The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1898-02-18
FROM OTHER TOWNS.


taxpayers ana CITIZENS OF the borough
who had come to hear Accountant Fred
B. Bardon read his report after several
weeks of investigation of the borough
clerks books. Mr.. Bardon said: I'm
difference to ordinary business rules,
ack of uniformity in the system Of
.eping the books and gross carelessness
fhe conduct of all that pertained to
office of borough clerk since Madison
been a borough, are matters had to
end with in my work. The in
ss where carelessness of the gravest
c.er are shown; where alterations
made both in the meter readings
charges for same, are of sufh-
ortance to require an itemized
of them, but | find it i'm
10 give only those of the most
nee" He cited instance after
8 where meters for both water and
~ showed a certain reading one
quarter and the next quarter where it
had dropped several thousand feet or
watts, proving that hundreds of dollars
have been lost, which was due the
borough. He examined the work of the
borough clerks from the incorporation
of the borough to January L, 1898, as
well as the moneys they collected and
disbursed. Continuing further in his
research he found in the electric light
book the year dates for the last three
years had not been put in, also in the
water book not year date had been
printed in up to the present time and in
most every case instead of date of pay
ment a rubber stamp had been
used upon which was the word
sspaid, which caused no end
of trouble and confusion The
license books could not be found, but it
is generally known that between $500
and $500 were received yearly under this
head and by tabulated statement pre-
pared by Mr.. Bardon he shows that dur
ing the past three years the money re-
ceived from that account had been
greatly reduced. He also stated that he
could not find that any report had ever
been made by the borough clerks of their
receipts for taps, water, light and
licenses since the formation of the bor-
ough. The accountant also found that
very few water or light meters installed
started at zero, reading having already
been shown; where several accounts
were on one page and that very often the
borough clerks made their entries with a
lead pencil, and great number was so
blurred that he could not read them. In
Frank E. Days accounts (who served as
borough clerk from March %, 1892, I'M
hl June 8, 1890 he discovered deicien-
cy of 1886 92 which is largely shown in
the emergency fund and not including
$90.08 for general borough items and
$I41 % for taps made. E. K Brown
ough clerk from June 80, 1894, to Decem-
10 49, e., a -
be correct. William NJ Ball assumed
the duties of borough clerk December 1,
1894, and held the position from that
counts a deficiency of s., 928.03 was
brought to light. Mr.. Bardon further
stated that he found one warrant with
ont the amount written in the stub and
1--WE stubs cancelled representing amounts
of $50. 9S, $1O2, 80, $500. "a, $S9. 81, and
1880 without any knowledge given
as to the disposition. of the warrant;
that Mr.. Ball fails to record 90 taps and
that from July 6, 1897, to July Is, 1897,
that he (Mr. Bali had failed to add
up the columns of items upon his cash
book and no record is made of the
days work and what was done with
the receipts during this time. He also
states that from January 1, 1896, to
January /, 1897, there were thirty-one
taps made. thus adding to the consump-
ton of water and an increase in the
revenue: the receipts during the year
fell short of the year previous by about
$500 and that almost every out Of town
bill was paid aud not sworn to; also sew
eral cases where the borough clerk did
not make an affidavit to his own bill in
the emergency fund also a number Of
bills which had not been audited by the
Council. Mr.. Bardon then made thefoI-
lowing suggestions: That a record of all
taps made should be kept, commencing
with the formation of the borough; their
size-for whom, the cost and date Of
same; also that book be kept contain
ing all the electric light meters now in
use and to be used in the borough, their
cost, number and where installed. And
that the Council should name destruc-
ton committee consisting of three mem
beers, two of whom shall be members of
the finance committee and the third
member citizen, whose duty it shall be
every year, within ten days after the col
lector's report shall have been audited,
to burn the coupons which have been
paid during the year, together with the
warrants Of the Council upon the collec-
tor. The number, date, amount and
full record of the coupons, as well as the
warrants to be made, sworn to
and carefully fled He also
advised quarterly examination of
the borough clerks books, and
to definitely settle at each of those
periods any charge which remained I'M
paid on matters which required adjust
ment.
It requires time as well as ability to
give our borough matters proper atten-
ton and this year, while the candidates
who aspire to Office are few in conse-
quence of these necessary qualifications,
we believe that there are yet in our COM
munity many gentlemen who will give
rs the benefit of their wisdom and iudg-
ment. Councilmen Wilder and Burns
whose terms expire. will evidently be
replaced by new men.
Some one cut the traces of double