The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-06-19
COUNCIL is RETICENT
MEMBERS NOT EXPRESSING THEM
SELVES ON THE GAS MAINS TAX.
City Attorney, However, Directed to
Draw I'D an Ordinance - Street
Foremen Want Better Wages.

City Controller Trusler will adopt a new
arrangement in the next appropriation or
dinance that is presented TO the Council
and one which will be as much of an inn
provement over the plan heretofore for
lowed as the arc lamp is over the candle
for lighting purposes. The controller pro-
poses to have the appropriation for each
department cover all the expenditures Of
any character whatever for that depart
ment, so that at the end of the year it Ia
readily observed what each department has
cost the city. The first move I'm this step
was the order that each department should
pay its own light and water bill, instead
OF Jumping the whole as light and water
expense of the city.
Under the old arrangement II was next
to impossible 10 arrive at any definite idea
as to whether the markets were run at a
pront or loss. The marketmaster received
his salary from a general fund for salaries
OF city officers under the plan heretofore
followed. Under the plan OF appropria-
ton proposed for the future by the con-
troller there will be a given amount appro-
priated for the use Of the Department of
Safety. From this fund will be paid all
expenses legitimately coming under that
department.. including the salaries OF the
commissioners, clerks, etc., and then at
the end Of the year it can be told at a
glance what the expense OF maintaining
any department for the year has been
Under the new arrangement the city will
be able to ascertain with accuracy what de-
gree of profit or loss there is in the markets
and other institutions that are a source of
revenue to the city Under the plan that
has been in vogue there has been nothing
to encourage economy in the various de-
partments. for the reason that no credit
was given for 1t. There was no induce
ment for one department to be economical
and have the fruits of it's economy eaten
up by the extravaganza Of another. With
each department responsible for its own
expenditures, however. and a system by
which economy I'm the department is shown
and appreciated there will be an incentive
to keep the expense down to the lowest
practical figure.
Under the present system there have
been many abuses, among which are the
purchasing OF articles under the head of
stationery that do not belong under that
head. A short time since the Board of
Public Works ordered fifty feet of rubber
tubing for drop lights and charged It under
the head of stationery. Under this same
head a lot Of sleeves and other hardware
for use by the city engineer were also
charged.
The Board of Public Safety estimates
that the city VIII save about $4,000 in the
expense of that department this year. 1t
thinks the expenses Will fam that much
below the appropriations for the depart
ment. This saving has been due to the
different manner of making purchases and
different methods in vogue in the depart
ment. Under the old regime nothing was
purchased upon bids received that could be
purchased otherwise. Under the Sullivan
gang nothing but grain for the fire and
police forces and apparatus for the depart
ment were purchased under sealed bids. All
other articles were purchased privately and
at prices that suited the purposes of the
gang" whether these purposes were po-
lItical or otherwise. Under the present adj
miniStration nothing has been purchased
except by advertising for sealed bids and
purchasing of the lowest bidder. In this
way competition was brought to bear and
the city received the benefit of the low
est price for all IT has purchased. The
appropriations. for the year ending Aug.
81. 1898, with the balances ON hand, were as
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