Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-29
PREPARING FOR TAX LEVY
Heads Of Various City Departments Are
Making Their Estimates.
MAYOR WANTS BETTER FIRE SERVICE
Says Provision for New Houses and
Equipment 60 he Made in
General rand, as Fire
Fund - Limited.

as directed by law Mayor Moorcs has
called upon the heads Of the various city
departments for their estimates Of the cost
Of running those DEPARTMENTS for the year
20 come and these estimates will be trans
mitted 20 the city council for its guidance
in preparing tho tax levy. Thus far hut
few Of the department estimates have
been prepared, and as the levy must be
made at the first meeting Of the council
in February, but little time remains for
this work.
Speaking In a general way OF the needs
Of the city TO be provided fer in the com
ing levy, Mayor Moores said yesterday:
There are som things which urgently de-
mand attention and / feel that above all
else there should be additional provision
made for the fire department. Besides the
new engine house at Eleventh and Jackson,
which has been advocated for some time
past. there should be at least three other
houses in different parts OF the city which
are now sadly in need Of protection. These
houses could be much smaller and would
need less equipment, but we should have
them. Kountze's addition Is one section
which sadly needs a house and there should
also be one somewhere in the neighborhood
back OF the High school. 1t will cost about
SOS, 900 to build the house We want to erect
at Eleventh and Jackson streets, in the
wholesale district, and with its equipment
that station probably will cost $4,000 in
all. but It is very much needed and we
should have had il long ago.
Limit on the Fire Fund.
"There will have to be some arrangement
made for the present, l suppose, whereby
those extra demands for fire protection
may be paid out Of the general fund. for
the fire fund proper is just barely enough
for the maintenance Of the department
without the purchase Of apparatus or
equipment OF any kind, and as long as the
present limit is kept upon the appropria-
tion for that fund there will be a constant
increase in the overlap. We must find
some way to get the legislature to increase
tho limit Of the appropriation for the fire
department Of this city"
City Clerk Elbourn has prepared his es-
innate Of the probable expenditures of his
department for the year, placing the aggre-
gate amount at $S,495, which is $3.50 more
than was allowed last year. Mr.. Elbourn
states that the increase is due to the fact
that the new council will require a large
amount Of new stationery. Mr.. Elbourn's
apportionment includes, besides his own
salary of 1900 per year, and the salaries
Of his fve clerks and stenographer, all the
stationery and supplies used by the city
council and all books and records.
City Engineer Rosewater has not yet
completed the estimate for his office, but
says It will not be materially larger or
smaller than the amount for last year,
which was SIS, 900. This amount includes
the salaries OF the entire office force of
the engineering department and supplies
and books.
Tax COMMISSIONS Fleming will ask for
$12, 900 for the coming year, which is 5000
less than the total amount allowed his
department last year.
The city comptroller has asked for
$10.2sO, which is Just $3.50 more than he was
allowed fast year.
City Treasurer Hennings' estimate of the
expenses of his department for the coming
year is S25, 900. which is $500 less than he
spent last year.