Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-05-15
HISTORICAL SOCIETY HAS
NO FUNDS AND BANK EX-
AMINER HAS VERY LITTLE
LEFT.
.S1EEN sAYS'N0 0VERDRAf1S'
Two State Departments May
Have a Hard Time During the
Next Two Months.

The deputy state bank examiners
and the employees in the bank exami.
ncrs department and the employees
of the state his torical society may
have to donate their services to the
state OF Norh Dakota between now
and July 1st or else take "A vacation
for month or two unless conditions
which do now prevail are clarified in
some unforeseen manner. ..,t
No More overdrafts:
John Steen. state treasurer, does
not believe in overdrafts. Both the
departments referred to will have to
overdraw their semi-annual appropria.
tions, which are supposed to cover the
expense up to July l, in order to meet
all expenses Mr.. Steen will probably
refuse to honor the overdraft checks.
Where the salaries and expense mon
eys are to come from is a puzzle just
at present.
Examiners Department.
The auditors books show that the
examiners department has credit
balance of $2,779.l2, with unpaid
vouchers amounting to almost $500.
These vouchers are April accounts for
road expenses Of the edepdty exami-
ners on the road. This leaves work
ing balance of less than $4,000 to run
The department on. during the months
of May and June.
1t is estimated that this department
will require the sum Of $5,S5O, for run
ming expenses during May and June,
estimating the road expenses Of depu-
ties only--all the other, items being
fixed and certain The road expenses
of the nine deputies is estimated at
$3.50 per month or 800 for May and
June. .N t..$ e
3 How It Happens.
The sum of $4,000 is appropriated
annually to the bank examiners de-
partment, or will have been until4July
/, next, when it is materially increas-
ed. This is the old annual appropria.
tion which was put on the statute
books in 1911, before the work of
to the blue sky law was
added to the work of the department
and before the examination of all aud
itors' and treasurers' offices in incoh
porated cities of the state Numbering
about SO) was added to the work of
the department. Then, too, the coun.
ty examination work was increased
from requiring the examination of
only the auditors and treasurers' Of
fees so as to cove" al county offices
and still no additional appropriation
for the examiners department has
been made by law to cover this addi-
tional expense.
However, the state auditing board
has authorized the. employment tof ad-
help Ito carry on the work of
the, office and the state treasurer up
to-. this time,,has paid the overdraft
checks under the authorization Of the
auditing board. |-.H ~.
But Mr.. Steen has not yet had to
meet with this question, having been
in Office only since the first of this
year, and 1t will confront him for the
first time in the very near future. He
will undoubtedly ask for an opinion as
to whether or not the auditing board
may authorize the overdrafts and the
board will probably not act
in the matter until such opinion has
been secured. y
Won't Last Long.
The balance of the semiannual ap-
left to the credit of the
state examiners department will suf-
flee to pay all salaries up to June /.
It will not pay any of the road expense
Of the nine deputies nor will it pay
any partNOf the June salaries.
Historical Society.
The state historical society has al.
ready reached the end OF the rope"
The auditors books show balance
of $72.72 to the credit of the histori.
cal society of it's semi-aInual appro-
oriation which was INTENDED to cover
expenses up. to July l. Put the audi
Tor already has about $50 worth of
bills ongfih, which have been approx
I'd by the sstateS auditing board. This
caves, a deficit already, and then there
IS theSsaaryS Of the curator, salary of
he librarian, postage, telephone, ex'
press, and other miscellaneous ex.
oenses to be met for the months of
May and June.
1t is estimated that 1t will take
about $500 to cover the expenses of
his department for tle months of
May and June.
The secretary of the state histori-
al society has been apprised of this
condition of affairs.
How Il Came About.
9 The society has been receiving an
lnnual appropriation Of $4,000 or $2.-
100 semi.annually. But on account of
he supreme court decision relating
o special taxes the, regular appropria-
ion was cut to $1,41S.S0 for the six