The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-09
BOROUGH BOOKS MUDDLED.
ooMPTRoLLER,s MENFIND A"sT1RTL
LING CONDITI0N OF ABFAIRS.U

Records Missing in Breokiyn's Annexed Towns
-BrookIyn,s Own Tax Books show Huge
observation-disclosures Lost-RaiIroad Ducs
Not ColIectsd-Debt Limit Almost Reached.
The expert accountants employed by Comp.
troller Fitch 10 examine into tho records and
accounts OF the borough OF Brooklyn have dis
covered what the Comptroller terms "a very
serious and startling condition OF affairs" The
accountants report says:
THAT records of Flatlands, Flatbush, New
Lots, New Utrecht, and Gravcsend. which tho
officials OF these towns state were turned over
10 the Comptroller and Corporation Counsel Of
Brooklyn, cannot be found, having somewhat
mysteriously disappeared; and that the absence
of such records interfe9es materially with a
proper Investigation.
THAT there are disngreements between the
books Of the Comptroller of Brooklyn and those
of the Registrar Of Arrears; that In the depart
ment Of arrears there is the utmost confusion
In the records; that the ledgers, some 225 In
number, containing over 200 900 accounts, are
not In balance and apparently have never been
balanced; that, while on Jan. i, 1897, the bal
ance to the debit Of the Registrar OF Arrears on
the books OF the Comptroller was $s,4l5 1915,
tho balance carried by the Registrar OF Arrears
as representing taxes and assessments in ar
rears was So. ia, 1928. %; that, while the gen.
eral ledger shows that arrears Of taxes prior to
1893 have been overpaid $17, 253.49, the ward
ledgers disclose many items of unpaid taxes;
that serious developments may result from the
further Investigations of tho ward ledgers.
which will occupy much time before the exact
condition of affairs can be fully and definitely
THAT tho records in the Comptroller's office
show the following facts in connection with the
P Per nsdosn, water /. sh iSan; 0 Git page y,1 ! OF the iss ledger f6
date and credited with bonds cancelled and dis
charged; that the balance of the permanent
water loan. as taken from tho ledger of the
bond department, agrees with the balance OF
said loan in the Comptrollcr's office. notwith-
standing that tho account on its face, as set forth
that more bonds have been redeemed
than NO. were issued to- the extent Of
register discloses that two bonds OF 81 900 each,
Of one issue. were presented for payments; that
and that subsequently, both OF the bonds were
cancelled and two registered bonds. each for a
like amount, were issued in their place.
That many OF tho records OF the County
Treasurer's office for the period prior to 1895
are missing, and such as have been found are of
OF the County Treasurer shows a shortage in
the accounts Of II. Ii. Adams. County Treas
THAT there Is an apparent deficit in the &C.
count Of the Supervisor OF New Utrecht OF some
S6,8sl.37. bonds having on Sept. 20, 1892. been
sold for which the purchasers paid in two
checks the aggregate sum OF $I6.6s3.I7. while
the Supervisor, to whose order tho checks were
drawn, has charged himself with only $4,000 so.
THAT in the matter OF revenues derived from
franchises to railroads and other corporations,
1t appears that many corporations have failed
to pay the percentages which should have been
paid. and that the Comptroller in Brooklyn has
failed collect the same.
THAT the books OF account OF Brooklyn and
of Kings county are extremely faulty in method
and inaccurate in detail and do not truthfully
set forth the assets and liabilities OF the city and
county"
Comptroller Fitch also said that the expert ac-
countants report that upon the basis OF the
assessed valuation of real estate in 1896 the
net bonded debt of Brooklyn was on Oct. q.
1897. as set forth in the books OF the Comptrol-
Ter OF Brooklyn. only Sfsl ,9O7.2 less than the
constitutional limit OF Indebtedness. and that,
based on the assessed real estate valuation OF
1897, including awards made for bonds not yet
issued, it was only 1914. 1898 less than the
constitutional limit OF Indebtedness on the same
date.
When asked what he intended to do about
the matter. Comptroller Fitch said that the In
vestigation would proceed to the end. and that,
when he got together all the evidence. he
would bring il before the proper authorities.
When NJ ,yor Strong read the report he seemed
to be surprised.
1.-The boys in Brooklyn seem to he n little
mixed in their accounts, he said There may
be some excuse for II, though. know Mayor
Wurster has kept his eye on things pretty
closely during his term, and so did Mayor
schieren, but then. one mau cannot look after
everything