The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1917-12-05
B|ELEFELD
ENJO|NED
CITY DADS
Judge v. S. Reiter Issues
Injunction and Which is
Served on Councilmen
When They Appear for
Business.

The city of Hammond borrowed its
own money from city banks today and
paid per cent interest for it.
An injunction served last night from
Judge Virgil s. Reiter's superior court
signed by City Treasurer-elcct Walter
f. Bielegeld, on Mayor John D. Smalley
and the members of the city council pro-
hibited that body from passing an or
dinance providing for the transfer OF
SIS 900 from the water fund to the gen
eral fund to pay the salaries Of the city
employees and special assessments due.
In order 70 take care Of the expenses an
ordinance was drawn sanctioning the
borrowing of $50, 900 At per cent in
terest. This was passed unanimously
with Councilman Reilley voting affirm
auvely.
In other words. through Reilley's
action last Friday night in bucking the
ordinance transferring the money from
one fund to the other which has been
done almost every year to tide over the
extra budget of expenses the close of
every annum brings, win cost the city
of Hammond almost $1,000 for interest.
whereas If the money had been borrow
cd from the water fund this money
would have been saved. according to city
hall officials. The transfer ordinance
authorized the money borrowed to be re-
turned to the water fund. May. 1918, af-
ter the annual watef&~axes were coI-
lected.
The reason the general fund was short
this year was explained as follows by
enc of the officials:
we are short almost every year at
this time because Of unexpected ex-
penses. This year we arc short Ss,0TS.-
so in liquor licenses; an increase of po-
lice salaries cut it down s2.327.50; fire
department wage raises, S2.928; board of
public works expenses. $3.50; Calumet
avenue sewer along city park which city
must pay. s7,4o4.5s and State street
sewer In front Of Federal building which
comes out of the city funds, s11se.55.
and the cost of election. s4.164S7. These
Amounts total $2s.S23s9.
I'm borrowing from the banks $4,000
We are paying per cent interest on our
own money. there being $4,000 in water
funds deposited drawing . per cent in
terest. If we had transferred the money
from the water fund to the general fund
it would have saved the city almost ST.
600 which it must pay now as interest
on the money borrowed.
Higher cost Of materials and the ne
cissfty Of increasing the wages OF the
employees on account of living expenses
was also given as ono Of the reasons
for the general fund delinquency.
As the mayor and councilmen filed
into the council chambers Deputy Sheriff
Albert L. Norris served the restraining
orders. 1t was the first time in the
history Of the city that court was
called upon to prohibit the city council
in the performance of any Of its duties.
Survey Accepted.
The water works survey by Alvord &
Burdick, Chicago engineers. for improve
ments in the next thirty years was ac-
cepted and referred TO the water COM
mittee 1t is a voluminous report and
itemized the needs of the water depart
ment.
Minutes Didn't suit Reilley.
For the first time since City Clerk
william Kolb took office a nay was
registered against his minutes of prev
ious meeting. Councilman Reillcy took
exception to the minutes of the special
meeting last Friday night. However
majority ruled and the minutes were
accepted. Why Reilley opposed the re-
port was not explained by him.
The judiciary committee reported IA
vorably on the licensing OF auctioneers
and the ordinance authorizing the plan
was accepted unanimously
An appropriation ordinance for ss,
59421 for the Calumet avenue and State
street sewer was passed; $3.50 was ap-
propriated for police salaries for the
rest Of the year and S412S.99 to handle
delinouent speciaI assessments