The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-12-13
COMPTROLLER MCARDY FIGURES
ON THE CITY,s NEEDS FOR
rY ID YEAR.
1T WILL TAKE s1,7oo,ooo
TO BRING THE MUNICIPALITY OUT
ON AN EVEN BASIS AT THE
e END.
BONDS AMOUNTING TO ss7s,5oo
Must Be Taken Care of During the
Twelve Monthsyi but Elections
Suggest Economy.

Comptroller McCardy. at the meeting
OF the conference committee this after
noon, will present an estimate Of the
expenses of the city for the year 1885,
The exact figures to be presented by
the comptroller are known only to that
official, and he declines to give them
out previous to the meeting of the con-
ference committee. 1t is very prob
able, however, that the estimates Of the
expenses for the coming year will be
about 100000 less than for the year
1897. There Is an election next spring,
and since the Bell charter, the tax esti-
mates, and conference committees, have
been part Of the city charter, it is
noticeable that in the year in which
city election is to be held the eX-
penses as shown by the estimate pre-
scented by the comptroller are pruned
down to the lowest possible figure. The
estimate for 1897, as presented by the
comptroller, fixed the sum to be spent
as S1,86o, 244, Of which amount $375, 900
was to be paid from the general fund,
leaving a balance of 81 $40, PA to be rails
ed by taxation. The conference COM
mittee and the council reduced this sum
by refunding $4,000 worth of bonds,
which came due during the year.
This year the estimate will show that
provision will have to be made for
$573,5OO in bonds, which will become
due during the yearL1 The bonds falling
due are $4,000 in Z per cents, issued
March Is, 1878. sfor rebuilding the Wa
basha street bridge; $13,50O in per
cents, issued April !, 1873. at the time
the territory of West st. Paul was TAX
Ell into the city and the Indebtedness
assumed; 100000 issued May 1, 1873, 7
per cents, for the construction of sew
ers; 100000 issued July 1, 1873, per
cents, for local improvements; SIS, 900
issued Nov. 21,s 1865 per cents, as a
bonus for the Lake Superior & Missis-
sippi Railroad company, and $4,000
issued Dec. %, 1858, 6 per cents, for the
same purpose. This road is now known
as the st. Paul & Duluth
Last year the $4,000 in bonds which
became due were refunded and the in
terest reduced from 8 to 4 per cent 1t
is understood that the same plan will
be insisted on for next year, as local
financiers have agreed to care for the
bonds if refunded at per cent. This
will reduce the amount of interest on
the bonded debt about $4,000, leaving
it at about 1886, 900 for 1898. The police
department will require only $1S5, 900 for
1895, which is $4,000 less than in 1897
The lighting fund for 1897 was estimat-
ed at $155,0O0, which included $4,000 for
balances due on lighting bills. This
will not appear in the 1898 estimate.
The gasoline lighting for 1897 cost in
round numbers s37 900; for 1898 it will =
$4,000 less, but the electric lighting for
1898 will be $1,000 more than in 1897,
owing to the increased number of arc
lights. Leaving out of the question tn :
interest on cost of gas posts and mains,
which was for 1897 S6,S43, and which is
now being adjusted by the courts as to
whether the city will have to pay on
dead posts, there will be a saving in
the lighting fund as compared with this
year of about $4,000.
In 1897 the tax estimate for the board
of control fund, or rather the city S
one-third was S21, 666, and the estimate
for 1893 is expected to shave at least
$4,000 from this amount. The work
house fund estimate for 1897 was $16,C0),
and this also will be shaved 1,500 for
1898 The board Of public works fund
will be $4,000 less than 1897, as there
are no double salaries to be settled for
next year. The municipal court fund
will also be 81, 600 less than for 1897. The
estimate for the collection and disposal
of garbage will also be some $1,000 less
than allowed in the estimate for 1897,
and slight reductions in other depart
ments will make the estimate as
prepared by the comptroller, about
100000 less than the figures he present
ed one year ago.
The estimate may be changed by the
conference committee, and after that
body has gone through it the council
has another guess at it and may raise
or reduce the amount as is in their
judgment necessary.