The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-02-02

CITY NEARS END
OF ITS TETHER
Decisive Action Must Be Taken
Soon to Rehabilitate
Finances.
OFFICIALS ALL REALIZE IT
EFFORTS AT RETRENCHMENT
ARE NOW BEING MADE.
OFFICIALS ALL REALIZE IT

salt Lake lily Is nearing lhS Gnu VI
its tether.
The mayor acknowledges it. The
members of the finance committee of
thescouncil know it. The city officials
all realize it.
For three months the finance COM
mittee and the mayor have been en-
deavoring to see some way to meet the
tremendous burden of debt which is
slowly but surely putting a-stop TO all
public works and improvements.
As announced in these columns two
months ago, another bond issue has
been suggested as the only remedy. but
the finance committee will not as yet
commit itself to this policy. The bond
ed indebtedness of the city is now
S3,79S,000, which is within Sl,O00,OO0 of
the limit, and the committee fears that
if the people were appealed to for the
purpose of voting another bond issue
there would be a rebellion against
American rule, which would not only
prove disastrous at the fall election,
but would put a quietus on whatever
hopes the party may have at the mu-
nicipal election in 1909.
Small Balance Remains.
At the present time there is only
100000 in the treasury to pay the gen.
eral running expenses of the city. The
departmental receipts and license fees
for the balance of the year will not
amount to more than 100000.
With the 100000 in sight the finance
committee faces the problem of paying
out at least 100000 before Jan. 1 next
for the general expenses, not 10 men
ton the city's portion of municipal
improvements.
Already the council has authorized
paving for next year to the amount of
SAT- ,090.60. OF this amount the city viii
have to pay $ll5,SlO.
The extensions are as follows: Third
West street, from North Temple to
Third South street; First South street,
from Second East to Thirteenth East
street; Fifth East. from South Tenn
pie to Third South street; Fifth
South, from Main to Second East
street; Third South, from West Tenn
pie to Rio Grande street; F street.
from Brigham to First avenue; Pier
pont street, from West Temple to First
West street all with asphalt, and
pie to Second South street, with maca-
dam.
Paving to Be Sidetracked.
OF these extensions, it has been de-
cided ,by the finance committee that no
effort viii be made to do anything, but
First South and Third West streets, in
front of the new depots. In the case
of First South, as the city's portion is
$5S,O0O, the chances are that when the
board of public works opens bids on
the work on Feb. q that they will all
be rejected as too excessive" and the
work not done this year
Then there is an additional expense
of S125,000 to be met to make up the
deficit in the $1.O00000 sewer and wa
ter bond fund voted Jan. ), 1905. This
fund has been completely exhausted,
and the city will owe James Kennedy
$4,000 in addition to his share before
the intercepting sewer and pump
house are completed. and P. j. Moran
$4,000 more before the work incidental
TO the new water supply main is fin
ished.
Already there is a bill from Moran
for $4,000 in excess of the bond fund
before the finance committee, and an
other bill for about $4,000 will be sub
United to the council in a few days.
Both contractors are clamoring for
their money, and some action must be
taken at once.
Trying to Cut Expenses.
In order to reduce expenses as much
as possible the finance committee has
ordered a reduction in the force in the
waterwOrks and street departments.
Street Supervisor Raleigh has only a
handful of men on his payrolls, and
Watermaster Holiday is cutting his
force right and left
The same is true, only to a lesser ex-
tent in other departments Frank
Mathews, land and water commission
er, has been instructed TO prune down
his force wherever possible the board
of public works has been told not to
employ so many inspectors, and appli-
cations for increase in salaries from
all departments have been sidetracked.
No definite action will be taken on
any of the matters until the special
auditors have prepared their final re-
port, and then the new committee on
estimates and apportionment, consist
ing of the finance committee, the
mayor and president of the council.
viii be ready to grapple with the prob
lem in an intelligent manner.
See ad for Jackson auto on page 2.