The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-27
|RElOI Wing FUND
CRISIS PREDICTED I
SPECIAL PUBLIC EXAMINER SAID
THERE'D BE TROUBLE.
Now City Treasurer Hubert Cuts OFF
Payments Where Fund Is Lacking
What City Engineer Rinker Thinks
About the Trouble -"Not His
Fault

G. S. Hulbert's ultimatum as CITY
treasurer, in which he announces his in
tentlon to pay no money out Of the re-
volving fund until the council has
brought it up to business basis. has
started city hall people talking. In a
althos 1T is conceded that there will be
much confusion before matters right
themselves.
Michael +. Kahn, the special public
examiner whose report to Public Elk,
anliner P. M. Kerst year ago spurred
various city officials and the city coun-
81 to. reforms, says Mr.. Hubert is on
the right track. He is unwilling to
talk Of present conditions, as they will
form the subject matter of his forth
coming report to, the public examiner,
on which ne is now gathering data. In
last year g report he predicted Just
what has come to pass, and he declares
g Z a. unless halt is called and other
become worse instead of better.
The shortage or deficit in the re.
Yolvlng fund on Jan. l.. 1905, accord.
ing to the figures obtained by Mr.. Kahn,
was $568,O77.36. "A considerable part
OF this, however, hangs over from the
old Haugen shortage and other short.
ages antedating the advent of Mr.. HUI:
polG DIS CITY treasurer. ~
Blames City Council.
Mr.. Kahn attributes the present con
dittions largely to the council's method
OF ordering improvements and antiei
pating payments that are expected tc
be made into the revolving fund. : 3
"Thts method is all wrong,,' says
MI. Kahn, Gas the charter undoubtedly
intended that the money should be in
the: hands Of the city treasurer before
the estimates for the special improve
ments are made. At any rate, had this
methods been followed there would be
no. trouble now = ~ I
;: Andrew AM rev. R Rinker, city ): engineer, de.
lie improvements until the. revolving
fund has 'eaught up' is out Of the
question. Minneapolis is fan. behind
actual necessities in the matter of pub.
lie improvements, and instead of re.
ducing the amount Of work, we must
increase it in order to; give the citizens
the service that they not only demand
but are, entitled to. Sufficient means
must be provided in one way or another
and doubtless will be in due time. n ;,
II have, no intention, Of entering
the position taken by Mr.. Hubert, but
| wish, to say that any, assumption on
the part Of the citizens that, the pres.
ent conditions are due to errors in the
estimates Of the city engineers office
are wholly unjust. (. =. -
- City Engineers Course,
"When the City engineer goes ,t $ before
the board Of tax levy for an estimate
Of the appropriations for The perma:
nent Improvement fund, he has with
him statement Of the amounts due
the revolving fund for the ensuing five
years. One-ffth Of the amount will be
collected in the first year, and on this
fifth is based the amount of the city 4
work. To this income from the. 4 e
xolving fund is added the cit;y's por
stion2 Of the :iimproveme tents, amounting
to 40 per cent for sewers, 25 per cent
fol, paving and Is per cent for curb
and gutter, :: ~ 49, 2"17~-r j IT,
!"When the wages of laborers are
raised and the price Of materials in.
creased: and unexpected weather condi.
lions arise after the estimates are
made, there will be some increase In
the actual COST but nothing to cause
the shortage of .$325,00O stated by. the
city treasurer as the amount Of the
deficit. This is, due to other eauses.;''