The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-13
CUT OFF $1,000 NETT
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE TRIMS A
SMALL MARGIN OFF THE COMP
TROLLERtS FIGURES
HAAS DEPARTMENT SAVED

though Resolution Was Passed
Suggesting to the Council the Adj
visibility of Placing the Inspec-
ton OF Buildings Under Engineer.
essss
The conference committee held ses-
sion yesterday afterpoomFands disposed of
fifteen of the twenty four afenis in the
budget as presented by skiiss comptrolIer.
The result. OF the afterheonss work was
that $4,000 was added tos aestimate as
reported by the comptfoilsf, and then
$4,000 deducted, a net redHctIon of 81 GOO.
The committee. by aSyeta of to A,
turned down the compt1naier and In
serted In the budget. $7,aea for the build
ing inspectors department. The city en-
gineer was given s1,2so' more than the
comptroller had estimated, and the board
Of public works, after speech by Presf-
dent Pottgieser Of that body, had $50
added to its estimate.
The committee will reconvene this aft
ernoon at 2 O'Clock to finish It's work,
and incidentally to pass on the ingenious
scheme promulgated by the comptroller
for raising money for the public schools.
All the members of the committee were
items for the fire department, building
inspectors department and the lighting
fund, nine items were adopted as sug-
gested by the comptroller.
These were interest and sinking fund,
$685. 500; certificates of Indebtedness de-
partment, $4,000, to be paid from the gen
eral fund; police department, $185, 900, of
which $4,000 is to be from the general
fund; water supply fund, $2,5 500; board of
control fund, 500, 900; school fund. 232. 500
health department fund, $4,000; court
house and city hail fund, 500, coo; work.
house fund, $4,000
Item No. 2, providing for the redemp-
ton Of 100000 of bonds which are due
Dec, 10, 1900, was passed at the sugges-
ton of the comptroller until the cues
ton is decided whether part of the
| money to be raised for this purpose can
be used for building and repairing
schools.
FIRE DEPARTMENT NEEDS.
President Clark, of the fire board, stat
| ed that the department must have S2o4,
| 000 for next year. Not that amount i,
the estimate, and a possibility of gettina
| but So per cent of the sum-, but the entire
amount. AT least 1900 was needed for a
new engine house in the Sixth ward, near
! the amount was not allowed the depart
| ment would have to suffer by the closing
| Of one or two fire houses He urged
| that $2f5G00, the maximum, amount be
! placed in the estimate. Commissioner
| Vanish, of the fire board, urged that it
was much cheaper to increase the ap-
preparation $1,000 than to have the citi-
2ens pay an increase on insurance. A
| raise in insurance rates of one tenth of
one per cent would mean ,S10e,00e to insur-
ers. He also advoca ted an additional en-
CINE house on the West side, to protect
| the manufacturing plants on the levee.
The property and building would cost
about $1,000
| Comptroller McCardy opposed any in
crease in the estimate Of $500, goo for the
| department. Some insurance men, he
| said, advocated that the department be
reduced by cutting out some of the COM
| panies. AS to allowing the department
| $204, 600 he could assure the fire board
! that there was enough of a balance on
hand in the fund to give the amount ask
| ed next year. President Clark, however,
! was not satisfied with this promise and
inquired how 1t would be possible to
spend 500, COO, to say nothing of the S7,e0C
| for new building, If the estimate was
! but 5000, 500 AS he had understood the
! ruling of the comptroller no department
| could spend more than was allowed In
| it's estimate. The comptroller did not an
| swer this. and after some further discus
| sion the item was amended so as to pro-
| vide for $215, 900 for the use Of the de-
! the general fund; $4,000 from what the
| comptroller says will be on hand Jan. l.
| after paying bills for this year, and the
| balance, $165. 600, to be levied for.
The police department estimate was fol-
the full charter allowance, $1S5,o0O. The
| comptroller said there would be a suffi-
clent balance on hand in the fund Jan.
to allow $4,000 TO be spent for a new
| alarm system.
ON THE LIGHTING PROBLEM.
There was a discussion over the item
! for city lighting which was reported by
! the comptroller as calling for $145, 1927. Oh,
| the exact amount necessary for the 1854
gas, 2,73f gasoline and 415 arc lights which
| will be in service after Jan. l. Aid. San
! born said there was no provision In the
estimate for the interest on lamp posts
| which amounted to about $1,000 per year.
! Mr. MeCardy said the supreme court had,
! during the morning, decided that there
could be no reopening Of the case in which
! it had been decided that the city was not
| obliged to pay for dead gas posts. Tn
| less the casa was taken to the United
States supreme court, that question was
| finally disposed OF. PRESIDE Mt Whe clock
| CT the park board, said that was exactly
what the gas company intended doing
| Continuing, Mr.. McCardy said if interest
was to be paid on the live posts, there
would be money er ough in the fund as a
balance from this year to take care of the
interest "In fact, the Item can be re-
duced $4,000 and still leave lis enough to
carry on tho lighting business" added
the comptroller.
President Pottgieser. of the board Of
public works, did not Understand how
this was possible when the increase in
the cost Of gasoline lighting was consid-
cred. The comptroller replied that there
were too many gasoline lamps AS
semblyman Dix was informed by the
comptroller that there was a balance of
$4,000 now in the fund, and all, or at
least $4,000, Of this could be used for
next year. Aid. Sanborn insisted that If
$4,000 was not needed. the estimate be
reduced $4,000. This raised the point that
ii but S35,000 was put in the estimate, it
would be only possible to spend that
amount. To avoid this the item was
| amended SO as to provide for subtra citing
$10,227 the balance on hand and leaving