The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-07-01
GOOD SHOWING
MADE BY CITY
FOR LAST SIX MONTHS
OVER s123.OOO is NOW ON HAND IN
THE TREASURY.

Number of Departments Have
Spent More Than Half of Their
Approximations, but 1t Is Thought
Year VIII BE Completed with
Very Few of Them OverdrawinE.
Second Quarterly Statement Is
Now Being Prepared for Next
Meeting of Council.
The city closes the first six months
of the present year with SIPS, 525 25 in
the treasury.
That is the amount that the books in
the treasurer's office showed when they
were balanced yesterday.
Alderman James NJ. Dixon, who is
chairman of the Finance Committee,
says it is the best showing the city
has ever made at exactly this time of
year.
Tomorrow another quarters taxes
will be due" said Mr.. Dixon yester-
day. "and within two weeks the bal
ance in the treasury will reach $780,
o0O."
Splendid Financial Condition.
The largest amount that the city has
ever had on hand in its history was in
the treasury a few months ago, a lit
tie over $305,O00 Alderman Dixon says
he will not be surprised to see that
amount exceeded in the next fifteen
days.
The city was never in better fnan-
cial condition than at present There
are a number of heavy expenses that
will have to be met before the year
is over, portion of the cost of the
new City Hall being the largest single
item. Besides the taxes that are to be
paid, paving bills will also be coming
in shortly.
The second quarterly statement of
all the various departments is now be-
ing prepared in the office of the clerk
of Council for next Wednesdays ses-
sion. 1t will show the appropriation
to each department, the amount al
ready spent during the first six months
of the year and the balance on hand.
Where Money Is Going.
Though some of the departments
have spent more than half of their ap-
preparations. the statement is very
creditable one to all of them. In many
cases improvements and repairs have
been made during the first half of the
year, work that will last not only for
this year. but for several years to
come.
The police department with an ap-
preparation of $SS.000, has spent $44, -
959.07, leaving a balance for the re-
mainder of the year of $43,O40.93.
The fire department, with appropri-
alton of s7S,5O0, has spent more than
half. A great deal of work has been
| done on several of the fire stations.
| however. New floors were put IN at
a heavy expense. The big new engine
was bought with s., 300 which was
| specially appropriated for the purpose,
and is not included in the general fire
department appropriation.
For street Paving.
The streets and lanes department
will doubtless show expenses far in
excess of half of the appropriation,
as much of the money spent by the
| city in this department is later got
ten back. For paving streets $4,000
was appropriated this year.
At the end of the year that amount
will probably not be exceeded. or on
| ly to a small extent. Now, how
ever, the city has had to pay for the
| entire cost of all the work that has
been done this year. and only on
some of the streets have the prop
erty owners paid their share. The
regular streets and lanes appropria-
ton is $4,000, and the scavenger de-
| partment, $3S,000 Both of these are
being run close within the appropria-
| tionS.
In the waterworks department it is
probable that less than half the APP
preparation has been used, as expenses
! have been cut steadily for some time.
With the stopping of the waste of
water. much coal has been saved.
Most Of the other departments will
work out exactly even at the end of
the year. The interest on the bonded
debt, for example, is of course cal
culated at the beginning of the year.
This year $4,000 was appropriated for
the purpose. The city lighting and
other matters are based on contract
and do NOT vary