Evening journal., 1910-03-18
COUNCIL SNARLS
OVER FINANCES
Chairman Kane Charges Mr..
MCGOVern With Interfer-
ing With His Committee
ELEVENTH WARD MEMBER
WANTS ANOTHER REPORT

Members of City Council had anoth-
er inning last night over the question
Of finances and the discussion which
followed ended in Councilman James
Kane, chairman of the finance commit
tee, charging Councilman John }. Nc
Govern with interfering with the af
/ fairs Of the finance committee. The
latter denied this and asserted that
he had the right, as member of Coun-
! ell, 70 discuss the question
The discussion started following the
reading of a communication from City
Auditor John d. Kurtz, which follows:
TO the President and members of
Council
Gentlemen: In compliance with a
resolution of the Council adopted at
the meeting held on March 10. 1910 You
will find below information showing
how the overdraft was caused in the
city election appropriation.
Amount of vouchers paid during the
current fiscal year which were con-
tracted during the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1903, S7,45240; miscellaneous
bills Of the current fiscal year S1O0.16
salaries OF current fiscal year, July
/ December, inclusive, S1,S50.2O: total
/ S9.402.76; amount Of appropriation cur
rent fiscal year, $4,000; amount over
paid S7.402.76.
Detailed list Of the vouchers for pre-
vious year is given in the communi-
cation sent to the Council March 10.
Respectfully submitted
John d. Kurtz, Auditor
Mr.. McGovern of the Eleventh Ward
said the communication did not give
the information asked for in the reso-
luton passed by Council He said
that bills we're charged to the cleo
tions appropriation account without
the authority of this Council and what
he wanted to know was who charged
them. He said the present Council
had ordered election bills paid to the
amount of S617, vet there were charges
against the elections appropriation ac-
count of S7.402.76. He said he had in
formation that these bills were charg-
ed by the present officials in the audi
tors office Mr.. McGovern reiterated
his statement made at the last meet
ing of Council that he wanted to show
the public that Council did not start
out with a surplus as the auditors
report for the last year shows, but
that there was a deficit
Mr.. McGovern, at this point, offered
an amendment to the motion already
made referring the auditors commune
ication TO the finance committee. by
adding THAI the city auditor be in
structed to appear before the finance
committee and the other members oi
| Council on next Wednesday night anc
explain matters.
Kane Cries "Interferenees."
Mr.. Kane quickly jumped to his fee
and objected TO interference with tn
finance committees affairs He sal,
II don't wan to get mad over thi
thing but ] think it has gone IA
enough" He added that he had ar
ranged to have the auditor appear be
fore the committee.
Mr.. McGovern made the remark tina
the auditor was to have appeared o.
/ Wednesday night OF this week, but di
not.
Mr. Kane who showed plainly tina
the line Of discussion was not 70 hi
liking, made The remark that ne oh
iected to the finances Of the city being
kicked about"
Mr. McGovern's amendment wa
seconded by Mr.. Conway Of the Tent
ward.
Mr. Kane took occasion 20 remarl
that the present trouble over finances
and with the city auditors Office wa
due TO a fight which has been on be
/ tween the Clerk of Council and tn
city auditor and added that the finance
committee was capable Of attending
TO the finances.
Mr. McGovern said he did not SCI
II
4 brought into the matter and added tina
he himself. exercised as much righ
as any man in Council. IF the cit.
auditor will make no corrections thi
| Council should take hand in the mat
ter and see that he does said MI
McGovern.
Mr., Kane said that the finance com
mittee was working on the matter an
| Mr.. McGovern replied:
1T seems the more the finance com
mittee does work on it, the worse the
get balled up"
At this juncture Mr.. Dempsey, of tn
First Ward took hand in the dis
cussion. He said he did not favo
printing the auditors annual repor
for last year in its present shape
showing a surplus instead of deficit
Mr.. Conway made similar remarks.
Mr. McMullin, a member of tn
finance committee. said arrangement
had been made for Auditor Kurtz {
appear before the finance committe
on next Tuesday night and that re
port would be furnished at the mex
meeting of Council
Mr. McGovern said that he did nc
want TO have the 1oor all the tim
but wanted 10 correct a prevailing i'm
preston some people have that he
antagonistic 70 the auditors Office. II
said he was not. but was merely doin
his duty as he saw It.
Mr.. McGovern refused 10 withdra'
the amendment he made TO the me
tion and a vote was taken resultin
= in it being lost
Mr.. Higgins, OF the Third ward, sal
he couldn't understand why the men
Der from the Eleventh ward insiste
on the auditor appearing before Il
finance committee on next Wednesda
night when that committee had a
ready made arrangements for Tuesda
night.
A vote on the motion TO refer q
auditors communication 70 the finan'
committee was then taken and the m,
tion carried without a dissenting vot
r..