Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-14
STREET SWEEPING VOUCHERS.
Report Of Auditor Petty, to Whom Mr.
j. H. Cranes Charges Were Referred.

The charges of Mr.. J. H. Crane, in referenc .
to the street sweeping in the city, heretofore
referred TO in TIE STAR, were submitted 10 the
first controller and by him referred to the
Commissioners for report September 8, 1889.
After collecting all the information possibl
from various sources the papers we're referred
to Auditor Petty for final report Today he
submitted his views to the Commissioners in
the following report:
AUDITOR PrrrY's REPORT.
81 have the honor to submit the following re-
port in relation to the vouchers for cleaning
and sweeping streets for the months of MAY,
June, July and August, 1889: The original
schedules, on which payments made to the con-
tractor were based, are those recorded in the
book which was kept for that purpose at the
health office and which were furnished by the
engineer department.. They we're never sub
mitted to this Office, payment being made upon
a voucher prepared from them by the health
officer showing the aggregate number OF
square yards swept each day, which account
was certified to be correct by the health off,
and the general superintendent of street sweep
ing, the basis of the three certificates being at
last the statements of the route inspectors who
actually followed the street sweeping machines
at their work. The statement that G street
from Indiana avenue to 7th street west was
duplicated on the schedule IL true as to the
dates given between May % and August 8,
1889, inclusive, but there seems to have been
no duplication, claimed, on the 18th and 18th
of August 1885, These Implications make an
excessive allowance Of 179 766 square yards.
1.-THE schedule for May Z, 1889, allows SO, $40
square yards on street between 9Th and 18th
streets northwest, while the measurements
show but A, ITO square yards between those
points. an apparent duplication. Mr.. Harper,
the inspector who personally supervised the
sweeping. says, in explanation. that on the day
in question b street between the points named
was swept twice.
''Since this investigation was set on foot Mr.
Bailey, computing engineer, has prepared from
tirely new set Of schedules for the guidance Of
the contractor and accounting officers. copies
of which have been furnished to this Office and
will be duly forwarded to the controller. The
computing engineer, after carefully comparing
the original with the revised schedules and
making due allowance for duplicate and erro-
neous measurements, certifies to the following
result"
SMALL BALANCE DUE THE CONTRACTOR.
Here follows an account Of Mr.. Bailey show
ing in detail the number Of square yards swept
during May, June, July and August. The num-
Der swept as per the revised schedules. the
number OF square yards, or $15.74. The re-
port continues: 1T thus appears that the net
in favor of the contractor and the
number against him, the deductions show
the difference in favor Of the contractor
to be 1880 square yards in favor OF
the contractor. showing balance of 1854 due
to him in the settlement. As these last sched-
ules have been made from recent and careful
measurements by the computing engineer-the
highest authority in such matters-I see no
reason why they should not be accepted as the
basis of settlement and the vouchers certified
to the accounting officers of the United States
Treasury for final adiustment"