Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-14
HOW The BILLS CAN Be PAID
City Attorney Points Out Fund On
Which Warrants Are to Be Drawn.
THESE ARE DEPLETED, HOWEVER
Bids for New Engine House Are Re-
ceived, Hughes Being the Low
Bidder--Right TO Let Contract
IL Questioned.

IL Questioned.
Although City Solicitor Kimball, in a
further opinion" on the question. said
the preliminary expenses necessary to the
erection or purchase OF a water works
system could be paid out Of the contingent
or emergency department OF the general
fund, the city council failed at its meeting
last night to solve the problem Of where
the money to pay the expenses Of the spe-
cial election on October q and other in
debetedness incurred by the committee on
water works was to come from.
The additional opinion from the city
solicitor on this matter follows:
1 have been requested by you to give a
further opinion as to what division or
account of the general fund the preliminary
expenses necessary to the erection or pur-
chase of a water works system should be
paid from.
In an opinion given on September 22 l
Of the booklets published ~ the city and
the payment Of the special engineer should
be paid out of the general fund. For con-
the general fund OF the city into several
other funds or accounts. These are not
funds having separate levies or which are
fixed by statute, but are so segregated in
view of the appropriations and various
sources of Income of the general fund Of
There is no authority for a salaries fund
and 1t is In fact but an account Of the
streets and alleys fund, fire department
and engineers department funds. After
all these accounts are set apart the bal
ance OF the general fund Is called the
contingent 0r emergency fund. The council
can transfer any part OF these subdiyided
funds of the general fund, one to tho
other, and that part of the general fund
should be used for any authorized purpose
w5IGh Is available; Thus the necessary
fur q and charged to printing and supplies.
Inc, expense of the engineer for special
Work should be paid out Of the engineers
department fund or account. II the ap-
propriations have all been used for any
particular purpose an item may be paid
out of the emergency fund, or its fursis
may be. transferred to the division or
account needed. The expenditures should
h h at the time of drawing the warrant,
however, exceed the anticipated revenue
for the fiscal year for which thew are
drawn, and no warrant should be drawn
authorized by law. understand that the
appropriations have not been exceeded as
geI IN any department or account of the
Bryan Bill Ordered Paid.
There was no report from tbe rrono.
committee as to whether It had discovered
any money lying around in the munic,nal
treasury which had not already been an
propriatec for the general running ex.
pcnses or the city government. Tho bill
OF w. ii. Bryan, the expert hydraulic on
slneer' amounting to about $500. was mr.
uereu PAID, and under the city solicitors
opinion 1t will have to be paid out NJ tho
emergency or contingent fund IL there "a
enough money in this fund to nav II uI,b
WIN the depletion of the contingent f,r,
tnere will be nothing with which to nav
me city fuel bills for the winter.
lhree bids on the construction Of the
piupoSeu new central fire station over
a" creek at the foot of Bryant street
~ recelVed. They were Anderson Broth
r yh',SO' Wickham & Co. s17, $50; George
nusles, ll'9o cash; s14,7OO on monthly
payments for twenty years. Some s,rnri.e
was manifested at Hughes hid ho,nS - =,
below those of the other firms. Tho h,ds
we're referred to the city clerk and c,,v
engineer for tabulation. ~ "'S
Nothing was said as to how tbo o,..
proposed to pay for the construct, 20
" proposed new building. After tha
meeuhg one of the councilmen ouost,ono5
'"e authority Of the city to order the n,ar,.
paiu Tor In monthly instaIlments Co.
'erlou OF twenty years. This. tho oo,..
nan corsended. would be incurr,ra =. ~
'eotedness of $4,000 which the civ ooran.
'tsaiy do In view Of the fact that ,ts 49,
uuo'eohess Is already in excess Of the CO..
l'u,lohal limit. Nothing was said az tho
mc'hs regarding e. A. Wickham's o,,o.
r,n %nVtns the city the necessary money
%nn "hich to erect the proposed new on
CltS PhysicIan's saInrv
Inc Souhch spent over an hour in arsu-
physician. which the committee .Iy
whole recommended should no 49, -"
s-Vo per annum. An ordinance fixing :, ~
nus amount was introduced. but at,o.
ing passed TO its second reading NC.
e." oNor awaiting a report from tha
NANCE committee. City Physician T,hhs
I9 zen paid one quarters salary ar Tho
'"te Oh Soo per annum, which Is tha com
pehsatlon he understood he was 10 rooat,,o
Mneh he was appointed to The offioe b.,
mayor Maioney. DR.. Tubbs smoke asa,n..
'euuclhs the salary, but let tho coun.,,
understand that the passage of the ordi.
nance would not affect him. as under tbs
avs Oh the state the salary OF an officer
nt De changed during the term of such
~ ~ Iuobs stated he would take
III matter into the courts before he would
accept any less salary than roo a
DR.. Donald Macrae addressed The oou,o,
on oehalf OF the medical profession IN cen
eTal' protesting against a less SALARY tbs,
FoVV a year being paid for such services as
ANs A9
were rendered by the city physician. During
the discussion Councilman Younkermsn
sugsested that IL expenses were TO be cut
IN MS opinion It would be advisable to ais
connect from the municipal payroll some
OF the men on the police force who appar-
entIy had nothing n do except to sit
around the police station. This brought
forth a warm denial from Chief Richmond
That any Of his men had time TO be idle.
The report OF the committee Of the whole
recommending the fixing Of the salary OF
the city physician at $3.50 was concurred
in, Councilmen Bellinger, Mcmillan and
Younkerman voting against It. When the
ordinance was brought up. however, 1t was
on motion OF Councilman Morgan referred
to the committee OF the whole to await a
report OF the finance committee, after be-
ing passed 10 it's second reading. Council
men Bellinger, Mcmillan and Younkerman
voted against the ordinance.
DR.. Poston, as president OF the Fedora