked to appoint a committee
to investigate the affairs of the fire de-
partment with a view of ascertaining
as tothe management. Of the. board from
ali economical standpoint. This, he
thought. should be done in order to-
Show the conference and the public
that the affairs of the department had
been we'll managed.
This was finally decided to be a good
thing, and Messrs. Cullen, Bement aud
Seabury were appointed as a committee
10 bring Ill report as to the manage,
ment OF the fire department.
McCardY's Long Suit.
The question again turning to the
reduction of salaries of heads of depart
ments, the comptroller said itwould not
help out the fire and other departments
which were short if all the officials were
cut down half. Ii the mayor and other
officials would agree to a reduction and
then draw the amount and hand it over
to the fire board, it might be applied to
that department, but II it remained In
the treasury it could not be applied to
any other fund.
County Auditor Burns thought the
fire department was in the same POSI-
ton as the employees i'll the court house
As soon as reduction was necessary
the men who were let out by the court
house and city hall commission were the
ones who did the Scrubbing. He said
he was probably not good fnancier,
but II he was member of the fire
board he would advise that the depart
ment run ahead as at the present time
except to make a 10 per cent reduction
OF salaries. and take chances oa the No
,Vembef pay coming in from delinquent
taxes. He certainly did not believe in
the men who did the labor in any de-
partment being the ones to get it in the
neck.
The mayor asked the comptroller why
1t would not be Just as legitimate to
take the money from other fluids to
make up the shortage in the nre depart
ment as to take the money and pay Oh
IA nf frIx INxv
'vember's salaries. Senator Dean had
stated to the jobbers' meetingithat the
city was under contract to supplysthe
IRE department with S2150OO, with
which TO run the department.
And They Differed
The mayor and the comptroller in
dulged in some discussion as to what
was meant by the city attorney in the
letter to the mayor.
M"CardY contended that the attorney
did not say 1t was legal to renew or hold
back OH the payment of the certificates
of Indebtedness. He held that when
the fire department had expended the
amount available and the DELINQUENT
taxes did not come in there was no-other
income for this or any other department
1t was not possible, he said, 10 hold |
back on the payment of the certificates !
huCH uHQ WHOH tlG 1utlu from
which they had been purchased was |
credited back with the money it was not |
possible to divert it To any other fund.
Mr. Bement inquired as to what the |
probable amount of delinquent taxes |
would be received this year.
The comptroller said he was not able |
to guess any better than other members !
of the conference as to the amount. !
There had been by errors and abate-
mentS about $4,000 lost to the city !
which had been estimated ON.
City Treasurer Miller wanted TO know
where the fire department would be if |
1t Kept Oh running behind from 50, 900 to
Sl5,U00 each year. .4s. s
" MIR. kerWin, of the hoandOf control. .Whol
has been taking an active part in the |
discussion, and advising how the short
age i'll the various departments could |
be provided tor.4Was given chance to
talk a little regarding his own depart
1nent, by the county treasurer -announc-
ing that the. board of control fund was |
Overdrawn'about S25. 600. and that only !
about 5000 would be left in their fund |
to Iun the balance of the year. This !
Mr.. Kerwin thought could not be posi- !
bic, but lie. was assured by the county |
treasurer that it WAS a fact, ana THAI as |
soon as the fund was exhausted no more
warrants would be paid.
A Costly Poor Farm
Mr.. Burns said the pay rolls at the