Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1904-08-24
UNFORTUNATE CONTROVERSY DUE
 ID LAMENTABLE LACK IF HARMONY
Such Is the Report of Committee Appointed to Investigate Water Question-=Nothing
 of Criminal Nature Found.

| committee conld find no satisfactory proof of irregularity.
 ] The inquiry as to removal of parts
 of meters and repairs thereto by the
 employees of the Electric company
 developed the fact that meters were
 frequently out of order, and that re-
 pairs were made by employees of the
 company as necessity occasioned. The
 committee was unable to find that the
 meters were tempered with in the in- terests of the company as against the
 city.
 The difficulties encountered in pur-
 suance of the investigations emphasiz-
 ed the necessity of some system be1rg put into effect by which meters are
 removed from the possibility of access [ by any one other than the properly
 authorized city employe. No consid-
 eration sees to have been given to the
 protection of meters in any way. They are left open to any mischief the
 maliciously disposed may care to offer. The committee saw one meter that had been hammered to pieces by Mexican and heard of other in stances of like nature.
 The fact that the Electric Light ompany draws water from three different sources, the city mains, s. F. P. & P. Railway company and its own reservoir, in varying quantities, made it impractical to determine the requirements of the plant in shape of city water. The inquiry developed a number of conditions Tn connection with the distribution of city water that, while in no sense criminal, placed the city in the position of getting very much the worst of it. lamentable lack of harmony ap- parently exists among the city en- ployes connected with the water sys- tenn, and to this friction in the opinion of the committee) is directly traceable the unfortunate controversy that prompted the investigation, and that has resulted in fixing loose and careless methods in connection with the administration of the water ser vice.
 The reading of the meters is en- trusted to one man upon whom there is no check whatever, leaving him in position to favor friends and hurt enemies-uo evidence was found at taching to anyone of snch nature but it is intended simply as a criti- cism Of the loose methods attaching to the present system.
 The meter readings are reported to the clerk, entered in a record book, from which the bills are made out, and the bills, after being duly ap- proved by the Mayor and auditor, are passed on to the collector. The con- mittee found abundance of evidence that bills receive very little serious consideration at the hands of anyone, bills absurdly low being repeatedly passed and approved. It is not the in tention sto charge any official with criminal carelessness, but it is ap- parent that if the proper spirit of harmony existed, meter readings and consumers accounts would re- ceive closer scrutiny, and the city treasury be swelled by a good many dollars it is entitled to but never re- ceives.
 Generally the system of water dis ! seems to have been run | pretty much "go- please. '
 It is the opinion of the comimttee ! that the service can be improved, greatly, by the equipment of an office devoted exclusively to the business of the water system. The committee was advised that this had had consid- pration by the council, and would receive attention shortly.
 Referring to the matter of MT. c. c. Glass holding position with an other company, the committee could not determine that the interests of the city had suffered thereby; but there would seem to be enough to do in connection with the city work to occupy the full time of the supeIin- tendent. The investment of the city in its water system now amounts to over $500, 600, and an additional issue of sl00, 900 has been authorized in this It is obviously essential hat the water service should have the