Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-03-26
THE CITY'S FINANCES.
Auditor Richholt Publishes Statement
Showing the Financial Con- Y 4
..s=5=.S, .# 3 :, ditionof Bismarck. :z 81 = :.
The City Has Been Reducing its In
= debtedness During the Last Y
j.. Five Years. y ]. ..34. eHss =. Z :.
Money in the Treasury to- Pay Out
standing Bonds, Leaving Only
- Warrants for $50, 900. ".

money IN the treasury to Fay Out
standing Bonds, Leaving Only 4
49, Warrants for $50, 900. /
Editor Tribune: ! have been
asked many times q: in the last
few days to publish a statement
regarding the financial condition of the
city. am sorry that can not pub
lish statement in full up to date at
this time for the reason that some bills
in my possession have not been al
lowed and several persons have bills
against the city that have not been
presented to the council. The state
ment will publish shows the receipts
and disbursements for the four years
ending April /, 1900, Of the several
funds. The general Indebtedness of
the city was reduced in that period by
the present administration about $685.
900 (including transfer of $25,O00, to
school district). This has been due
to paying all running expenses from
revenues collected from licenses, and
thereby issuing no warrants on the
general fund and taking all taxes col
lected to pay the interest bearing
warrants. We have not issued war;
rant on the general fund or warrant
bearing interest since November %,
1894. All running expenses have
been paid by the license system since
October, 1895, when the system was
adopted.
have talked with some people
within the last few days who think
because the tax levy amounts to about
$71,OO0 the city Indebtedness should
be reduced much faster. They do not
stop to consider that the money they
pay into the general fund is the only
money that will reduce the city in
debtedness. The following amounts
were levied in 1900 for the different
funds:
General fund. :. :. S 1900
water fund 5,2OO
Interest fund on bonds =. :. 1000
Sinking fund =. >. =. >. 1900
School fund :. :. =. =. ..,f = 5000
: The general warrants are called in
to July !, 1889. /; The warrants that
are out cover about four and one-half
years, while some Of them have been
drawing interest for more than eleven
years. When one Of these warrants
is presented TO the city treasurer he is
compelled to pay the warrant and in
terest out of the general fund. 1 think
the. best way to explain to the tax
payers how much money it takes to
pay off one OF these warrants is to take
one Of the outstanding warrants that
was issued on the general fund in July
1889, to the Bismarck Water Co. for
$1,OSO. # the person who holds this
warrant presents it to the city treas
urer for payment the warrant and in
terest will amount to; over 81 ,960. This
will show how some of the money is
expended that is collected for the gen.
eral fund illustrating that had it not
been for that license system the city
would have increased in: debt consider
ably instead OF diminishing as. the
figures below viii show. s5n t.@,::. J.
Some taxpayers think that the money
collected from the license system has
never been accounted for. \: Those in
!. doubt are at liberty to refer to, the
city treasurer's s books The following
sums have been paid from this fund: ~
z Chief Of police, per year S 72O
5# "a Night police, per year s. 600 IA
]. City clerk per year II. i 600 $5,
City attorney, per year 600
City treasurer, per year 20 4
5sSS ;s$s here has also been paid for keep
B ing city prisoners, rent of city offices,
printing, lumber for all crossings that
have been repaired expense Of city
elections and several bills too numer-
ous to mention. The license system
that was adopted und Ter Mayor Leslie's
4 second term In October 4 ss.5, and car-
#ried on under Mayor Patterson up to
June, 1900 has made It possible for
4 the Incoming nistration to bond
and call In al outstanding warrants.
This will make IT possible to rebuild
and repair all sidewalks AT the time
/ was elected city clerk III 1895 the In
sdebtedness was over. $50 .olsl and at
this time II Is less than ss5o 00o. I'iilis
! should please the taxpay yers.
Res ctfuly yours,
Il. Nv. RICHHOLT,
City Auditor.