The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-06
DEBTS FROM LAST YEAR
QUEER STATE OF FINANCES IN THE
PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
Funds So PrOdigaIly Spent that Only
20 Cents Is Left to Buy
Feed for Horses.

The clerk of the Board of Safety main
tains that the economical department is
not bankrupt; nevertheless, the closing Of
the year is marked by a transferring of
funds from one appropriation to another
Yesterday morning at meeting of the
board it was decided to be necessary to
make several more transfers. These trans
fers will be recommended. to the controller,
and if he approves them they will be sub
ject to the Councils action. 1t needs no re-
minder to remember that the firemen are
working for wages cut one-seventh and the
police force fund would have run 81 900 short
by the end of the year had not some of the
men been asked to take vacations without
pay. The fire force payroll fund would
have run short 81, 900 by the end of the year
had not the wage cut been made. The fund
for feeding the horses of the fire depart
ment was 81, $50 at the first of the year. and
now but rs cents is left. In order that the
horses may be fed the rest of the year and
the bills paid, it has been decided to trans
fer to this fund from others the following
sums: From the new apparatus fund,
$22S.15 from the fuel and gas fund, $425;
from the hose fund, $500. Total, $91S.15.
Superintendent Quigley has found it nee
essary to cut the expenses at the police sta
ton so far that it has in several cases en-
barrassed the department. The time has
come when this expense fund must be re-
plenshed. The original appropriation was
$1.5C0, and all is gone but $1.29. This fund
is termed the police station incidental
fund.-, and it will be bolstered up by the
following transfers: From the new horses
fund. $3.50; from the wagon repairs fund,
$52S.1O. Total, $S1710
For several months of last year the bills
for gas and electric lighting in the market
house and Tomlinson Hall were not paid.
The result was that when the appropria-
tions for this year went into effect, this
fund was drawn on for 1900 to pay last
years bills. Where the money in this APP
preparation for last year went or why
enough money was not appropriated, is one
of the mysteries of the ''business admins
tration." This appropriation was $780, and
rot one cent is left. The board "hopes to
the market house and Tomlinson Hail." In
order that this may be done the following
transfers will be made: From the fire de-
repairs apparatus fund.- $500; from the soda
and acids fund, $780,. Total $500.
1t is to be noticed at first glance that the
transfers are made from funds for repairs
or supplies except in the instance of the
fire department fund and gas fund. The
policy of tomorrow will take care of it
fund for new apparatus for the fire depart
ment runs out before the end of the year
because of the transfers, the city will be
able to squeeze through probably, until
next year, when the new appropriations
will go into effect. If the new horses are
needed or wagons or apparatus of the po-
lice and fire departments need repairs and
there Is no money 1t is likely that the pub
lie at large will notice it. The only question
which might cause worry is that when the
present administration goes out of office the
next one might complain that the putting
off until tomorrow" system had punched
a lot of debts at the end of the year and
had left the city's property out of repair
and insufficient for needs
Clerk Davis, of the Board of Safety, said
yesterday:
1T is not true that this department is
bankrupt. 1t has sufficient money and it
has been known for some time that it would
be necessary to make transfers from fund
to fund in order that all bills might be met"
He made no explanation of why the bills
for lighting Tomlinson Hall and the market
house were not paid last year instead of
having to be paid from this years appro-
priatiOn.