Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-30
ESTIMATES co TO The LIMIT
Department Heads Ask All the Money the
Law Allows Them.
FIRE CHIEF sALTER ARGUES FOR INCREASE
Presents showing in Favor of an APP
preparation In Excess of the
sum Provided by the
Present Charter.


Among the stimates Of expense sub
mitted to the mayor and city council, by
the heads Of departments, in anticipation
Of the coming tax levy, is that Of the
chief Of the fire department. Chief Sal
ter has carefully prepared a statement
OF the present status Of the department
and It's most urgent needs. and will make
the same effort that he has in years past
To secure sufficient money to place the
city's equipment for fire protection on at
least an efficient basis and keep it from
falling into decay.
The present charter limit Of appropria-
tion for the fire fund is S125 900, while the
expenses Of maintenance alone, TO say
nothing Of the purchase Of new apparatus
and equipment. is approximately S145 900.
The salary list, not including this depart
ment's share OF the cost Of the Board OF
Fire and Police Commissioners. and inter-
est on warrants, is $4,000, as the de-
partment is now constituted. The total
expenditures Of last year we're S12S, 046.3 SO
and there still remain miscellaneous ex-
pense bills of S12, 900 and a bill of $4,000
for hose contracted last year, but held
over to be paid out OF the appropriation
for this year. This overlap is an alarm
ing feature Of the affairs OF the depart
ment, from the fact that each year 1t is
larger than the year before. Last year
the overlap was $4,000.
Demand for Money Is Urgent.
Beside the charter limit of S125, 900 for
maintenance Of the department, Chief Sal
ter has asked that some means be found to
provide an appropriation through the
general fund Of $4,000 to rescue
the department from its present
rundown condition and place it on a foot
ing Of efficiency. He directs attention to
the fact that in the cramped condition Of
the fund for some time past It has been
impossible to keep even the apparatus on
hand in proper repair or properly painted.
One indication of the condition Of affairs
is that twenty-five of the horses now in
service are between the ages of 16 and %
years. and many of them are so crippled
and worn out as to be practically useless.
As urgent needs which may be encom-
passed within his proposed appropriation
of $4,000, the chief recommends the loca-
ton Of three new engine houses and the
erection Of three new buildings to take the
place Of unsuitable ones now in service.
New Houses Needed.
The principal one Of the new houses is
the one at Eleventh and Jackson streets
already partially provided for, and this is
the only one where a new engine would
be required. The total cost of building
the house and equipping it fully for serv-
ice as It should be, is estimated by the
chief at $50, 200. He would place another
new house at Twenty-third and Davenport
streets or Whereabouts, to provide for g
district now entirely unprotected, and the
cost OF the house, with such additional
equipment as would be necessary, he esti.
Tmafaa at al 190 third NJ tha nau
houses he proposes to locate at Twentieth
and Lake streets, and the total cost Of
installing it ready for service he estimates
at $40
Besides those new houses the chief ad.
vocates the idea OF buying property and
putting up buildings at Fourteenth and
Howard and Eighteenth and Harvey streets
to take the place OF the two stations nov
maintained in rented quarters at Thirteenth
and Harvey and Eighteenth and Harvey
This change would not require any ex,
penditure for new apparatus or equip,
ment and he estimates that the cost o
property in the vicinity OF Fourteenth
and Howard streets would be about $40, 00
and the cost Of a building $15, 900. H
figures that a lot near Eighteenth and Har
ney could be secured for $1,000 and tn,
house there would cost about 500, 900. H
suggests that a new building, to cost abou
$40, 900, be put up at Twenty-seventh an
Jones streets in place Of the one nov
there, which was formerly a barn and /
unfit for occupancy. The chief states tina
# these changes were made the additions
annual expense in salaries and mainten
ance Of the department would amount I
about $42. 900.
what the Police Want.
Chief Of Police Donahue will ask for tn
charter limit of appropriation for his dc
partment, which is $l15, 900, and in HI
communication will urge hat he shall nj
be expected to get along with any lie:
amount. His estimate is s94, 2SO for salS
ries for a force of 100 men and SIC, 500 fC
expenses outside of salaries. The preseI
numerical strength of the force is ninet!
four men, which includes the fifteen II
Gently appointed. The chief will call a
tention TO the fact that last year IL VIZ
found neo0 ssary to cut down the force I
the removal OF sixteen men just at the tin
of the year when they were most need,
and will urge the council to obviate u
necessity OF any such measure of econou
In the present year. The miscellaneous r
ceipts OF the police department are abo
1880 per year, and with 80 per cent OF Il
full charter appropriation, or $1OS, 80
there would be available in the fui
Sill, 0OO.
The Health department will ask the cou,
ell to appropriate the full charter limit
80. 1000 and It is generally recognized amor
the city officers that that amount is n
sufficient.
The park board will ask for its maximu
limit Of $4,000 and hopes to get tn
amount. although the appropriation a
lowed that department last year was on
$4,000.
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