The herald., 1895-12-11
THAT $4,000 HOLD OUT
Why School Funds We're On
Monday Transferred
HOW BEGAN CONTROVERSY
The Money Was Loaned By the City
Over Two Years Ago.
chnrleg UucERuhncb Saws That
HOW BEGAN CONTROVERSY
City Clerk Charles A. Luckenbach Says That
There Was No Intention To Do Any
thing to Cripple the Schools.

City Clerk Charles Luckenbach yaster-
day detailed to a HERALD reporter the his
tory from starr to finish of the $4,000
demand which was late on Monday after
noon cashed by himself and which it is al
legged by the members of the board OF ed
ucation belongs really to the school depart
ment. Luckenbach said:
Something like two years ago the board
of education applied to the city for loan
of $4,000, and upon recommendation of
the finance committee the council ordered
that such loan be made. provided the
board of education would place in my
hands and subject to my order demand
against their funds for the amount Of
$4,000 which might be cashed at any
time the council saw tit. In March of 1895
thu council, upon recommendation OF the
finance committee, instructed the clerk to
have this demand cashed and to take in
place thereof another demand for an equal
amount against the common school fund.
This | did, and held such demand in my
possession until Monday afternoon. At
that time in conversation with the auditor
he was requested to have the demand
cashed and the money returned to the
fund from which it originally came, the
auditor at the time stating explicitly that
it was not his desire to cripple the funds
of the school department.. but that he te-
lieved 1t was the best policy not to allow
these demands to run for such length of
time. and that a new loan could be made
and new demand issued if the council so
desired"
"After this conversation with the auditor
| went to several of the councilmen who
were present and asked for their instruc.
tons in the matter. and all of those con-
suited conceded with the views of the
auditor and asked me to have the demand
cashed. This was done just before the
close of business on Monday afternoon"
Luckenbach stated that so far as his
connection with the matter was concerned
and he believed the rest oil those who
had hand in the transaction felt the
same-it was not Intended in any way to
cripple the school department, but the
idea was in the line of keeping these ac-
counts in proper business like condition.
The city clerk further stated that he
knew personally from conversation with
individual members of the council from
| time to time. particularly during the max
ind of the levy for the current year, that
there was not one member of the city
council who is not in favor OF the giving to
the school department every dollar that
a proper, efficient and economical admin.
stration of this department demands, and
that every member of the council recog.
nizes the importance of proper school ia
cilities and would prefer that other depart
ments should be neglected rather than
the school department.
ITO be BRIEF said the city clerk, while
! | am not In any way authorized to say
what the action of the council will be on
any subject, yet l feel warranted in saying
that there will be no cause for complaint
from the school department or from the
public in the matter of proper funds being
allowed the department for its manage
ment. and want to say further that an
confident that the members of the council
are determined to make a strenuoss effor'
to close the present fiscal year without
any deficits in the funds, and, if possible
to accomplish this result without neglect
| ing any of the necessities of the city.
Had there not been meeting of the
/ board of education on Monday night ant
| before the transaction could be explained
| to the members of the board, do no
think that the resolution introduced ant
passed by that board would have beef
! presented, and feel confident that ther'
was no desire upon the part of any mem
! Der of the board to circulate the impres
sion that any effort was being made to in