Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-26
Donations Of Cash by Council, Rebat-
ing Of Taxes and Payment Of Alder
mons 'Phone Tolls Declared Viola
ton Of Law-PubIic Utilities and
Valuable City Assets.

/
iod which it covers. 1t includes the
! financial statement of the city from
April 1, 1906, to June 80, 1906, with the
receipts and expenditures in every fund
within that period The report says
that all monies expended by the city
officials were duly authorized and that
the expenditures were legal with a few
exceptions which are later called at
tention to.
City Clerk Derby has found a grave
defect in the statement, however. in the
report relative to the financial indebt-
edness Of the city, and this portion Of
the report is being held until State
Auditor Carroll can be communicated
with, for the purpose of having the
figures corrected.
A Few Faults.
The experts criticize the actions OF
the council in appropriating money for
various purposes, the contribution to
the San Francisco relief fund being
one Of the items objected to as illegal.
Several other wrongful acts which
have grown out Of custom, are pointed
out, but the examiners find much to
commend in the city government and
the conduct of public utilities. Relative
to these matters the report says:
"There is much to commend and but
little to criticize In management of the
affairs Of Marshalltown. I think that
the city treasurer ought not to pay out
5~,<
the council and on a warrant properly
signed by the mayor and the city clerk
and sealed with the corporate seal. 1t
has been his custom to pay interest on
bonds as we'll as take up bonds and
give a check therefor, drawing the
money from the bond fund or the sink
ling fund without any action of the
council Section $50 Of the code pro-
hibits doing this.
"The city council has not always kept
within the limit Of the law in the ex-
penditure of city funds. / wish to call
your attention to just few items IN
their disbursements that seem to me to
have been Improperly made: Donation
| to San francisco sufferers, $500; Mar
shalltown band, 5000; rebate pottery
company tax, $41S54; telephones,
$199.s7; Iowa Publishing Company,
pictures in atlas, $3.50. I am quite sure
| that each of the above expenditures
was improperly made. The great dis
aster at San Francisco appealed to the
hearts OF all, but the generosity of the
| members of the city council of Mar
shalltown should have been shown by
their personal contributions rather
than by a donation from the city treas
ury.
EVERY member of the city council
has a, telephone placed in his residence
and the cost of the service is paid from
the city treasury. Some enterprising
solicitor from the Iowa Publishing
Company Of I think, Davenport, who
were about to issue an atlas, persuaded
the members of the city council that it
would rebound to the glory and last
ing benefit of their municipality to have
published therein picture, either Of
the members or of some of the prin-
cipal buildings of the city, together
with a write-up of the city, and for this
they voted from the treasury the sum
of $3.50.
"The appropriation Of 5000 for the
Marshalltown band was made in con.
sideration of the band giving concerts
in the park-desirable, but not provided
for by the lawmakers.
"The item rebate pottery company
tax, s4lS.54,' represents the tax paid
by the pottery company and returned
to them by the city. 1t is not only the
city tax. but represents their total tax,
both city. county and state. am quite
sure that the city could enter into no
contract with this company that would
justify the payment of this amount to
them
Officials Complimented.
"The head of the city government,
Mr.. o. L. lngledue, is firm and en-
thusiastic believer il the Marshall
with half a chance will make a convert
of the most skeptical, and is devoting
much of his time and energy to it's up
building.
"The office of the city clerk is con-
Quoted in a most intelligent and bus
mess like manner. The city clerk
maintains a complete system of card
indexes so that on a moments notice
he is able to turn to any resolution
that may have been offered, and con-
tract entered into, any proposal made.
or any claim filed, in his office during
his term of service. He also files a
complete statement of the doings OF
his office With the city council quar-
terly, giving full statement OF the re-
ceipts and disbursements in detail.
This is also done by the treasurer and
tile various committees or heads of de-
partments. An expert accountant also
makes Il quarterly audit of the books.
so that the city fathers are at all times
in touch with the true condition of city
affairs
Many Valuable Assets.
while the city may seem to have
quite a heavy debt, yet 1t has much to
show for it. There are thirty and one
third miles of sewer mains that have
been laid al an estimated cost of $780,
600 and paid for out of the current
taxes. Not a dollar has been assetted