Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-07-09
CITY'S FINANCIAL CONDITION
Conclusion of the Fiscal Year
'95-96 Tuesday Week.
A SURPLUS OF NEARLY $4,000
Democratic CounciImen's Fine
Financiering.
The Animal Report of Councils Finance
Committee-A Balance Of Only $4,000 in
the Treasury at the Beginning of the
Year Deception Of Republicans.

Wise anu luulCiOuS uhuuiinB VI tho
public moneys, has closed the fiscal
year 1896 -96, which ended Tuesdayweek
with balance to the credit Of the citv |
amounting to s5, 966 80, and all bills |
puid. This is all the more creditable |
when 1t is taken into consideration |
that the preceding Republican Council
left legacy of unpaid bills amounting |
10 S8, 1868. 15, all Of which were paid out
of the appropriations for the fiscal year
Just passed, which payments we're made
without being previously accounted for
10 the appropriations for last year.
At the end Of the term of the pre-
vious Council, which had Republican
majority, 1t was made to appear in some
Of the newspapers that 1t left u balance
to the credit Of the city amounting to
el0, 444l8, but the unpaid bills we're
apparently lost sight of, as was also the
fact that the Water Department had
come to the rescue with nice sum of
money, which the Republicans had no
trouble 10 making use OF.
In addition to the unpaid bills, the
Republicans had sought to curry favor
with the public by reducing the tax
rate from 81. 80 to 81. 40.
This is the condition Of affairs when
the Democrats assumed control of the
city government 1t did not take them
long to discover the true condition of
things, and they at once set about
making arrangements for the payment
of the obligations which should have
been taken care of by their predeces
sors. The result is gratifying and the
Democratic Councilmen deserve credit
for their excellent financiering.
At Thursdays meeting Of Council,
Chairman McNulty of the finance COM
mittee, in presenting the annual report
OF the committee, made an explanatory
statement. SAT the beginning of the
last fiscal year." he said, "the finance
committee was instructed TO prepare a
list OF all bills left from the old Coun-
cil We got together as many as we
could--presumably all-and found that
they amounted to So, 1853. 10. which were
paid, as will be shown 10 the re-
port The statement, which was
read by Clerk Morrison, was as follows
Appropriations for the fiscal year
1866 under control of Counci) and old
bills charged to same: Incidental and
miscellaneous = Amount appropriated,
$500: old bills paid, July and August,
$500. 90. City eleution-Amount appro
priated, slt0; old bills paid, July ant
September, s6s. 32. Police Department
Amount appropriated, S73, CSC. 10; ole
bills paid, July, "a, 4os. 81. Publi'
buildings = Amount appropriated
$500; old bills paid, July and Au
guet, 1928. 16. Printing-Amount ap
propriated, 81, 500; old bills paid, July
$270. so. Public square-Amount ap
and September, s246 81. Crematory-
Amount appropriated, s4, 500; old bill
paid, July and September, sS75. 63
Salaries Amount appropriated, SAG, 600
old bills paid, July, 81, 964. Fire de
partment - Amount appropriated
$50, 100. Garbage = Amount appro
priated, s12, 100. Police committee
Amount appropriated, 81, $50. Tota
amount of appropriations, Sl76, CSC. 10
total amount of old bills paid
SO, 1858. l5; balance at the disposal c
Council for the years obligations
Sl6s, 1927. 95"
The balance of the public square az
N preparation is given as $l,253. l3, bu
the public comfort erected in th
square and costing s734, had to b
paid for, leaving at the disposal of th
committee only S5l9. 13 for the fisci
year 1906, as against $500 appr,
priated for the fiscal year 1s94.5; alt
an additional sum of S63, transferre
from other appropriations The al
parent balance of S5l9. l3 was really
deficit, as the salary Of the park guar,
which amounted to S576, had to
paid, and instead of having fund I,
park Improvement, the committee W;
compelled to appropriate an addition
~ sum of S56.S7 to meet this regul
y, expense.
The committees report also containt
the following:
'tThe unexpended appropriation
June Both, 1885 (which could not
used after that date) were as follow
Incidental and miscellaneous, 60 cent
city election, 26 cents; public bull
ings. 81. IL; printing, 50 sc; cremator
cents; police committee, 81 cent
total, 1921. Various transfers we
made from one appropriation to anoth
on June goth, 1895, in order to p
sundry bills against the city, with t
above result.
Mr.. McNulty arose from bis scat,
soon as Clerk Morrison had finish
reading, and addressing the cha
said: sin moving the adoption of [
report, would like tc state that wh
the present majority assumed cont
of City Council, we supposed that thu
was surplus of $40, 444. Is, as sta
ments to that effect had been made
some of the newspapers. The newspa,
stories about the supposed Surp
said nothing about the old bills, whi
amounted to IS, 35S. 10. But the b
we're there. nevertheless, and the pi
meDt of these bills would have lef
surplus Of S2, 0s6. 03. The old Coun
had tax rate of 81. 50 which they
duced to 81. 40 for political purposes
"a "The Water Department ut
end Of their fiscal year, Dccem
3Oth, 1894, turned over to that Coz
Gil surplus of S4l, 700. 81. Also
March 2Sth, following, $50. 600 ,
turned over by the Department, VIII
rightly belonged TO the receipts of
present Council. Ii we deduct W
properly belonged to this Coun
the result would be a deficit for
old one amounting to SAT, ,9l3. I
Council has received from the Wa
Department S28, 00G, exclusive of mo
TO pay interest on water bonds.
1--WE have been able to come ou
this with balance of s., 966. 3d.
pay rolls or bills for the month
June are included in this, as they m
necessarily come from tho follow
\ months account.
"This statement is due the
payers of Wilmington, who are entit
to know how their money is being
pended. We now show surplu
IS, 96G 80, from which no old bills,