New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-11-23


department reports to reveal deficits in the city
revenues is shown in a report which the Board
of Directors of the Merchants Association or
New-York made public yesterday. The report
was made by Frederick B. De Berard. one OF the
men to whom President King. of the Merchants
Association. committed the task of tnvestgat-
ing the Ramapo problem last year. 1t deals
more particularly with the Department OF water
Supply and with the system of reporting the
amounts of water supplied to customers through
water meters.
One of the most astonishing revelations in the
report deals with an apparent deficiency Of
about 81 0O00 900 in the revenue from the metered
water supply during twelve years in which the
reports of the former Department Of Public
Works in the old city Of New-York pretended to
give information about the amount OF the
metered supply. In twelve years, from 1873 to
1890. inclusive, the Chief Engineer of the Croton
Aqueduct made official reports of the water con-
sumed by meters. The revenue due the city
based upon his reports would have amounted to
$11 .246 162 but the reports Of the Water Reg
lister for the same twelve years, 1t is stated,
show that the city received only $I,13S, T9O.
There is therefore" the report says, dis
crepancy between the amount apparently due
the city in that period and the amount actually
accounted for to the city of 81, 4,1O1,S72.'
REPORTS THAT CONCEAL.
Details as to the methods OF ascertaining the
meaning of the official reports are given by Mr.
De Berard with the statement that the system
of reports ''is rotten because it conceals either
misnformation or corruption"
Another astonishing revelation IN the report is
that there was in the twelve years already men
toned no correspondence between the increase
in the number of water meters IN use in the
city and the revenues derived from the metered
supply The report points TO discrepancies in
the record Of consumption which, unless ex-
planned indicate that the actual meter consump-
tion is very much greater than the quantity re-
corded, and that the city receives no revenue
from the unrecorded excess"
In his investigation Mr.. De Berard called upon
the present Commissioner Of Water Supply for
information and Mr.. Dalton, the chief advocate
of a Ramapo contract with the city. confessed
that he die not know if the metered supply in
Manhattan should yield 81. 100000 or S5,O00.OOO
year. He had to confess that the facts relat-
ing to the revenues could be ascertained only
by search through hundreds OF volumes in his
department.
The Merchants Association, through its Board
Of Directors has decided TO have an investiga-
tion and with that end in view it has author
lied the appointment of a committee to make
preliminary examination and report upon the
scope Of the proposed inquiry and a plan for
providing the necessary means W. F. King,
the president of the Merchants Association did
not announce the names Of the committee yes
terday He was not TO be found at his home
last night Other directors said that the pre-
1ir7fnarv examination was expected to begin i'm
mediately.
Charles H. Webb. one of the directors. said he
believed the report of Mr. De Berard was based
upon thorough study of the system Of official
renor+s and ne believed there would be
e,,l Investigation BY committee be appointed
nv Mr. King William F. Tefft. another director.
said he thought the report showed an urgent
need for legislation to correct faults in the sys
tenn Of official reports No accusation of cor
r1,ntiou in any department has been made, he
said but ii was evident that the system OF
norts was wrong c. H. Hackett said IT was not
for the directors TO say that there had been
corruption in a department Of the city govern
ment but the report spoke for itself. and the
public might draw conclusions from the fact that
there was an apparent deficiency in revenue
from the metered water supply.
FAULT OF THE SYSTEM, SAYS COLER.
Controller Coler who was mentioned favorably
bv, the Merchants Association, was asked by a
Tribune reporter at his home last evening
whether he had any comment to make on the
ranort of the association, He said that the
x
system He had nothing further TO say
When the report published by the Merchants
Assocfation was made known to Chief Engineer
Birdsan. of the Water Department. last night at
his home No 56 West Thirty-eighth-st.. he at
once asked:
..Ebo. has worked up this report anyway"
.FrAderick B. De Berard" answered the re-
porter and it has been made public by unani-
nous vote of the Board of Directors Of the Mer-
chants Association.
us that so" responded the Chief Engineer, IN
an inoutrng tone OF voice And what does Mr.
De Berard know about meters and about water
questions? Is he expert on the subject?"
The reporter was unable TO answer these Ques-
t,ons. but sail that Mr. De Berard's report had
led TO resolutions on the part Of the association
to the effect that his investigation was to be
followed up by further examinations conducted
by committee
Well wellr' the chief engineer replied, they
had better rPare themselves the trouble In
the first place Mr.. De Berard does not know
auything about what he is talking Of. He needs
instruction and lots OF 1t. He says that up to
1924 there was a difference of more than
81 100000 between the figures Of the engineer
for water consumed by the city. which passed
through meters and the figures of the Water
Register for water paid for by those having
meters That is all right. There was differ
ence between the figures of these two officials,
and I will explain why
Until 1894 the Chief Engineer, by means OF a
corns OF inspectors. examined the meters at
stated times, and turned the figures over to the
GENERAL CHANGE OF TIME ON THE