Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-18
TANGLE IN CITY FINANCES
Council Awards Contracts, but No
Money in Sight to Pay the Bills.
AUDITOR MAY BALK ON WARRANTS
No Fund on which to Draw for Elk
penses of Special EIection-Many
Regular Funds Already Badly
Depleted.

Since the contract for the construction Of
the concrete retaining walls and arch over
Indian creek to replace the present bridge
and form the foundation for the proposed
new central fire station at the foot Of
Bryant street was awarded to e. A. Wick
ham on his bid OF &c. S5 some Of the city
officials are wondering where the money
is to come from.
1t is understood that Councilman Jensen
and his fellow councilmen who put the
proposition for the new engine house
through expect that the cost OF the concrete
work will be paid out OF the bridge fund.
City Treasurer True said yesterday that
there would not be sufficient money in the
bridge fund to pay this contract, even II 1t
was lawful to pay for the work out of this
fund, which he questioned. Treasurer True,
like other city officials, contends that only
the portion of the work which contemplates
the replacing OF the present bridge with a
concrete formation can be lawfully paid out
OF the bridge fund and not the retaining
walls, arch and foundation for the fire
house.
On September 1 the balance in the bridge
fund wa only $6,056 and from this must
be deducted $962.S3, the aggregate amount
of the warrants on this fund issued during
August and ordered paid at the last meet
ing of the city council. The tax levy will
probably bring in about $4,000 during the
remainder of the year, but much of this
money will be needed for necessary repairs
to bridges.
City Engineer Etnyre yesterday explained
that the difference between his estimate
of $500 and the Wickham bid of over &c.,
900 was due to the fact that Wickham's
bid included the entire foundations for the
building, while the city engineers estimate
was on the concrete retaining walls and
arch alone,
THE city finances are getting into a bad
tangle,' remarked a city official yester-
day. Here we are confronted with a bill
of nearly $500 from w. H. Bryan. the ex-
pert hydraulic engineer who was employed
to revise the plans prepared by the city
engineer for a water works system, and
apparently have no money with which to
pay it. The city solicitor says we cannot
pay it out of the 2-mil sinking fund, and
/ am told we cannot pay it out of the s.
mill water fund. as the entire revenue of
that fund has already been appropriated to
pay the hydrant rental. and the law pro-
hibits us from exceeding the amount APP
/ propriated. In fact, l know that the city
NAANt wa W. At1bN " 4 VII dl9 VI
the funds in excess of the appropriation.
Then again, we will have the bill for the
preparation and printing of the water works
booklet which Councilman Jensen and
his associates have seen fit to have pub
lished for the edification of the voters, so
that they may be enlightened on the water
works problem before voting on the ques-
ton of the bond issue. Where are We go
ing to get the money TO pay for this book
let2'
The expense Of the special election to be
held October 81, at which the question Of
the issuance of 5000, OO bonds for the pur-
chase or construction of a water works
plant is 10 be submitted to the voters, will
exceed $1,000. At the commencement of
the present fiscal year no appropriation
was made for election expenses. Il have
not the slightest idea" said City Auditor
McAneney yesterday, where the council
expects to get the money to pay the ex-
penses Of this special election. They can
not certainly, according to the city solic-
itor, be paid out of the water works sink
ing fund"
Appropriations Summing Low.
Some Of the appropriations for the cur
rent fiscal year are already badly depleted.
This is shown by the city auditors monthly
statement of the condition of the general
fund, issued yesterday. 1t shows that the
fund for the care of the streets is entirely
exhausted, although only half the year
has gone.
City Auditor McAneney's report showing
the amount appropriated for each depart
ment out of the general fund and the
amount remaining unused on September /,
follows:
Appro- I'm
priation. used.
Salaries, executive dept. -. $11,O 2O S6,557.5
Police and Mrshal's dept. 1880 1856. sc