The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-24
Councilman RObertson's Finan-
Cidl Statement.

Three weeks ago the city council or
dered the finance committee to make
report of the financial condition of the
city at the next session of the coun-
ell two weeks ago. Last night a re-
port was submitted by Mr.. Robertson
of the committee. signed by the ma
jority, and filed with the clerk IL is
a long badly mixed UP document, IN
which one paragraph constantly De
clares war on another. The document
is printed in full herewith:
We. your committee on finance, beg
leave to submit to you for your cOnsld-
financial affairs of the city In drawing
up the statement attached. we have en-.
deavored TO bring forth every detal OF
receipts and disbursements. as there mas
been direct charge of eXtrava Sance ana
waste of money made against this admin
istration.
In our statement we have deducted the
amount of pay rolls and outstanding
claims created by the last administratlon,
and paid by this one, as We DO not pc
lieve that We should be held responsible
for the Wild extrava gance that held sway
during the closing hours OF the last ad-
ministratiOn.
We feel that we have nothing to hide
and nothing in our record OF which 70 teel
ashamed. a great hue and cry mas been
raised by a small clique of cheap poll
ticians backed by a little yellow journal
ism, claiming that the city is bankrupt
and that the present administration has
looted the treasury We are OF the opln-
ion that if the neOple will carefully read
this report. together with the statements
attached. they viii learn this claim is not
only false, but it has been raised for
purely selfish and political reasons; rails
ed by men who would Sacrlnce every m
tereSt of the taxpayer for The purpose OF
gaining their own selfish ends, raised by
men who Tor the purpose OF dtSCre'lltlnS
the party to which majority Of the mem
bers of the present city government be
long. would pace q burden upon the whole
people by bringing into question and dis
repute the credit OF our city. For the
DlIrDOse of sustaining the statement bOVe
10 NO mid "a al = \ .
ment made. by a certain morning paper
that seems to be assisting this clique in its
labOrs. On Oct 20, this paper published
the statement that the highest point to
which the OVerdraft of the city had risen
during the last administration was $bS.eO5
Their attention was called to the fact that
the city's Overdraft during the last ad-
ninistration was high as $4,000. This
morning they publish a half-hearted cor
rectiOn. and say: However, the matter
is at most trifiing error We believe
that the people will agree with>us that
if a mistake of SIS. 00G is cOnSiGC ed by this
journal a triflins error that in handling
large figures, as they have done in the
last week or so to gain their point few
more trihing errors may nave been made.
In making this report out. we have not
considered the account OF the free library.
Culmer paving contract or water scrip
account In regard to the last account.
We understand that the City treasurer has
created a special fund for the redemption
of water scrip and has transferred
moneys from other accounts for that pur-
nose What accounts these funds have
been transferred from we do not know
We would recommend that the city treas
urer be instructed to furnish the council
with the Information as to the funds from
which it was drawn. and that he be fur
Their instructed not to open any more spe-
cial accounts without first consulting the
council:
General Expense.
Salaries: Mayor, members of the coun-
Gil. city officials and their deputies.
Expense for 1899. twelve
months ................. .S265O5 A
month ,t Dsi.5 20 s2,sOs 81
Average expense per
month Observation-Disclosures S-Z33 Sd
Engineering Department.
Expense charged TO this depart
ment in 1899 observation-disclosures .0S4 -
Expense charged to this depart
ment, nine months. 1900 go. T.
It is impossible 10 make a eompaa
between the expenditures of the el.
neer'S department for 1899 and 1900. 4,
the reason that proper credit has not
been given that DEPARTMENT for work
government IN this dep rtment the foun-
da ton of practically all city improvements
is laid. The kind of work done calls for
a special class OF skilled labor; conse-
quently the engineering expense for work
done Will average higher than in other de-
partments-
Board of Public Works.
Expense. 1899 ...............-.---....S4 O1 As
Expense Tor nine months OF ltjD---- j. b94 10
Until the present time the law governing
the board of public works has been a
dead letter Under the present admins
tration. the laws of the state have been
complied with, and all work in the nature
of improvements have been carried out
under the supervision of the board A
large portion Of the above amount when
properly segregated. should be charged to
other than the general expense account.
Board of Public Works Storehouse.
Under this head Will be found a charge
of S4.96S.90- This amount represents pur-
chases OF sewer and water pine and
should. as the materials are used be
credited back TO the general fund and
charged to proper accounts.
Joint Building.
Expense for 1883 .-..-.-,;;- s7.41 oS
OF 1910 S4.Sl9 %
Care OF joint building
park .---------.---.---.--.. $50 81
Average expense per
month for 1899 .-.-..-..- $40 e
Average expense per
month for 1855 ....-... e22 %
During early "A RI Of