Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Office of the Comptroller Annual Financial Reports, 1890-1988
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Seattle (Wash.). City Clerk
- Title
- Office of the Comptroller Annual Financial Reports
- Dates
- 1890-1988 (inclusive)18901988
- Quantity
- 3.8 cubic ft., ((10 boxes))
- Collection Number
- 1802-J7
- Summary
- Annual financial reports from the Office of the Comptroller, Seattle, Washington, 1890-1988.
- Repository
-
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
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
The Comptroller was responsible for supervising the City's financial affairs, including administration of the accounting system, payroll system, investments, and borrowing. 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 1992 City Charter amendment abolished the positions of City Comptroller and City Treasurer, merging the two offices to create the Department of Finance.
After 1978, annual reports on the financial condition of the City were known as Comprehensive Annual Financial reports. This change reflected the implementation of a computer program, the Central Financial Management System. The position of City Clerk was made a separate position within the Legislative Department as of 1993.
The Comptrollers who have served the City include: 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 (1986-1993).
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Annual reports for the Comptroller date from 1890 to 1992; 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 governmen.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
[Item and date], Office of the Comptroller Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports, Record Series 1802-J7. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
Office of the Comptroller Annual Financial Reports, 1890-1988Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1890-1892 |
| 1/2 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1895-1898 |
| 1/3 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1899-1901 |
| 1/4 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1902-1903 |
| 1/5 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1904-1905 |
| 1/6 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1904-1906 |
| 1/7 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1906-1907 |
| 2/1 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1908-1909 |
| 2/2 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1910-1911 |
| 2/3 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1912-1913 |
| 2/4 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1914-1915 |
| 2/5 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1916 |
| 2/6 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1918-1921 |
| 2/7 | Comptroller, Biennial
Financial Report |
1922-1923 |
| 2/8 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1924 |
| 3/1 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1925-1927 |
| 3/2 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1928-1929 |
| 3/3 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1930-1931 |
| 3/4 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1932-1933 |
| 3/5 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1934-1935 |
| 3/6 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1936-1937 |
| 4/1 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1938-1939 |
| 4/2 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1940-1941 |
| 4/3 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1942-1943 |
| 4/4 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1944-1945 |
| 4/5 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1946-1947 |
| 5/1 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1948-1949 |
| 5/2 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1950 |
| 5/3 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1951-1952 |
| 5/4 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1953 |
| 5/5 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1954 |
| 5/6 | Comptroller, Comparative
Budget Statement |
1954 |
| 6/1 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Reports |
1955-1958 |
| 6/2 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Reports |
1955-1958 |
| 6/3 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Reports |
1959-1960 |
| 6/4 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Reports |
1961 |
| 7/1 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Reports |
1962 |
| 7/2 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1964-1966 |
| 7/3 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Report |
1967 |
| 7/4 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Report |
1968-1969 |
| 7/5 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Report |
1970 |
| 7/6 | Comptroller Annual Financial
Report |
1971 |
| 7/7 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1972 |
| 8/1 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1973 |
| 8/2 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1974 |
| 8/3 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1975 |
| 8/4 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1977 |
| 8/5 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Report |
1978 |
| 8/6 | Comptroller, Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1979 |
| 9/1 | Comptroller, Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1980 |
| 9/2 | Comptroller, Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1981 |
| 9/3 | Comptroller, Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1982 |
| 9/4 | Comptroller, Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1983 |
| 9/5 | Comptroller, Annual Financial
Review |
1983 |
| 9/6 | Comptroller, Annual Report on
General Fund |
1983 |
| 9/7 | Comptroller Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1984 |
| 10/1 | Comptroller Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1985 |
| 10/2 | Comptroller Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report |
1988 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Controllership--Washington (State)--Seattle
- Finance, Public--Washington (State)--Seattle--Accounting
- Real property--Washington (State)--Seattle
Geographical Names
- Seattle (Wash.)--Economic conditions
- Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
Form or Genre Terms
- Annual reports
Occupations
- Comptrollers--Washington (State)--Seattle
Other Creators
-
Corporate Names
- Seattle (Wash.). Comptroller's Office (creator)
Finding aid prepared by Anne
Frantilla
2004
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
