The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-01-31

From present indications the def
clencies which will have to be provided
for in the appropriation ordinance for
the coming fiscal year Will be the larg-
est in the history OF the city.
4 Tribune man went through the
files in Controller Uowells Office yes
terday and made a list of all the de-
ficiency bills which are being held by
that official The fire department heads
the list with a huge bundle OF bills
which there is no money to meet. They
amount to considerable over $4,000 and
so many of the appropriations for this
department are already nearly ex-
hausted that it is believed they will
foot up to over $4,000 before the first
of April comes around.
The deficiency bills on file for the
other departments are as follows: City
clerks, printing and stationery, $685.
4j; city treasurers, $20S71; city hall,
sl75.4S; board of health, s7793: Nay
Aug park. sl03Gi; police department,
STA.
When one comes to the ward appro-
priations. which are expended by the
various councilmen, the greatest ex-
travagance is found. The deficiencies
in the various ward appropriations as
far as is known in the controllers Of
fee are as follows Fourth ward.
$162S5; Fifth ward. $ils.22; Eleventh
ward, S5O.5,; Fifteenth ward, sl40.sS;
Nlnetesnth ward, S4.69; total, sS06.11.
FIFTH WARD DEFICIENCY.
The deficiency of Si1S.22 for the Fifth
ward was all contracted by the coun-
| Cilmen who recently resigned. The to-
| tai appropriation for this ward was
$500.
| The total amount of the deficiencies
| quoted above foot up to the sum of SlO,-
| O25.92 1t must be understood, how
| ever, that this is merely the total
| amount of deficiency bills in the con-
| troller's possession. There is every
| reason to believe that there are sew
eral thousand dollars more represent
| ed in bills which are being retained
| by the heads of the various depart
ments until the very last moment or
until just before the appropriation Or
dinance in which they must be provid-
ed for is passed.
| The controller has sent upon several
occasions special requests to the heads
of all departments to send him all def
cheney bills and TO keep none on file in
their Offices, but he is of the opinion
that this request is not being needed
and he is making every possible effort
| to get all the bills together. There are
several persons especially familiar
with municipal finances who say tha
the appropriation for deficiencies thi!
year will have to be at least $4,000.
PAST DEFICIENCIES.
The appropriation for deficiencies fo'
the last four years was as follows
1897, $S.6S69l; 1898, s2.439.6S; 1899. Sc,
SSS.29; 1900, sS,1S9.92. In this connection
it is interesting TO note that the fir
department deficiencies for these fou
years as compared with this years de
ficlency of 1900 or more. The fire de
partment deficiencies We're as follows
1897, s196.G5; 1898. S46o.OS; 1899. $1,000
1900. $2,100.
Deputy City Controller Hartley sal
yesterday when asked If there was an
| way under present conditions to pre-
vent the creation OF deficiencies:
II can think OF no method excep
! carefulness and economy on the par
| of the heads of departments and of tn
counclmen, who supervise the expendi
I ture of the ward appropriations. "
' can do nothing in this office exceI
hold up the bills when the appropria
/ ton from which they are to be pal
has been exhausted"