The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-11

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 preliminary statement of the fnan- cial condition of the city of Birmingham was made yesterday to the Beard or Commissioners by Special Accountant Simpson. The report is of the condition of the city on April 10. when the Board of Commissioners superseded the former City Council
 The figures disclose a deficit of S5S3.- HASA as standing at that time with the city having only s147, ,7es. IA in assets.
 The statement of Accountant Simpson does not carry the bonded indebtedness of the city, which amounts to approxi- mately s4,S0O000, nor does it disclose the public improvement funds payable by the property owners and handled to cer- tain extent by the City Council.
 The report did not throw the commis- sioners into a situation of fear. It was admitted that some very urgent measures would of necessity have to be adopted, but not the least doubt is felt but that the deficit will be shortly arranged, and the city placed upon sound financial op- eratng basis
 The largest item of the auditors report yesterday is S3OO000, which was borrowed some time ago by the council and paid few days ago by the commissioners by their floating loan of the same amount from the associated banks of Birming- ham, If some plans had been made by the council to obviate the necessity of that loan it is held that Birmingham's af- pt 1,ic fi,,,a operating under the income and to a profit.
 Bills of Small Towns
 The bills of the nine small towns ab- sorbed July 1, 1910, by Greater Birming- ham are shown to be $13,500, which are payable. This does not include the bond ed indebtedness of those towns. A bond issue of Ensley amounting to s10O0o was due May l, which is included in the liabi- ities of the city.
 It is noted in the reports that $s0,0So.7 75 in notes given by the city are for inn provement estimates of public nature. This item may stand or it may be held that the property owners are to pay that amount. In the latter event the deficit of the city would be materially lessened. However it was placed as liability to obviate any future unfavorable interpre- tation of the estimates which might cause some slight trouble.
 In the statement of the auditor appears an item of judgments against the city for s14, "A. This sum will be cut consd- erably. It is within the power of the city attorney to compromise these judgments, paving about half the sum recorded, which, it is stated will be gladly accept ed by those to whom the city has done some wrong, and in whose favor the judg- ments are recorded. The general impression is that the flnan- cial statement of conditions when the as was expected.
 By shaving some of the accounts, com promising some and by adopting other measures for relief the final figures will not be at all panicky
 sThe opinion was expressed yesterday that by the economy of the commissioners and with the political sinecures abolished, the city would soon find itself in good shape.
 "By pursuing it's present course,' said Accountant Simpson. the commission will soon have the city in good shape I predict that within a short period the commissioners will have arranged the af- fairs of the city so as to operate at a figure below the income which will leave and tend to accumulate surplus for Birminsham The report of yesterday embraces only the preliminary figures, but they show exactly how the city stands financially
 Consider It Informally l The commissioners deliberated over the statement shown above about two hours