The San Francisco call., 1897-05-14

the name of each ratt-payer IN aipha-
betical order and a statement showing In
detail the aggregate amount coHecteo
from each source of revenue under dl1fer-
ent charges for the several items en-
bodied in the general rates, special rates
and meter rates.
The following is the gist OF Mr.. WIZ
liams' report:
If, instead of charging up each bill in one
entry, as above, forty or fifty columns nau lo
be ruled in the ledgerS to cover eacll item III
the schedule and entries made accordingly, II
would entail the posting OF several nuhureo
thousands of entries each month ana the en-
ployment of many times the number OF men
now in use.
Take for example a row of houses belonging
to one person supplied Ly one pipe, some one
| story, some two story, stables, etc-twenty OF
| thirty different items on the bill. An allow
ance of $40 is made on payment on account
received. 4 percentage OF this amount would
| have to be deducted from each amount or
! there would have 10 be a corresponding credit
column for each item in the schedule. This
system would, of course, be possible, but, In
my opinion, quite eimpracticable, ana | think
it would be difficult to improve on the present
method of keeping accounts of collections.
With regard to keeping personal accounts,
showing receipts from each individual, TINS
is another matter that would entail an I'M
mense amount of labor. According to the
comnanys statement. their separate consum-
ers consist of 5S. .305 families. 1S.4S1 places
of business, representing I6,7S6 accounts,
with an average of 500 TO 600 accounts TO be
opened each month because of change CT
occupancy. In addition to these would be
143 accounts for public buildings, parks and
squares. Another Ifficulty would be that a
tenant frequently pays Dill made OUT
in the rame of mis- predecessor. The amount
charged to every house appears clearly on the
company's record-book of applications, and
from their book by many months of labor an
itemized statement of every charge on the
schedule could be obtained, subject to, per
haps, hundreds of changes during the time OF
making ii up.
In conclusion l would state that with the
means st hand the furnishing of u correct ae-
count of itemized receipts would be impr acti-
counts so 10 show the actual separate re-
ceipts from each tenant, occupant or owner.
In January, 1897, the company was supply
ing 5S, ,305 lies, S,4S1 places OF business.
143 public parks, build ings and squares and
1896 fire hydrantS.
The dweliug-houses were divided as follows
One-storv. 1904; two-story. 23,O39; three
story, $685.; four-story, 217; ive-story, D.
Total, $500.
The company also supplies 5000 buildings,
such as hotels, boarding and lodging houses,
office buildings, etc.
OF the dwellings S434 have a general rate oil
so cents or less. Families with general rate
OF 80 cents or less number 13, ,S53.
There are 1851 bills amounting to 81 or
less per month.
Water was delivered by hose cart to 703
vessels lying at water front from July l to
December 81, 1896. The total income from
waterfront business during 1896 was $4O,-
$50 80.
The report will be submitted to the
board sitting as Water Committee with
in few days.