New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-16
USE AND ABUSE OF WATER METERS
TESTIMONY or ONE OF II. o. THoMPsoNs CLERKS
ANp oF TIE PREsIpENT OF A METER COMPANY.

TESTIMONY or ONE OF IT. o. rHONPsON's CLERKS
AND OF THE PRESIDENT OF A METER COMPANY.
The Senate Committee on Cities examined
number Of witnesses the City Hail yesterday In regard
20 Hubert O. Thompson's adm nistraton OF the Funnc
Works Department The counsel for the committee com
planned that printer weeks behind IN print
ing the testimony and that seriously nteriered with
the investigation The committee said that had vany
endeavored 20 get the testimony printed promptly
Patrick Wolf clerk the water meter bureau Of the
Public Works Department, was the first witness be
said that the city was divided into three districts ana
that a plumber was designated by the department to
place meters in each district The plumbers were Will
lam Roddv J. J. Connolly, and Charles Mitchell Or
ders were given for each month 10 place meters when
and where directed" The inspectors report places
where meters ought 70 be placed notices are sent to the
propery-owners and they allowed 30 days TO comply
with the order Otherwise the department puts IN the
meter and the expense is a lien the property. one
of two meters approved by the Meter Commissioner has
70 be used. There $500 meters in use now Ihe
witness said that the books Of his bureau showing Wee
water meters put in building were several months
behind The entries had not been made he said because
the clerks had much work to do He thought that
about 500 or 1000 had been put in which had
not He produced twenty Inspectors
lists and said that they contained al the Information ID
regard to these meters aud when the information
lists written out on the department. books theJ
would be complete up 70 about January l. From the
uol" 'IH0I' 'o'A' l'i'"'''' ~ We - n-o+or
had Dcen gwen uoucc seFcI'ii luohua "so u" li'00
meters in their buildings that there was no ord 10
show that the order 1sd heen complied with The wit
-, - ,,- - .,,,... list. in, regard
ness could ma hoJmIs onH twenty 'l'' Hs'' IA
20 some or these notices and he could not give any eAp
otior to than thar +bere reust be other lists n
-, ~, - 49,. -. 49,, g. - 80 t,- tho do
Sho"h IH"V "Heh meter j. p''V'u ~ " mus Wy
check IN red inks placed over the name OF me
pro- erty-owuer, and when the property puts III
his meter the red ink check is left of That - the
only record kept the books OF the fact that meter is
put N by an individual and not 10y the department 10
was shown that many cigar stores ana places Oh "'"l
kind were compelled % put in water meters
Mr.. Whtudge-l ind by your books here that I'm me
months OF september October and the first week ia 40
yemcr Last 3 notices were issued % persons 'iu- on
q part OF Teuth-ave. ordering them 90 pat Do wafer
meters Now lind Your returns and the books pro.
duced only eighty five OF those meters have bt'h
placed Iu the houses. What done ln The remaining
clseSl Al cannot now tell a. the books are not VIII
ten up .,-..t...-.
VT. Nhirid-e-IEo~e Loutt- were s'A' "i1 .''' '''D
elecuou 49,. .t.. .....,....+
senator IhatcEti Ilrh- - oilf'' 10 may s.',.,,,
lAluh iAe u't OF t"' u"I't.t -L-u..'' .' D.'--'
not tii' cirIh. anu tl' ldtt- -i''Fi an -''
senator Da4-rtt-I don't suppose tur Atdl OF 'ht
bureau knows amy more about Do tItA INC 'i- I- "'''
Oi iuc department. MoAd.
Mr. Mutld-c-IAr head of the meter bureau was sud-
excused to-day. ibis clerk u- charge OF .At ''NA- i
is conpecut 10 testify a- 20 they ept and nat
tt.. contain What ul,. tted about tlc meter. is
49, ~. .b',,r rar. ,t The books
senator &C. bu~-Irt tie senator from Albany bad to RIM
fur Office iu New Yor, hc would know what tile issuing