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

collect
ne ngures thus turned over were the exact
readings OF the dials on the meters
Now. the report which the Chic, EnrtnAs-
hlmself made was not made up Of the readings
Oh the d1als but the actual number OF gallons
consumed. which is always considerably greater
'nan "nat the meters register. Sometimes a
meter VIII only register so to 90 per cent OF the
wafer passing through 1t. No perfect meter has
ever been found. dare say that II we were TO
take all the meters of this city IT would be found
that they do not on average register more
than 30 per cent Of the water When meter ia
nrst put IN it takes some weeks before it is al
all accurate. After it gets into working order
II is likely to fall behind considerably A meter
Is not removed, however. until II falls below
30 per cent OF the total used
The people paid the Register for only what
tney say their meters registered The Cirv rou1d
not charge more or otherwise there would have
gone up tremendous howl Nevertheless in
reporting on the actual consumption Of water
the engineer had TO go regardless ot the Regis
ters figures. and give the approximate total
consumption.
INCREASE OF METERS
Il have had the office OF Chief Engineer since
1SI2 In 1876 there were only POI meters in the
old city Of New-York To-day there are about
forty thousand I have seen more meters put
into operation. I guess. than any other man in
this country
Until 1894 the work OF examining meters
came under my immediate supervision. as I
have already mentioned In 1894 this work was
turned over TO the Register. so that he now has
charge Of the examining of meters and the col
lecting OF bills 1 think that this so-caHed re-
port is more or less cock and bull story"
When asked how he explained Mr.. De Berard's
statement that from 1890 TO 1894 the number OF
meters increased 52l. per cent while the in
crease in consumption was 81 per cent. he re-
piled:
charges, so much being charged each month, etc
Often such consumers want meters put in, be-
the amount OF water used. In such case the
meters multiply, bat the same amount of water
is used.
The Board Of Directors of the Merchants As
sociation had special meeting yesterday after
noon to receive the report of Mr.. De Berard and
there passed by unanimous vote the fol-
lowing resolution:
Moved. That the report showing discrepancies
in the city revenues. dated November 81, made
to this Board by Mr.. De Berard by direction OF
President King. be accepted and al once made
public
The resolution was signed by all the following
directors: William F. King John c. Juhring
Alvah Trowbridge John c. Eames. Charles H
Webb. Meyer Jonasson. William E Tent.
Adolph Openhym. CorceIIus H Hackett, George
L. Duval Gustav H Schwab and Frank sQuier.
THE RESOLUTIONS.
The Board of Directors then passed the fol-
lowing resolutions.
Whereas. The purposes OF official public re-
ports are TO protect the interests Of tax
adequate public accounting showing the dis
posal OF the public revenues and a clear
hibit of all public business, and
Whereas Evidence presented 70 this Board
establishes the prima facle facts thar the pub
liShed reports of the Water Department show
a discrepancy in the meter revenues OF about
S4OGOOtO out of total of about $1I.OOOO0O.
that the revenues received during the period
1S9O-'94 were wholly at variance with the
recorded consumption of water by meters. and
that there are many similar incongruites which
seemingly affect the revenue: and
Whereas. It is represented % tnls Board
that analyses hitherto made of the water reve-
nues of the Borough OF Manhattan and The
Bronx lead 70 the presumption that those reve-
nues are possibly defective to The PROBABLE ex-
tent Of 50 $4,000 to $SO0OOt0 annually: and
Whereas. Similar incOngruities and discrepan-
cies appear in the published reports Of the
Board OF Education. and
Whereas II is represented 10 this Board tha-
IL is the opinion Of the Controller that there is
great waste OF public money by reason OF de-
fects in the present system. which can b. cured
only by legislation; and
Whereas II has been proposed that the Mer-
chants Association shall prepare and advocate
the passage by the Legislature OF bills 20 reform
the city's business methods. and especially to
improve its present system of accounts and re-
ports. and
Whereas The Hon Bird : CoIer- Controller
OF the city of New-York, and the Hon B B.
Odell, ir, Governor-elsCt. have both expressed
their approval Of the proposed purpose. and
have stated their Willingness 10 assist II by all
proper means in their power. II is hereby
Resolved That II Is the sense Of this Board
that the prirna facie defects of the public re-
the public revenues, show that the present sys-
tenn of public reports does not properly explain
the public business: that careful examination
OF the prevailing system. with view 70 its
moving existing defects and so revising the syS-
TEN TO efficiently protect the public interest.
is desirable: that any considerable waste in the
public OUTLAWS increases the expense accounts OF
manufacturers and merchants. and thereby
makes competition with those Of other localities
more difficult. and that therefore such in
OF the purposes OF the Merchants Association
OF New-York. II is further
Resolved That in view of the great extent
and the large expense OF such inquiry is
suggested. IL should not be entered upon until
IL has been mora fully and carefully considered
in all it's aspects in order that the exact char
acter OF the defects may be fully understood
TO the end that any proposed remedy may be
suitable and adapted 10 effect the purpose;
and further in order that due provision may
out which the work cannot be we'll done. and
therefore cannot be effective, IL Is further
Resolved that a committee Of this Board be
appointed by the president 70 make such pre-
with recommendations as 10 the scope that the
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