Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-02-18
Has Persistent Way of lnquiring
Into City's Financial
Condition.
DISTASTEFuL TO "AMERICANS"
Wants to Know Why Auditors Report,
Due Feb. 3, Has Not Been Sub
mitted--Council Routine.

councilman L. II. Hall has been
trying so persistently to find out the
financial condition of the city that
he is coming to be looked upon as
a nuisance by the ananciers of the
American" party Mr.. Hall added to
his appropriately last evening by hav-
Ing communication from City Audi
tor AIN sent back 10 him. Some tiule
ago resolution OF Mr.. Halls was
adopted by the council calling upon
the auditor for his annual report,
for reasons why he had not made his
report in compliance with the law.
which requires that the report be
submitted not later than the first
Monday In February. The commune
cation from the auditor last night was
to the effect that because of the
cnange from she old to the new way
of accounting he was unable to make
sufficient help in his office to make
the report, anyhow.
This communication did not satis-
fy Mr.. Hall. He wanted to know
when the council might expect a re-
port. He said they We're asked to
vote money every week and ut the
same time they knew nothing as 10
the financial condition of the city.
The treasurer's report. he said, was
misleading because II reported $780,
900 of q balance in the bank, when
as a matter of fact the balance was
but 100000. He wanted some way
OF getting at the figures and IL the
new system of bookkeeping did not
furnish this Information, then he
thought the city better get back 10
some old way of bookkeeping. He
thought the special audit of the city's
accounts was no excuse for violation
of the law. Assurance was given that
the full report would be in in four
days.
NO MONEY FOR SALARIES.
Two lively communications We're
sent to the council by Chief Of Police
Pitt. One was demand for the
confirmation of the Is new police
men recently appointed. II was
pointed out that much of the resi-
dence portion OF the city is having no
police protection; that the present
force Is overworked; that some Of
the men now on the force are sick
from overwork. This communication
went to the finance committee, as it
is understood that the now police If
ficers cannot be put on the payroll
until the money Is secured from some
source to pay their salaries.
CITY WANTS NEW LAWS.
The second communication related
to Sunday closing, gambling and the
social evil Chief Pitt demands new
ordinances to enable him TO cope with
these problems. He cited the !1rdin-
ances of Los Angeles. These permit
no person TO enter saloons on Sunday
for any purpose; they provide for an
unobstructed view into the saloons at
all times; they prohibit card and wine
rooms in saloons; they prohibit wo-
men entering saloons, they prohibit
booths andl boxes in restaurants. they
make II easier to convict of gambling
in that it is not necessary to see
the actual exchange of money. This
communication went TO the municip-
al laws COMMITTEES. Chief Pitt eX-
pressed the determination to stamp
out gambling and Sunday liquor sell
ing.
WILL BE MAYOR PRO TEN,
A communication from Mayor
John s. Bransford conveyed the In
formation that he expected TO lie alb
sent from the city for some days and
asked that a member of the council
be designated to act in his stead dur
ing his absence. councilman terry
was chosen by unanimous vote on mo-
ton OF Councilman Reedall.
LAUGH GOES ROUND.
A laugh went around the council
chamber when a communication was
read from S. @. Gernert of st. Louis,
In which the writer said he under
stood the city was preparing 10 issue
municipal bonds. He asked the priv
ilege Of priatlng them. II would
seem from this that the condition Of
the city treasury is known as tar east
as st Louis, II not further
CLAIMS LICENSE is UNFAIR
w. e. Bray tKid) who runs a. lunch
room at 49 east Second South street.
sent in a communication protesting
against tho injustice of the present or
dinance regulating the licenses Of
restaurants and asking for fiat
rate. Under the present ordinance,
restaurants with a seating capacity Of
80 or more persons must pay SIS
tax: those seating between 90 and 30
pay $40 Mr.. Bray holds that these
rates are unjust for the reason that
a restaurant seating 200 persons pays
In his class. Tho matter VIII be con-
sidered by the license committee.
MEET THURSDAY EVENING.
After disposing of part OF the
batch of routine business, the ,uncil
took a recess till Thursday evening,