The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1910-07-28
Year in Maintaining
Their Own Government
Census Shows.

est cities in the United States hav-
ling an estimated population Of S0.-
900 or more in 1908, whose financial
statistics for the year have been coll
Ilected by the Census Bureau and
are analytically presented in its
annual report on the statistics Of
cities for the year 1908.
In his letter of transmittal to Sec
rotary Nagel OF the Department of
Commerce and Labor, Director
lDurand of the Census Bureau states
that the report was prepared under
the supervision of DR.. LeGrand
Powers, chief statistician for agri-
culture, with the assistance of d.
vision Chief Mailing, of the census
division of statistics of cities.
The maintenance of schools repre-
sents 95 per cent of the total ex-
penses of cities for Education" and
costs more than any other municipal
function, while the protection of life
and property by the police, fire and
associated departments was second
in cost. These two functions Of edu-
cation and protection of life aud
property cost So per cent of about
$4O5, 100000, which was the total
expense of maintaining and oper-
ating city departments. For the
whole group of cities the average
per capita expense for schools was
$40; for police departments 1925;
for fire departments, s1.72. These
per capita averages vary greatly
among the several cities. Salt Lake
City expended $S.1S per capita for
schools; Newton, Mass, SIS: and
New Work. Boston, Washington,
Newark, Denver, sprinfeld, Mass,
and Sacramento each expended over
Sc for the same purpose, while
Montgomery expended only $1.63;
Charleston, s1.S1; Norfolk, s2.15;
St. Joseph, $2.17; Memphis, s2.19;
Knoxville, $2.2S; and Manchester
and Galveston, each 1924.
Per Capita Cost Increases.
The increased cost of maintaining
the government departments OF
cities in recent years is illustrated
by the fact that 147 cities of over
80, 900 population in 1902 1t was
$13.36 per capita, while for the
same cities in 1908 it was $16.S1.
The costs of maintaining the police
department during the same interval
for the same cities have risen
steadily from $3.50 to s2.96 per
capita; the fire department from
s1.S$ to SLIP; health conservation
from 1922 to 5000; sanitation
from sO.91 to $1.3S; highways from
$1.72 to s1.SS; and schools, from
$3.50 to s4.7O.
The financial transactions Of these
l15S largest cities involved the re-
ceipt and expenditures of more thar
one and quarter billion dollars, the
payments amounting to s1J2S4,OoO.-
900 and the receipts to $1,3S6,OOo :
900. The excess of the receipts over
the payments was due to large loans
Iby the cities during the year and is
reelected in cash on hand at the close
of the year, $1sS, 100000, as COM
pared with s145.OOO,OOO on hand
at the beginning of the year.
Gross payments and receipts are
divided into municipal payments
and receipts and "agency" payments
and receipts. the latter forming only
81 per cent of the payments and $50
per cent Of the receipts. and consist
; ing of transactions in which the city
acts as fiscal agent in collecting rev.
: enue for the state or county or as
: trustee for private parties.
t The Division of Payments.
OF 81. $50. 7S2,S24, which was the
total of the municipal payments
S2.7 per cent was for the expenses OF
maintaining and operating the or
binary municipal departments and
Offices; 2.5 per cent was paid for the
Expenses Of the maintenance and OBJ
Grafton of selfsupporting public SER
vice enterprises, such as water-sup-
ply systems, lighting systems, etc.
ca per cent was paid in interest on
city debt; 1922 per cent was paid for
outlays for new buildings. equip
ment, and public improvements
; 2S.S per cent represents payments in
liquidation of debt; and 1915 per
4 cent represents payments of refunds
purchases of investments by city
4 funds. and general transfers.
The expenses of maintaining and
: operating the ordinary municipal
departments and Offices for the en-