St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-07-11
A PERPLEXING DEFICIT
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AGAIN CON-
SLOERS MUNICIPAL FINANCES.
M'CARDX BALXS THE PLAY


ence committee was held yesterday
afternoon. with all members present.
AS at other meetings of this body, the
only thing done was to discuss fire de-
partment finances. Nothing definite
was decided, except that Comptroller
McCardy sat down very emphatically
on the scheme of the mayor to renew
certificates OF indebtedness when they
come due instead of paying them.
After going up and down the line'' on
the question OF how to run the depart
ment in its present condition and get
through without any shortage, the
meeting adjourned until tomorrow aft
ernoon at O'Clock.
The members as soon as called to or
der Waded into the fire department. mud
die. At the last meeting City Treasurer
Miller stated that at one of the engine
houses there were hay and oats enough
OH hand to last for a year. To make his
talk stronger, he also informed the COM
mittee that the hay used at some of the
engine houses was so bad that 1t was
not fit for bedding. The statement
caused small sensation, and resulted
in a committee of three, consisting of
Aid. Cullen, President Bement, OF the
water board, and Charming Seabury, be-
ing appointed to investigate as to
whether the department had been con-
Quoted in all economical manner.
MILLER Won't Do.
Mr.. Bement, as chairman OF the COM
mittee, reported that he had investi-
gated the charge made by City Treas
urer Miller. and found the statement to
be without any foundation in fact. At
the engine house mentioned by Mr.. MIL
Ter he found about two tons OF hay and
thirty bushels OF oats. The manner in
which the department contracted for
its supply of feed and hay was such,
Mr.. Bement said, that it would be i'm
possible for any such state of affairs as
Mr.. Miller reported to exist.
President Freeman, of the fire board,
said he considered the statements made
by Mr.Miller an insult to the fire board
Mr.. Miller, by way of explanation,
said he had only stated what he had
heard, and as public officer considered
he was doing his duty and nothing more
to call the attention of the committee to
the facts.
Mr. Wheelock thought Mr. Miller
should apologize for the statements
made, as they were made in very pos
Tive manner. and in such a way as to
reflect eli the fire board.
Mr.. Miller, however, was not to be
punched up to an apology, and in mat
ter-of-fact way said he owed no apology
to any one. Before he would make an
apology he would have to make an in
vestigation as to the facts himself
Mr.. Freeman offered to submit sworn
statements to prove that MIR. Miller was
wrong, but this had no effect. ~
The mayor called Mr.. Miller's atten-
ton to the report submitted by Mr.
Bement, but Miller stood pat and re-
fused to take the advice of either the
mayor or Mr.. Wheeiock as to all
apology, and the matter was dropped.
Must Cut the Amount.
Mr.. Bement said he could see no rea-
son why the fire board should continue
TO figure on basis of $4,000 for the
department this year. 1t would have
been all right for such argument q
year or so ago, but there was no excuse
for the board to talk of this amount
now.
Mr.. Freeman said the board had been
ICQ " OCIlCNC btldb GhCA MOulu nave
$4,000 for the department.
Mr.. Bement failed to see how they
could believe this when it was known
last year that they were some $4,000
short, and had been notified by the
COMPTROLLER in Decem Der last that $780,
600 was the maximum amount available
this year. He figured for few mo-
ment' and after being told the board
had spent $4,000 up to July l this
year, announced at that gait they would
spend over S230,000 during the year.
Without rejecting in any way on the
board, he thought halt should be
called, and something done to reduce
the expenditures.
Questioned as to salaries, President
Freeman said engineers were paid SS7
and tiremen So per month.
Mr.. Bomont said stokers in the water
board were paid only $50 per month and
were Oh duty all the time. He was OF
the opinion that if there were to be any
cut in the department plenty of good
stokers could be secured for $50 per
month.
The Salary BugabOO.
The mayor said if the salaries of the
stokerS were too high they should be
reduced on general principles, without
regard to the shortage i'll the depart
ment.
Mr.. Bement said there was no elias
ITCHY TO the amount left for the depart
ment for the next five months, and a
reduction would have to De made in
some way.
In reply to a question, President
Freeman said there were any number of
applications Tor positions on the depart
ment.
This, Mr.. Bement said, showed that
the positions must be worth having. and
if the men were not willing to work for
smaller salaries, others could be Sc
cured.
Mr.. Freeman could not see why the
fire department salaries should he cut
when departments i'll other cities were
not.
Mr.. Benent said it was as plain as
any other fact was; there was no money
to pay with, and, consequently, the eX-
penses would have to be reduced.
Mr.. Cullen said that the fire alarm
and police alarm i'll Minneapolis were
run under one head at cost of $1,000,
while in ST. Paul the two systems cost
$3.50. There might be saving of
50, $50 in this if the systems we're con-
solidated.
Nh Bement said the only way to re-
duce was to reduce, and if the board
had done this IN January last it would
have been saving something toward
the deficit. 1a
A half hour was taken up in figuring
how much the department had left after
paying June salaries and expenses. AS
the figures were very discOuraging, the
opinion was advanced that it would he
impossible to save the amount of the
shortage, some $4,000, by the discharge
of one or two men for the next five
months.
4 Big Shortage in Sight.
Mr. Wheelock. after obtaining figures
from the comptroller. called the atten-
ton of the members to the fact that on
July l. after paying June salaries and
bills, there would be left to run the
department for the five remaining
months S63,240. The pay roll for the
five months would, at the present fig
ures, amount to $4,000. added TO this
the incidental expenses, which at the