The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-03
CITY'S GOLFERS
NEARLY EMPTY
Low State of Finances Causes
Acrid Discussion.
FFRNSTR0M TAKES
MAJORITY TO TASK
Says Rigid Economy Must Now
be Exercised.

The mere suggestion by Councilman
Fernstrom that the council meet in
committee of the whole on Friday night
next to consider the financial condition
of the city produced an acrid debate at
the flag end of last nights regular
meeting. The upshOt of it was that the
Republican majority defeated the pro-
position to let the public know the
badly bankrupt condition of the treas
ury or where the money has been ex-
pended. A resolution was passed,
however, directing the finance commit
tee. the majority of which is Repub-
Iican, to prepare a statement to be
read at the session next Tuesday
night.
1t was quite generally understood
that Auditor Reiser had prepared
statement of ethe various funds, show
ing what accounts were overdrawn and
what ones had balances This report
showed that when the payrolls allowed
last night are paid, practically the last
dollar in the general fund will be wiped
out, thus necesSitatng the immediate
cessation of further work.
Smother the Report.
Fernstrom, who knew that the re-
port had been prepared, asked for it
Deputy Recorder Nystrom replied that
it had not been filed with him, just
why nobody could explain. Then Fern
strOm made his motion for a meeting
of the committee of the whole The
Republicans fumed and fretted during
the arraignment by the councilman
from the Third.
LAS one of the members of the fl
nance committee. said he. Il don
feel like bearing the responsibility for
our deplOrable financial condition any
longer. If something is not done With
in the next week or two the city viii
be in a wretched condition This cOun-
ell is today spending $1,000 a week
more than the last administration and
we must put stop to it. We should
have this meeting and we should invite
the city auditor to be present In my
opinion we will shortly be bankrupt
Well have to dispose Of some city
property to tide US over Now 1 pro-
pose that we get together, find out
what We have to spend and keep our
appropriations within that limit, let the
cost re what ii may
Robertson Worked Up.
Robertson. who had been very rest
less while Fernstrom was talking,
sprang to his feet as soon as the latter
had finished. He claimed the floor on
a question of personal privilege as
chairman of the finance committee.
tended a meeting of the finance COM
mittee where the financial condition Of
the city had been discussed. This was
Robertson's first point of attack.
When the gentleman states that he
has never attended a meeting of the
finance committee where the finances
of the city We're discussed, he, as usual,
states a faIsehOOd. He is not correct
about being sighted in regard to hold
ing meetings of that committee I
~l,S-.
burst of eIOquence from MIN for I real
'ize that the election is close at hand.
1T is true that the city'S condition is
not good. but it is not much worse than
il was a year ago, especially when you
take into consideration that we were
practically bankrupt when We came
into Office
Robertson then attempted TO show
that the Republicans had been obliged
to pay debts for the Democratic admin
istration and claimed that most of the
money had gone for this purpose as
we'll as for the new Fourth precinct
fire station and other permanent i'm
provements-
Buckle Tries to Explain.
AS Robertson finished President
Buckle called Thomas to the chair. He
was then recognized for a somewhat
lengthy talk Buckle went even further
than Robertson in an attempt to Justify
months. He charged the Democratic
minority with passing the apprOpria-
tiOnS. This caused a smile that every
body except Buckle noticed.
Wandering away from his subject he
brought up the late bond sale and
charged the Democrats with that He
made some mysterious illusions to an
''ulteI-ior motive. but this part of his
speech was left in a fog.
FernStrOm resented the statement of
Buckle that the Democrats had spent
the money under the Republican re-
gime and pointed out the absurdity of
such a charge The sale of the bonds,
he went on, would not help out much
for only about SS0,003 of the proceeds
can be used for general expenses and
$4,000 of that must be paid out imme-
diately for interest Outstanding war
rants would eat up practically all of the
balance.
G R. Howe made a vigorous speech
in favor of the motion and Thomas op-
posed TX. He wasn't a bit backward
about saying he was against it. either.
Dr. Beatty made a pacific little talk.
He freely confessed that he was quite
foggy on financial matters and thought
the proper way would be to have an
accounting from somebody. He would
be glad to support any measure that
would accomplish this result, but he
didn't believe Fernstrom motion
would do it.
Then a vote was taken and the mo-
ton was lost without division. Next
Hartenstein offered a resolution provid-
ing that the finance committee get up a
report for presentation at the next
meeting The resolution passed, no Re
publican having the nerve 10 vote
against it except Thomas.