Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1894-04-14

ouS PooU uucs Oue vi Tile main
causes for the crippled condition of
our city's finances was the antiquat.
ed and Inadequate system of book.
keeping which found in operation
when assumed Office.
Early in my administration / APP
pointed financial expert to devise
a new system Of bookkeeping for all
the departments. One Of the impor.
tant discoveries made by the city's
expert was the defective water as
sessmcnt, by which the city was au-
nually deprived of hundreds of thous-
ands Of dollars. I deem it absolutely
necessary to have a new water assess.
ment made throughout the city, and
] am convinced that the revenues Of
the water Office will be increased very
largely In consequence.
Some weeks ago / ordered the Su.
perintendent Of the Water Office to
make mination of the Twelfth
and Thlrty-second Wards to deter.
mine the advisability of making re.
assessment Of the entire city.
Up to April 8 3,20s buildings had
been examined In the Twelfth Ward,
and this examination alone showed
an Increase Of $3,sO7 annually. On
$500 buildings in the Thirty.sccond
Ward the reassessment shows an in.
crease Of $500. These two exam.
pies, on a total of $500 buildings,
netting an increased revenue of near.
ly $40, 900. show certainly the advisa-
bility Of q reassessmcnt throughout
the entire city. During the ensuing
year I shall, as far a. our limited
means allow, extend the test to other
wards
Payment Of Employee
Another change Of pressing import.
ance which deem wise to advocate
would be the establishment Of a pay.
masters department. The present
mode Of paying the employees Of the
city Is irregular, unsafe and unsatis.
factory In most respects. Some of
them are paid by the City Treasurer;
Others are paid by various persons In
the different departments OF the city.
A paymaster should be appointed
who shou d give bond for d large
amount, and regular pay depart
ment established, even though the
expense attending the same might
seem apparently greater.
This would result In greater cxpe.
dition and economy. No person
should be paid unless identified. The
pay Of all employees failing to appear
at the appointed time should be
withheld and afterward paid upon
Identification. Such safeguards would
defeat any possible attempt to stuff"
the city pay.rolls.
Under the old arrangement q great
loss of time has occurred. all at the
expense Of the city. The three Inn.
portant things to be regarded In the
establishment Of q paymastcr's de.
partment are safety OF the funds,
convenience TO the cmp!oye, and saw.
Ing Of the city's time. To consid-
cradle extent At least checks might
be employed In payment Of men. Per-
haps It would not be possible to make
their use general on account Of the
loss OF time Involved on the part Of
the empl0ye In getting them cashed,
or sublecting him, ut the hands OF
INSCRIPTIONS persons, to the loss of n
discount. The city pays Its men
more promptly than any OF the large
railways entering Chicago.
From experience In the past I am
led to believe that the greatest loss
which occurs to the city Of Chicago
IL from false returns OF time made by
the foremen. There should be In all
the important branches Of the service
men appointed to check the time.
keepers. This double check would, ]
believe, result In the saving Of very
large sum Of money. There IL hardly
u day but that time Is found returned
by f0remcn for men who have not
done the work claimed. The plan
could be worked out In connection
with the paymaster's department.
Another means has been found
which, In conjunction with the fore.
going plan, will prevent any person
receiving pay from the city who has
not performed adequate services. l
allude to the publication OF the city
pay.rOlls as ordered by your honOra.
BILE body and carried out Tor the first
time under this administration. Al
though the publication OF the pay.
rolls will involve considerable ex.
pense, shall continue to make such
publication, believing that the citi.
zens and taxpayers are entitled to
tho fullest possible information on
this subject.
Public Franchises,
OF equal Importance In its direct