The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-10


A sTATKaExr Fkon rHE COMP
1EOLLKK-
srarrrr, Sept. ., 1855.
To TIE EpfroR. Yesterdays PosT-Is-
7xr1rsKycsk contained the following items
IN its editorial columns.
pEgsTy or wosrr.
ssThe city OF Seattle 10 in renafkably
easy condition financially The rspors on
the Comptroller shows that AZ the Begin.
ming 81 the month there wns IN the city
treasury in cash 500. 7Ds.07. OF this
amount 50 00la9 comprises special I'M
provement funds. and the balance. $780,
uses. represents the amount OF cash N
the general city funds. The surplus IN
the various funds IN which the cash an
warrants amounts TO $i62. sefss. The
actual cash in the treasury, however. rs
stated, should be 500. 7g8o7. And yet the
administration cannot AFFORD work Tor I'M
employed laborers."
"The reform administration found no
difficulty IN transferring money into the
salary fund from other funds. 30 that high
salariei officials could be paid In cash. u
does not find IL practicable, however. 20
make any transfer that will enable the city
70 cosnpiete public Improvements and give
work TO deserving lanorers.
City Comptroller carson's attention be-
ing called TO the same, replied: To those
" no are familiar with the city charter and
IFS requirements as 10 the disposition OF
these funds no explanation is necessary,
and the PosT-IsTELLIsEScER people we'll
knew when they published 10 they were
wilifully and desIgnediy rnisrepresenting
the facts. IL Is true that my report on
August 81 shows the actual amount of
cash in the city treasury to be 500, .0Z.
OF this amount $f9.00i. 90 is in. the special
improvement funds and belongs 70 the
people along the streets to be graded and
improved and can only be paid to the con-
tractors. laborers and material men Inn
proving those streets. Tho balance, $780,
7060s was levied. collected and placed to
the credit of the following funds, as pro-
vided by the charter, and Is necessary 20
meet the following fixed expenses:
Interest finds specially levied TO pay
interest GA bonds, sios75 OF which il :.
Condemnation award luud --Baianee OF
proceeds of bonds voted by people 10
pay for widening Front Commercial
and other streets according to awards
judgment fnnd-Bsisncs OF proceeds
Of bonds voted By people to pay out
standing Judgments against city and
JUDGMENTS 10 be obtaiaed IN pending
Sewer and drainage fund-votcd by
people 20 pay for building south
sewer tunnel. with imperative pro-
viso that 10 should be used for no
other purpose As many men ~ can
work are now being employed on this
public improvement. ................ $3.50 81
Fire department. fiind-BeKeIy enough
10 furnish supplies for eve montts
remaining q fscal year. .............. ssas 81
Street tund--Io pas five months re.
pairs. cleaning. etc. a. we'll 40 hu
street crossings on new street grades. 30.212 20
supplies aud rapsiss lor ave moaths~ s.ias IS
Pubic health fand--Not enough To PAY
expenses one month aad leaving
four months deficiency. ............. 2ls o.
Street light fnnd--EBough % pay for
city lights three months aud leaving
two months deficiency. .:.......,..., HID IL
receipts from wharfage will probably
Park and library fands-surpins Of In
come txed BY charter -. s.s72 50
Salary aud general funds-out OF
aud all salaries for Ave month"; (tn-
Guiding tire and police which amount
% sli,SOo per month, ............ 57.2ss os
This leaves only the water fund with
an apparent surplus Of H2. GO.
t0ut OF this the city 10 under contract
TO pay this year si2oo0 ior pipe al
ready purchased ana delivered and
the remainder. s3a. skh %, Is the only
money In the treasury available 60
pay for LAYING pipe already bought
or to draw on Tor emergencies such
a. the payment OF interest Oh water
bonds .0o0I due January 1. 1891, be-
lore taxes Tor ensuing year can be
tostectSu-l OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ESSo 20
Total ........................... sasa, 7u6 os
The amendments TO the city charter pro-
yiding that the annual levy should be
made s.for the ensuing fiscal year" Ga year
in adyanceb was prepared aud submitted
by the old city administration and adopted
by the people, and the present city admin
istration feel la duty bound 10 comply
with the charters requirement.. and are
trying to do so. Section a, article Q,
twelfth paragraph, provides. And the
percentage Of each annual tax levy shall
be named for each fund, and the whole
amount of taxes and revenue of tho city
appropriated TO said several funds accord
ingly: and no transfer shall be made from
one fund TO another. except as otherwise
provided in this charter"
The PosT-INTELLTGKScER people we'll
knew when they published those items (if
they are familiar with the charter1 that il
would be just a. wrong TO divert the
$As, IS. 81 from the south tunnel fund or
the amount OF any other fund from the
purpose for which it was levied TO some
other or foreign purpose as it would be to
take the money levied. collected and
credited so the interest fund TO pay the
interest on our bonded debt and pay il
out to men set 10 work on the contem-
plated Front street sewer. OF course this
reform administration transfers money
every month nearly TO the salary
fund from other funds because the
charter provides that IL shall. Sec.
tion "A. article Q. second paragraph, pro-
vides that All officers. deputies and en-
ployes whether they DO high sala-led
officials. deputies. clerks deserving labor
eEs. women or chiidren) shall be paid
out Of the salary fund How else. then,
can We pay officers or laborers
IN the south sewer tunnel unless we trans
Ter from the sewer and drainage fund to
the salary fund 20 pay them9 How nav
the officers. clerks aud lahorers in the
water department and street department
unless We transfsr monthly the amount
due them for such work from those funds
to the salary fundY
The salary fund is supplied by 20 per
cent. Of the receipts from fines and
licenses. 30 per cent. of the street fund and
transfers from the other funds 10 nav
iahorers and employees when they work in
those departments. The reform admins
tration finds no difficulty in transferring
from any Of the funds to the salary fund
10 pay either thigh sagaried officials or de-
serving iaborsrs, when they work in
these departments. when the charter
auth0rtFsx the sauna 70 - A..