New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-16
THE WATER RENT FRAUDS.
LESS THAN $40. 600 STOLEN.
TIE INVESTIGATION NOT coAPLETED-wHAT VARi-
Gus OFFICIALS SAY.

TIE INVESTIGATION NOT c0MPLETEp-WHAr VAhi-
Gus OFFICIALS SAY.
ro,,r;ss;ouer Thompson of the Department of
pnblie Works SAID yesterday, when asked II any
new discoveries had been made In connection with
the wrongful collectlon oil Croton water rents;
can only saw that tue INVESTIGATION Is proceeding
steadily. Probably only lew Gays VIII clapse De-
fore the result of the Investigation will be made
public. Further than this cannot say az presen..
regret the premature publication OF the matter
because il renders more d fhcnlt the procuring OF
evidence to fasteD the gull ON ali the persons con-
cerned in the tr3nsac lon" 8, a.,
John H. Chambers the Water Register said : u
must refer you TO Mr.. Thompson for information
relative to tbeamounts TAKEN ms much eau eau
say. that thorough examination OF all tue
accounts is being made, and the
result Will be known in few days. The city car
lose nothing III any event."
fully over the receipts from persons using water
meters SINCE 1879 as It Is known that the uniswiu
collections were confined to TINS class OF wt.e s
rents The amounts paid are carefully checked OIL
Those which have not been PAID, or III REGARD 10
which there is no record showing that they nave
been paid. are also noted Persons VINO ciaIl 'n re
required to produce receipts. These VIII snow
whei her they genuine or not. and VIII IN part
be relied upon to prove COLLISION on tue part OIL
certain persons in the office with those who have
collected and retained the whole or part
OF the water rents Inc DOCKS t Iop 'n IS
Chicf Engineer Newton's bureau but no one there
is authorized TO receive any money or give receipts
n
Office and the cashier. the clerk acting Tor hm,
alone is authorized to give receipt. Every piece
of property IN tue city connected with the Crofon
mains appears on the books of the department. ana
each waier-ueter and its location are regis
tered As the rents are a lien upon the properly
there is no cnance of evading payment OF the water
rents The amount of water rents collected fOr
1882 was about 81. 100000. 1t is estimated that
for the present year the rents VIII exceed last year
by $3.50 600, making the total receipts about
80. coo, 600. Up to the present time the Increase
over last year is $243. 0O0 good part of TINS IN
crease is due 10 the of meters, although
the large number of houses erected IN
the upper part of the city has added considerably
TO the receipts. -.
An Official. whose knowledge of the matter justi-
fes hun IN making the statement SAID yesterday
" This matter has been q good deal exaggerated
The entire amount of wrongful collections VIII not
reach 81 .O0O and probably will not exceed S7,0OO
That much Is assured. The actual
amount thus far discovered is much less
than the smaller amount have named. IL has been
O series of petty populations i'll which more than
one person has been concerned. vi course the De-
partment Is anxious to fasten TINS thing on the
guilty persons. The fact that the amount is not
larger one is no why every effort should not
: be made to discover and punish all who were con-
cerned in tn wrong-doing. know that energetic
efforts are being made in this direction"
Controller Grant said that he did Dot think the
frauds would delay the preparation OF the tax
books. The statements of the arrears OF taxes are
being received from the various wards