The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-04-13
of water works bonds because the five
cent frontage tax levied for the purpose
of paying these bonds had previously
been spent for other purposes.

been spent for other purposes.
Proceeding the report says:
sit might be we'll at this time to call
the attention of the public to certain
extraor binary expenditures during the
past year.
1.-The safety vault in the city hall was
deemei unsafe for the keeping of the
records of the recorder, and especially
those of the city engineer, in whose GUS
tody are the plats of the city water and
sewer system, etc. This work, with
some extra work in connection with the
police department, entailed an expendi.
ture of $2,027 81.
ION or about the 10th of June last, a
very heavy rain storm occurred, wash
ing out roads, bridges. cutters, etc, and
the council, after having Investigated
several bridges and culverts, deemed it
advisable to replace same with perma-
nent masonry, which was done at a cost
of 81, 1853 08, including approaches and
filling
''To this may be added 5000, covering
the cost of cleaning cutters and other
steet work, making total of g. 1853 08,
all of which may be directly charged as
the result of the storm.
Pleasant street has been re graded
the past season, at cost of 30, 069. SO,
the same having been charged to the
general road pay roll. AS understand
the charter, the council have no power
to expend over $4,000 upon any i'm
provement, unless the same shall be
charged to the pl operty directly bene-
fitted, as in all other local improve
ments.
Il refer to these matters, as the pub
lie may think that there have been I'M
usually large expenditures in some de-
partments.
Referring to the matter of local inn
provements, considerable amount of
m oney has been expended in this de-
partment, when at the time of payment
there was no money properly applicable
w VIC pay ueuI'
"The recorder is of the belief that no
money should be paid out and charged
to these funds until there is money in
the hands of the city treasurer for the
purpose. There can be no question but
that the accounts designated as De
ferred Payments" and Judgments at
the date of last report, are represented
by outstanding notes, and it appears to
me that the money when collected upon
these old accounts, should be used for
the payment of the notes, and not for
the purpose of building new local i'm
provements but rather let that new
improvement bear its own burdens
and pay money out of them, when the
parties whose lands haye been assessed
have paid their assessment. The law
gives the city treasurer authority to
discount these payments 10 per cent if
paid within specified time. l have
closed several of these funds during the
year, charging the amount discounted
to the current fund.
Under the ruling of the city attor.
ney, should there be any balance to the
credit of any of the funds not required
for use until such time as the next
levy will be realized upon, it would
seem proper to use this surplus for the
payment of notes providing the council
should see fit to take this course, or
hold same reducing the next tax levy
to that extent"
The financial statement of the city
follows, from which we take the fol-
lowing abstract:
Current fund-Receipts, $3S, no. "a;
orders issued, s37. 531 70; balance, ST.
239 90.
Road Receipts, $12, $3.50 so; or
ders issued, S16 373. So; overdrafts, 49,
1884 OS.
Waterworks fund = Receipts, &c.
5OO.S5; orders issued, Sc, 1877. 10; balance,
81, 1875.
Park fund Receipts, So, 992.76; or
ders issued$2 $50 20; balance, $4O2.56.
Local Improvement fund-Receipts.
81, 27S II; orders issued, 81 1851; bal
ance. s2,512 80.
Interest fund-Receipts, S13, 303 II;
orders issued, $40, 900; balance. So, 2S3 II
Fire department fund : Receipts,
$40 65; balance, $40,65.
\ ire station fund Receipts, 81, O39 80
orders issued, $3.50; balance, S1S9 90.
Sinking fund-Receipts, So, 351.19, or
ders issued, s5, pa SO: balance, $106.3O.
Library fund-Receipts, 81, 47S II; or
ders issued, 1000; balance, s47S IL.
Sprinkling fund-Receipts, S479 81;
orders issued 1913. SS; balance, $105 43.
Bills payable fund-Balance, 81 ,OS6 63.
The disbursements from the various
were as follows:
| Current fund
C1Cy Hall. ~ l,ooO' %
| Hoopita1 90 80