The herald., 1897-10-12
Council Passes the Boiler
Inspection Ordinance
THE MAYORS OBJECTIONS
SHOWN TO HAVE SLIGHT FOUND.
ALTON IN FACT
One Office That Is Practically Self.
Supporting-Facts and Figures
From the Records

| CAO0A CAAS 1NcCOIuS
BY "a vote of to the city council yes
| terday passed an ordinance over the
veto of Mayor Snyder, and that, too,
without giving the measure the benefit
of careful investigation by committee
although it referred to matter involv-
ing quite good sized lump of the city's
| finances. The measure vetoed was the
amended ordinance for the inspection OF
steam boilers, etc, and for the govern
ment of the board of examining engin-
eers. 1t had been passed by the council
at the last meeting, after having been
before that body for more than a month
and in the regular course of busine ss,
was sent to the mayor for his approval
or dsapproval. The changes which were
made in the ordinance by the amend
ments are pointed out in the message
from the mayor which accompanied the
vetoed ordinance and in which he gives
his reasons for not approving the meas
ure. The message in full follows:
THE MAYORS MESSAGE
men: l herewith return to your honorable
body unapproved by me the enclosed ordi-
mace entitled IAN ordinance amending an
ordinance numbered 4102. New Series, en-
titled, An ordinance providing for the in
spection of steam boilers and elevators and
for the appointment of inspectors of steam
boilers and elevators, and also to
provide for the appointment of a
board of engineers in the city of Los
ba Of Il,
charge of steam boilers" This ordinence
is thus returned for the reasons giveen in
my message to your honorable body under
date of March s. 1897, and for other reasons
stated hereinafter.
The enclosed amendments adopted by
your honorable body do not eliminate the
eXtravagant provisions of ordinance num-
oered 4102; but. on the contrary, they in
crease the present expense of maintaining
the department of boiler inspector, exam
| ining engineers etc. 1t will be remembered
| that in my message of March s, 1897
| pointed out the fact that under the most
| favorable conditions the department in
question could not be sef-sustaining if con-
Quoted under the provisions of the ordi-
| nance then vetoed, but that it must in the
very nature of things becomes consider
| able financial burden to this community
| have within the last few days, made a
thorough examination of the records in the
| offices of the city auditor and boiler in
| spector and the figures there obtained full
| fill in every instance my prediction
Since the time ordinance numbered 4102
| went into effect and up to the first of the
| present month the receipts of the depart
ment were, in FULL For boiler inspections,
| s1005; for examinations of engineers, 1892;
from other sources, 90; total receipts, S1260.
The expense for maintaining the depart
ment during this time would be: salary
| of boiler inspector, 500; assistant inspec-
| or $525: board of examining engineers,
| s105; incidental expenses. 1856; total, S1526.
| Here is a difference in disbursements over
receipts to the amount of SEGA difference
| that must be taken from the pocket of the
| taxpayer. And it must be remembered, too,
! that the receipts of the department must
have been, as matter of course, much
larger during the last seven months than
| they can be at any other time in the year,
| for large percentage of the boiler inspec-
| ton licenses and fees for examining en-
gineers was collected in the early months
of the year and will not be again collecti-
bic till next spring.
| For the next five months the total eX-
pense for conducting the department, maxi
| ing no provision for incidentals, will be
| s1025. which amount, segregated, is as fol-
| lows: Boiler inspector, $500; assistant. 1915:
examining engineers. $3.50. 1t is an alb
surdity for any one to say that the receipts
will be even half for the next five months
| of what they were proportionately for the
| last seven months; but even granting that
the average for each of the next five
months will be the same as the average
| for the last seven months, the total ex-
cess of disbursements over receipts would
| be 1891 for the year. On the other hand,
| If figured on the basis that the receipts
during the next five months will be so per
i 1szI.,.
over receipts for the twelve months would
be $S41.
In one of the enclosed amendments ap-
proved by your honorable body is a pro-
vision that the board of examining en-
gineers shall be paid for attending two
meetings in each month at the rate of
S. each a meeting. This amendment means
that the board of engineers. is to receive
$3.50 year. instead of $3.50 a year as pro-
vided under ordinance numbered 41O2
passed over my veto March s. 1897; or $780,
instead of s10S, as provided under the old
ordinance-the ordinance which made the
office of boiler inspector and examining
engineer source of revenue to the city
and against the repeating of which I en-
tered protest
have always believed that the depart
ment in question was an absolutely neces-
sary one In order that proper protection
might be afforded our citizens from acct
dents caused by defective boilers, worn
out elevators and unsklled engineers NY
views in this matter We're made clear to
your honorable body in my message of
| February 20. 1897, wherein I explained my
ireasons for refusing to attach my sigma
! ture to the ordinance adopted by your hon
lorable body repeating the ordinance ere
ating the offices of boiler inspector board
of engineers. etc.
This municipality is not at this time.
it was not seven months ago, nor will 1t
be seven months or year hence so stu
ated financially as to bear unnecessary
burdens. Every department should be
conducted on the strictest lines of econo-
my. Where possible a department should
be made self-sustaining at least and a
source of revenue to the city If possible.
1t is for all of the foregoing reasons
that the enclosed ordinance numbered 41O2,
is returned without my approval.
Respectfully
M. p. SNYDER, Mayor.
PASSED ANYWAY
AS soon as the message was read, Mr.
Baker moved that the vote by which the
ordinance was passed at the last meet
4 ing be reconsidered, which motion pre-
vailed. Mr. Nickel then moved that
the matter be referred to the finance
committee, with Instructions to report
at the next regular meeting of the coun-
ell as to what the mayor asserted In his