The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-01

which it has been long-observed custom
of his to audit on the last day of the
month were allowed to lie in their locker
1t was still early in the day when this
got abroad in the City Hall, and the back
door of the Auditors office was locked in
order to prevent a run upon it that would
have seriously interfered with it's business.
Everybody wanted to know just why and
what the outcome waste be.
II am acting along the lines indicated
by the heads OF departments at their re-
cent meeting" he explained TO those who
saw him. eff the clerks and other en-
ployes who get their pay from the general
fund will wait for their money there will
probably be enough to keep the institutions
in supplies until there is revenue enough
to meet all demands. The heads OF de-
partments thought that could be done. It
will only be necessary to hold over this
one months pay, as the June payroll
comes into the next fiscal year anyhow.
The Bank of California has agreed to adj
vance the money on the warrants at the
rate OF per cent per month for short
time, or per cent per year if longer.
I'VE are waiting, or trying to wait, until
the Supreme Court shall decide the ques-
ton involved by the suit of Rode & Co.
against the Assessor, under which the new
tax law shall be knocked out or validated.
Ii it is sustained there will be money
enough in the treasury to meet the de-
mands Immediately, upon It's being appor-
toned. If it is knocked out, however, it
will be October or November before the
warrants could be paid"
But the thought that to-day is not pay
day, with possible indefinite postpone
ment of the date was cause of anxious
discussion among the clerks from one end
Of the big building to the other yesterday.
On the other hand, Superintendent
Weaver of the Almshouse wandered from
one department to the other yesterday
morning making known the fact that .'we
have no bread at the Almshouse to-day.n
and getting but little comfort in any of
them.
81 was in hopes that some solution of
this snarl would be reached by the time
the load of flower I purchased on my own
responsibility was exhausted, but we seem
little nearer to it than BEFORE" he said to
Auditor Broderick ~ can't keep this
thing up. What will do?'
The Auditor could only tell what
measures were being taken and advised
him to get the Supervisors to warrant the
purchase of another load.
In the Treasures Office demands upon
the treasury were being registered right
along, despite the notice that the fund was
exhausted. Next to this notice was an
other, saying that registered demands I'D
to No. 372 would be paid. The numb of
the demands registered ran to nearly 600
before the hour of closing, and the amount
for the number above 372 ran above
$4,000
The interest that the Assessors office
has in the peculiar situation is in itself
peculiar. 1--WE have been for ten DAYS
endeavoring to collect personal tax under
the provisions of the new law" said Deputy
Harzar Yesterday: "Our first days collec-
ton was $4,000 and Immediately jumped to
$14, 200 and SIS 600 per day. Then Rode &
the law, and collections Immediately
dropped to $1,000 and $4,000, as people re-
fused to pay pending the decision of the
suit. We have not yet-also pending this
decision-made any seizures under the
new law. When we undertake that the
work will become ugly, | fear. The case is
being presented by the Assessors ATTORNEYS
on its full merit, but we will not be sorry
in case the decision goes against us, for
the law cannot be made to work except to
the City's great disadvantage this year.
but in the single instance of the assess
ment on ships the city will be great
loser. The Assessor, you understand, is
made responsible for the taxes upon per-
sonal property which he assesses but fails
to collect. Very many ships are off on
voyages, the owners of many being with
them. They are accustomed to the later
dates of the old law for their assessment
and taxpaying, and usually make pro-
vision at that time. Now the Assessor, of
course, will not assess these absent ships,
being himself responsible for the taxes in
case he does not collect them, and the CITY
must be the loser. There is SIS, 900 900 Of
assessments on the books upon which the
taxes have never been collected. The
Assessors of the future will of course be
wary how they make assessments if they
have to pay taxes on sums like that. To
be sure, the chances of losing taxes are
lessened under the new law, which re-
where the tax is unsecured by real 1 estate
Under the old law the persons assessed
very often moved and were lost sight of
between the date of assessment and the
arrival of the delinquent-tax collector, and
this accounted for very much of the loss.
However, to return to the pending
financial stringency, / can say that we