The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-14
WANTS 4 LARGER FORCE
The Water Registrar Needs Addi-
iiOnal Employees.
A se1f-Sustnining Department of the
District Government Finds Itself
Affairs by Reason of an Insufficient
Number of Clerks and Inspectors.

! The Water Registrar, In common wits
various other heads Of departments under
the District government, wants an increase
of force in the department under his care,
and has sent a statement to the Commits
sioners setting forth his reasons for max
ing the request.
The Water Department occupies Pc
culiar position in the District government
in that it is supported entirely by its own
revenues. These revenues are obtained
from FIVE sources viz, water rents, taxes
levied for water mains, taps, stopcocks,
and tapping water mains. water supplied
for building purposes. and miscellaneous
receipts. In connection with the receipts Of
the office the Registrar states:
During the year 1899 Waterman taxes
were levied against 543 lots and parcels OF
ground. and 1.1s9 lots and parcels of ground
were reassessed under authority o. the act
of Congress approved July 8, 1898, entitled
An act to authorize the reassessment OF
Waterman taxes in the District of Column
bia, and for other purposes
Every application to introduce water
into a building, lot. premises, or establish
ment is filed in this office, and upon the
payment of fee Of So an order is issued
directing the tap to be made. During the
past year a large number Of new taps were
issued free of charge, to replace those OF
the old pattern when obstructed by fish
from the water mains. The granting of
these free taps. however. had little or no
appreciate effect upon the revenues from
this source.
Stopcocks. which control the supply Of
water at the curb, are sold in this Office,
and while the number sold in the last year
were not so large as in the year previous,
the amount collected, owing to an advance
in the selling price, was greater.
Permits are issued in this office for the
use of water for building purposes also for
water supplied 10 itinerant exhibitors.
"Old condemned material belonging to
this department is sold at public auction
and the proceeds are credited to the water
fund under the head Of miscellaneous re-
,eipts"
With regard to the inadequate force OF
his office Registrar Greene says:
THE amount of work devolving upon
this office is so great, owing to the large |
area of ground to be covered in the iuspec- |
ton OF leaks and wastes OF water, in the |
delivery OF water bills and water-main as
;essment NOTES.-THE requirements OF the |
law making the personal delivery of the |
after obligatory where possible-that the |
present force OF clerks and inspectors is
ouud to be inadequate for the perform
irce OF all the duties assigned 10 IL. and IS |
aXed to the utmost to keep the records UP
o date, as is necessary where information |
$ daily called for as TO the standing OF ac- |
cunts. Especially is this SO in the busiest
months. when it becomes necessary to pro-
ure temporary assistance. This is, at best
poor method, as it is nearly impossible
o secure the same helpers for succeeding
ears. and the time required to thoroughly |
them with the workings of the
fce is almost as long as the time for
'hich they are appointed. At other times.
rhen temporary help is not employed, it is
ecessary to detail inspectors for Office
iork. thus curtailing force already too
mall to satisfactorily cover a territory
hitch is constantly growing as the outlying
ections improve. For this reason, sub
lit with my estimates an addition of two
!, the force of this branch. to be known as
ispector clerks. at $1,000 each per annum,
no shall. when occasion demands act in
le capacity OF either inspector or clerk. |
iith this addition the necessity of hiring
reen hands would not arise and the eff
ency of the office will be greatly en-
lnced.
In the yearly estimates submitted BY
y predecessor an increase OF the salary of
10 chief inspector was urged. IL Is earn
silly hoped that this increase will be !
'anted as his position is one OF RESPONSE
Ivy. The chief inspector not only assigns I
lie ,arious tasks TO the inspectors. but i
axes numerous personal inspections re-
hiring both technical and practical ,
lowledge. He is also required TO perform ,
erical duties"