Office of the Comptroller Annual Financial Reports, 1890-2007
Table of Contents
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Seattle (Wash.). Comptroller's Office
- Title
- Office of the Comptroller Annual Financial Reports
- Dates
- 1890-2007 (inclusive)18902007
- Quantity
- 4 cubic feet
- Collection Number
- 1802-J7
- Summary
- Annual financial reports from the Office of the Comptroller.
- Repository
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Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov - Access Restrictions
-
Records are open to the public.
- Languages
- English
Historical Note
The Comptroller was responsible by City Charter for supervising the City's financial affairs including administration of the accounting system, payroll system, investments, and borrowing. The Office also maintained a general auditing function. The position of Comptroller was established by Charter in 1890 and was appointed by the Mayor. The 1896 City Charter designated the Comptroller the ex-officio City Clerk and made the position elective. A 1991 City Charter amendment abolished the positions of City Comptroller and City Treasurer and merged the two functions to create the Department of Finance in 1993. The City was served by just twelve Comptrollers during the office's 100 year existence: Chauncey W. Ferris, 1890-1892; J.M. Carson, 1892-1894; Will H. Parry, 1894-1900; Frank H. Paul, 1900-1902; John Riplinger, 1902-1906; Harry W. Carroll, 1906-1910 and 1912-1938; William Bothwell, 1910-1912; W.C. Thomas, 1938-1958; Carl G. Erlandson, 1958-1976; Edward L. Kidd, 1976-1979; Tim Hill, 1980-1985; and Norward J. Brooks, 1986-1992.
Content Description
Annual reports for the Comptroller date from 1890; after 1978, annual reports on the financial condition of the City were known as Comprehensive Annual Reports. This change reflected, in part, the implementation of a computer program, the Central Financial Management System. Researchers should note that there is a separate record group for the Department of Finance. The earliest reports contain disbursements and receipts by fund and department. Beginning in 1895, some reports include more narrative. The 1896 report of the License Department is included, as it was part of the Comptroller's Office. Reports in the early 1900s include lists of City property and real estate. Published and unpublished reports appear for some years; in these cases the published report has the more complete financial statement. In 1932, annual reports for the Weights and Measures Division begin to be a part of the Comptroller's report because the Department of Public Utilities was discontinued and the Weights and Measures Division, which had been a part of that Department, was transferred to the Comptroller's. Reports in the late 1950s through the 1970s include organization charts for City government.
Other Descriptive Information
A Comptroller or Clerk File (CF) can consist of correspondence, reports, petitions, contracts, agreements, etc. from elected officials, City departments, other government agencies, or the general public, which have been placed "on file" with the Office of the City Clerk (OCC). They are primarily permanent records, but also include routine material which was periodically purged. Certain archival records identified in the CF have been removed, arranged into records series, and incorporated into the collection of the Seattle Municipal Archives, a program of the OCC.
Use of the Collection
Preferred Citation
[Item and date], Office of the Comptroller Annual Financial Reports, Record Series 1802-J7 Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.
Administrative Information
Return to TopDetailed Description of the Collection
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1890-1892Container: Box 1, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1895-1898Container: Box 1, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1899-1901Container: Box 1, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1902-1903Container: Box 1, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1904-1905Container: Box 1, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1904-1906Container: Box 1, Folder 6
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1906-1907Container: Box 1, Folder 7
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1908-1909Container: Box 2, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1910-1911Container: Box 2, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1912-1913Container: Box 2, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1914-1915Container: Box 2, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1916Container: Box 2, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1918-1921Container: Box 2, Folder 6
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Description: Comptroller, Biennial Financial ReportDates: 1922-1923Container: Box 2, Folder 7
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1924Container: Box 2, Folder 8
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1925-1927Container: Box 3, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1928-1929Container: Box 3, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1930-1931Container: Box 3, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1932-1933Container: Box 3, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1934-1935Container: Box 3, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1936-1937Container: Box 3, Folder 6
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1938-1939Container: Box 4, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1940-1941Container: Box 4, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1942-1943Container: Box 4, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1944-1945Container: Box 4, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1946-1947Container: Box 4, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1948-1949Container: Box 5, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1950Container: Box 5, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1951-1952Container: Box 5, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1953Container: Box 5, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1954Container: Box 5, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller, Comparative Budget StatementDates: 1954Container: Box 5, Folder 6
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportsDates: 1955-1958Container: Box 6, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportsDates: 1955-1958Container: Box 6, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportsDates: 1959-1960Container: Box 6, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportsDates: 1961Container: Box 6, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportsDates: 1962Container: Box 7, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1964-1966Container: Box 7, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportDates: 1967Container: Box 7, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportDates: 1968-1969Container: Box 7, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportDates: 1970Container: Box 7, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller Annual Financial ReportDates: 1971Container: Box 7, Folder 6
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1972Container: Box 7, Folder 7
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1973Container: Box 8, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1974Container: Box 8, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1975Container: Box 8, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1977Container: Box 8, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReportDates: 1978Container: Box 8, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller, Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1979Container: Box 8, Folder 6
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Description: Comptroller, Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1980Container: Box 9, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller, Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1981Container: Box 9, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller, Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1982Container: Box 9, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller, Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1983Container: Box 9, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Financial ReviewDates: 1983Container: Box 9, Folder 5
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Description: Comptroller, Annual Report on General FundDates: 1983Container: Box 9, Folder 6
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Description: Comptroller Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1984Container: Box 9, Folder 7
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Description: Comptroller Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1985Container: Box 10, Folder 1
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Description: Comptroller Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1988Container: Box 10, Folder 2
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Description: Comptroller Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1991Container: Box 10, Folder 3
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Description: Comptroller Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 1992Container: Box 10, Folder 4
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Description: Comptroller Comprehensive Annual Financial ReportDates: 2007Container: Box 10, Folder 5
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Financial management--Washington (State)--Seattle
Corporate Names
- Seattle (Wash.). Comptroller's Office
Geographical Names
- Seattle
- Seattle (Wash.)
