The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-08-11
WAR DEMANDS
ECONOMY IN
CITY BUDGET
Bavis of Works Board Asks
Department Heads to Ask
a., only Necessary Amount of
Funds.

Declaring that existing depressing
conditions" call for rigid economy on
the part OF the city government next
year President Bavis of the board OF
public works has addressed a COM
munication to the chief of every de-
partment requesting that they submit
only the lowest possible estimates for
the 1915 appropriations for their de-.
partments. His letter follows:
The board of works, would be glad
to have you make a careful survey OF
the requirements of your respective
departments for the year 1915. and
submit the same to us not later than
August 18th. 1914.
We desire to call your attention to
the necessity of outstanding the city's
resources the coming year and to that
end, eliminate all superfluous ex-
penses, for the outlook for the coming
year, gives us no encouragement to
feel too optimistic.
We ask your cooperation in our ef-
forts to economize, that no unneces-
sary burden shall be placed upon our
citizenship during the existence of
this administration, and especially
during the present depressing con-
ditions
To this end. we ask that every un-
productive feature of your department
be removed, that can be without i'm
pairing the efficiency Of your work
Asks Cooperation.
We thank you for the spirit Of CO.
operation given to us by you during
the first half of 1914, and we thank
you in anticipation of it's continuance.
"Our revenue next year will be no
greater than this year, said Mr..
Bavis today when discussing the 1914
budget And there will be no elab-
crate program for improvements next
year. We have already mortgaged
5000 Of the public improvement fund
for 1915 by ordering the construction
Of the big sewer system in the north
east section Of the city. This will be
completed this year but the city's
share OF the cost will be paid out of
next years fund. There is another
reason why the strictest economy
must be practiced by the city next
year. That is the present European
situation. There is no use for us shut
ting our ewes to 1t, for this country is
bound to feel it's effects"
Mr.. Bavis believes two major i'm
provements will be decided on at the
budget meeting tomorrow night-a
new and much larger crematory ca
pable Of handling all the garbage of
the city, and a new aerial motor lad
der truck for the fire department.
New Truck Necessary.
ut is impossible to 60 another year
without a new crematOry," he said,
land unless a new ladder truck is Sc
cured the old one will very probably
new truck is also necessary for the
of0 To- hlyi11inOc
Not more than two permanently i'm
proved streets will be considered for
the 1915 program, according to the
board president, but he will advise a
$4,000 appropriation for crushed
stone, $4,000 more than this years ap.
preparation. He says he favOrs a
pause in the street paving program
next year to a considerable extent for
economical reasons and the major
portion of the street improvement
work be confined to bringing the city's
miles of macadam streets up to the
highest possible standard.
With only $4,000 more to purchase
crushed stone believe excellent work
can be accomplished with the ma
cadam streets. An increase in the
pay roll Of the street department
could possibly be entirely avoided be
cause the scarifier purchased this
year by the city will do the work Of
ten men," Mr. Bavis said 1T is oul
plan to employ Jail labor on the
streets. but such labor will not near
the reduction of the regular street
working force 1t will merely be ad
ditional labor and paid for out of the
county treasury"
A fair amount Of improvements tC
the storm sewer systems will also be
provided for in next years budget.