Omaha daily bee., 1899-08-02
HARD WORK TO PAY SALARIES
Shea Suit Renders the City of Council Bluffs
Short on Money.
BAD FOR OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES
Some of Them Likely to he Compelled
TO Take city whrrnnts-Mayor
working Hard to Get
the Cash.
BAD FOR OFFICIALS AND employees

"Wil there be enough cash in the police
fund to pay the salaries for last month ?" is
a question that is at present seriously troub-
ling the officials at the city building. Since
the money in the general and water funds
became tied up owing to the litigation in.
stituted by j. j. Shea, the salaries of the
city officials and employees have been paid
out of the police fund. So far there has been
sufficient received into this fund each month
to meet the salaries, and the members OF
the police and fire departments and other
employees of the municipality have been able
to draw their salaries in cash instead Of war
rants. This fund, however, is now nearly
depleted and unless replenished by a turn
over" from the county treasurer by the be-
ginning of next week, there will not be
enough to go around, and either some OF the
officials or employees will have to be paid in
warrants.
County Treasurer Reed has money in his
hands belonging to the city from the July
tax collections and he believes he will be
able to turn 1t over by the beginning Of the
week. The amount needed In the police fund
to make 1t sufficient to pay the salary list
for last month is about SO, 900. 1t is a seri-
GUS question whether of the money in the
hands of the county treasurer there is a
Y dlhouub tldI plOpeIly ~ u z
into the police fund to meet the deficiency.
Even should enough cash be placed into
the police fund this month to meet the July
salaries the fund next month win be com
pletely exhausted and there will be no pos
sibility of paying the salaries otherwise than
by the old system of warrants on the gen
eraf fund. These the city employees, owing
to the pending litigation, will find consider
able difficulty in cashing except at a large
discount.
1t takes close upon S. 900 a month TO meet
the salary list of the city officials and en-
ployes. The payroll Of the fire department IL
$i,155, that of the police department aver
ages 81 200, while the regular city officials
draw 1855 every thirty days. The engineers
department costs $3.50 a month for salaries,
and the city electrician draws $50. Every
three months the aldermen and city physic-
ian get their pay, which amounts to $526.5O
per quarter. The judge of the superior court
receives 81, 900 per annum from the city, paid
in two instaflments of $500. OF this amount
Judge Aylesworth has so far this year only
received one installment. The county also
pays him 1000 a year.
In discussing the matter yesterday Mayor
Jennings was hopeful that things would turn
out all right in time. He said: 1--WE have
done a great deal better than we expected
and have managed to keep the boys sal
aries paid to date, but it now looks as If we
had come to about the end of our tether.
If the collections are good next month we
ought to be able to get on a cash basis, at
least as far as the salaries are concerned,
again by October or November. / believe
hat by October l there will be plenty OF
money in the police fund again. If these
suits were disposed of we could tell where
we are at. There is over 500 900 in the
hands of the city treasurer now lying idle
and it is really too bad that the city can moi
make use of it in relieving some of its in
debtedness which is continually drawing in.
terest."