The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-04-28
ASOONE BY OVEHDRAfING
And Bringing Forward uns1psnded Bal
ancss Without Authority.
THESE eau ED The FLOATING DEBT:
So Explains Special Accountant Mccarthy
before the Committee ON Ketrench-
-.,t and Keform-ue Gives Facts
and Figures Worth studying.

two important facts:
FIRST. that Messrs. Allen (chairman)
and Noble will submit 10 the COuncli
minority report recommending that
scaled reduction in salaries In all depart
rncnts be made so that the expenses OF
the city may fan within the revenues
and second. that the present no'tuhg
debt OF the city amounting to more IMAM
$4,000 has been accommodating from year
70 year until IT has reached its present
amount by reason of a system OF o'eI
drawing and bringing forward uneApehu-
"a balances without any authority on the
part of the City Auditor. 50 mat eN.Ia
appropriations had to be made by the
Council from year TO year 10 MAKE
an the deficit This latter CONDITION Oh
affairs was explained 10 the committee
bv Special Accountant Mccarthy 'hIou 81
whose efforts provisions have peeh III" uS
against this sort OF thing by means VI
the wording i'm the ordinance which pr,
hibits overdrawing or bringing ior""i
unexpended balances as heretofore.
EXPLAINING THE FIGURES.
rnn sollowinp members of the commit
Tee were present: Messrs. Allen ,chair-
mani Ebel Harreson. Jones, Rountree'
Noble. and Zimmerman.
After the reading of the inmates upon
motion Of Mr.. Jones the ordinance re-
garding the number and compensation Oh
those employed In the City Han ouiidihs
was so amended as 90 insert Inc worus
mot more than" thereby limiting the
employees and leaving the Committee on
Grounds and Buildings 10 decide TINS
question within the limit hxed.
special Accountant Mccarthy read an
outline OF the resolutions and ordinances
already adopted by the committee IN re-
ference 10 proposed reduction OF salaries
and wages. specifying the amounts by
departments and showing the total pro-
posed reduction 10 be S2l. 462. ana stat'ng
by what means and through what chan
nels other reductions were to be effected
In accordance with the recommended
lions Of the committee. These recon-
mendations have been in substance pun
lished i'm The Times.
The Accountants measures urged by
the committee which had no figures at
tached. but which he believed would
mean the saving Of a far larger amount
than the $2l as above given were read.
Under this heading the Special Ac-
countant had the following items:
Saving hy the committees re ommen-
dations prohibiting the waste of gas.
Substituting electric lights for gas at
First Regiment Armory.
Ordinance concerning the operation OF
the City Gas Works.
Investigation Of the Broad street mat
ter and its attendant benefits TO the
city In the granting Of future franchises
Influence upon the formation of the
budget for 1897.
Restraining additional appropriations
Suggestions as 10 the future conduct
and guidance of the Sinking Fund.
Creating new department for the
cleaning Of the streets OF the city.
Captain MsCarthy stated in connec-
tion with his suggestion without figures
that he was sure and could prove before
any unbiased jury that a far larger
amount than the SCI iz6 could he saved
for the city through this means.
MIR. JONES ESTIMATE.
Mr.. Jones stated that he believed q
greater saving could be accomplished
through the suggestions made by the
special accountant. and 70 which he at
tached no figures than through the means
Of the recommendations and resolutions
Of the committee in regard to the re-
duction of salaries. lie thought that
the prevention of the gas waste would
result in q saving of $500 per annUm.
BY the substituting of electric
light for gas in the Regimental
Armory. he thought 500 could be
saved. and by requiring the sew
eral departments of the city TO pay
for the gas consumed i'm their depart
ments. 5000 could be saved. BY the re-
suit of certain amendments in the opera
ton OF the Gas Works. he thought that
at least 5000 per annum could be saved
Through the Broad street franchise about
5000 per annum would be realized by
the city. He thought that $4,000 per
striction OF appropriations. while by a
new system OF street cleaning some s. 900
per annum could be saved.
Mr.. Jones thought that the proper man
agement of the Sinking Fund would re-
suit I'm the reduction OF taxation TO prop
~ holders i'm the city.
Mr.. Rountree was Of the opinion that
by the proper regulation and adjustment
of the various departments OF the city.
and by the proper caution in the opera
tion and appropriation of the city's H.
nances that 100000 per annum could be
saved. He had figured IL out at 93$ 900
per annum. Mr.. Rountree believed the
report of the Special Accountant should
be embodied I'm the committees repor.
TO the Council without inserting any Zig
ures opposite the various Items mention
cd in the Special Accountants report.
Mr.. Nable thought the estimates made
by Mr.. Roultree and Mr. Jones were over
rated. lie wanted TO see tho facts and
figures before he could believe that such
estimates were In any way correct lie
thought that no large amounts could be
saved by reductions in the Fire, Police
and Schooi Departments. II was the i'm
preston when the committee cOmmarced
its duties that S65. 600 per annum would be
saved but after all their efforts and la
bors only "A little over s2l.GD per annum
was the amount. according TO the recon-
mendations OF the committee.
A GENERAL REDUCTION.
Mr.. Allen stated that in some respects
he agreed with Mr.. Noble. lie thought
the estimates suggested were over-rated.
lie was glad 10 see that public sentiment
had been aroused. so as TO mako the
members Of the Council more cautious.
end TO demand that the city live within
her income. He was also glad TO know
that the committee had done its duty In
it's labors to retrench. He wanted 10
examine closely the figures in the budget
adopted for 1897. TO compare the amounts
carefully with the figures as resulting
from the recommendations of the com
mittee and then that scaled general re
duction be made. lie advocated that
general reduction I'm salaries be made
upon a basis OF adjustment already
agreed 10 by the committee.
Mr.. Zimmerman thought that a gem
eral reduction would be a hardship upon
a number OF the city officials and en-
ployes who were already rather under
paid than oyer-paid. lie was unwilling
TO have any special employees reduced ac-
cording to an adjustment recommended