Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-11-20
CITY FINANCIERS
HUNT EXTRA CASH
Councils Committee to
Consider Extra $345,-
100 for Streets
LARGE DEFICIT FACED
Increases for Police and Fire
men Will Make Shortage of
S2.OOO,000 Next Year
LARGE DEFICIT FACED

With 1919 municipal appropriations
already exceeding revenue from all pos
sible sources. members of Councils FL
nance Committee will tonight attempt
TO find the $345.1OO extra that will be
needed to meet the demands of Senator
Ware and other contractors. for next
years street cleaning. This last in
crease makes big deficit in 1919 almost
a certainty
Pressure is being brought to bear upon
Director Datesman, of the Department
of Public Works, TO have him readver-
tise for the larger OF the street-cleaning
contracts. It has been pointed out that
some of the contractors last year cut
their figures small fractions when kick
was made. No decision along this line
has been reached, and the large demands
Of Senator Ware and others will go be-
fore the counCilmanic fnanCicrs just as
they were handed in yesterday.
The 1919 appropriations approximate
S50,000,0O0 and with revenues from the
present tax rate and all other sources
amounting to about S+S,O00,O 900, tho COM
nttee is expected to report Sl.75 Ctv
tax rate. In the not improbable event
of a large shortage next year, Council
manic loans will be resorted to-
Salary Increase Question
The question of salary increases for
next year is also scheduled for final
disposition this evening. In the event
OF increases asked for being granted
and the police and firemen receiving the
pay that would put them in a class
with the same class of employees in
other cities. at least s2.O0O,OO0 would
be added to city expenses for the next
twelve months.
There Is little or no likelihood of the
police and firemen getting more money
after the first of the year. They will
be lucky, in view of the demands of
other departments and the increased cost
of street cleaning and garbage Colec-
tions, If they continue to receive the 10
per cent increase which will be reported
favorably to Councils tomorrow for the
last six months of the present year.
Investigation of Director Datesman's
changes in street. cleaning specifications.
alleged to- make things soft" for the
contractors in 1919. will be started to-
day by the Chamber of Commerce.
The investigating committee will hold
its first meeting at o'clock this after
noon. 1t was organized yesterday by
Guy Gundaker, chairman of the cham
ber's committee on municipal affairs. in
compliance with resolutions adopted at
a general meeting Monday at which
Director Datesman was put on the grill
by a number of interrogators.
The probers are to report back to an
other general meeting next Monday.
Other Bodies Invited to Aid
Several other organizations have been
invited to send representatives to CO.
operate with the probing committee.
Among them are the Real Estate Board,
the Emergency Aid, the County Medi-
cal Society. the Committee of Seventy
and the West Philadelphia Improvement
Association.
The personnel of the Chamber of Com
merce inquiry committee is as follows:
E. ]. Lafferty, president of the Logan
Improvement Association.
Mrs. Edward II. Biddle, president of
the Civic Club.
George II. Brnham, Jr., president of
the City Club.
Emil P. Albreclt, president of the
Bourse.
William NJ. Coatcs.--president of the
Board of Trade.
DR.. John P. CARRIER, Superintendent of
Schools.
Edward A. Noppel. president of the
United Business Mems Association.
F.. 3. Gutenberg. representing the
Bureau of Municipal Research.
The Rev. DIR. Carl f.. Grammer rep
resenting the Interchurch Federation.
Mrs. Frank Miles Day. president of
the Women's League Government AS
sociaton.
Under the new specifications the
amount of equipment to be supplied by
the contractor is reduced materially;
there is no specified number Of work.
men, and the average area to be cleaned
each day is reduced 974,020 yards. or
Sc per cent from the area required each
day in 1918.
Director Datesman was requested. at
Mondays meeting. to defer action on
the bids until after next Monday. He
agreed to do so provided there was no
legal obstruction, but said he would
have to confer with City Solicitor Con-
nelly. Chief Hicks, of the Street Clean
ing Bureau, will submit the schedule of
bids to the director today.