Rock Island Argus., 1904-09-13
WILL AIR CHARGES
Waterworks Department Subject of
Council Investigation To-
morrow Evening.
HAS BEEN TOO MUCH SECRECY
Aid. Eckhart Wants the Light to Be
Permitted to Shine on All Trans
actions-Story About Junk.

city council tomorrow evening. The
council is to meet as committee of
the whole to hear testimony of en-
ployes, former employees. and interest
ed citizens. bearing on charges of mis-
management that have been made
against Plumb T. Bancroft, suDerin-
tendent of the department.
Under former administrations it is
claimed by those who are urging the
| Investigation that as high as S400 per
! year has been turned into the munich
| pal eXchequer from the sale of junk,
old iron principally. from the water
works. but that of late there has not
! been SO much revenue from such
sources-at least no official notation
of the transactions if there have been
Iany.
| Has Long Been Brewing.
| The waterwOrks sensation has been
brewing for months. but not until the
injecting of the council last night have
those who have been seeking light on
certain matters concerning that de
partment been able to get il before the
aldermen in the form of motion that
they were assured would go through.
Aid. L. V. EckhaTt introduced the res
OlutiOn calling for the investigation.
| Aid. Anderson thought it rather
harsh to besmirch the character of an
official before he had been allowed op-
portunity to clear the atmosphere, and
therefore would offer an amendment
that the council go into committee OF
the whole for the consideration" Of
n
ton was carried and Mayor McCOnO-
chic called Aid. Eckhart to the chair.
Before taking the gavel Aid. EckhaTt
stated that there had been rumOrs
aflOat for a long time rejecting on
those in charge of the waterwOrks de
partment Whether they were true or
not, he was not prepared to say.
Too Much Secrecy.
Surely if the department was being
conducted as it should be no one
should object to an inquiry. His con
stituents had repeatedly called his at
tention to stories that had come to
their ears and wanted to know what
he was receiving So a meeting for. He
said there was too much secrecy about
1.-THE business of the department. If il
was on the square the light should be
permitted to shine.
The members of the council. outside
the members of the waterwOrks com
lmittee, virtually knew nothing con
lcCrning the business of the department
They should know more For one, he
proposed TO post himself. and an inves-
litigation was one way in which he
would be enabled to get a look at the
inside working. If there had been
wrOngdoing he wanted the guilty ones
Exposed. If there was nothing wrong
surely no one would be harmed.
walters Tells of junk.
Griffin Walters. who had worked at
1.-THE waterworks plant year and a half
was present at the meeting. He stated
THAT superintendent Bancroft had
Itreatcd him unjustly. Walters claimed
that Bancroft had accused him of cir
Iculating story TO the effect that Ban
IcrOft had disposed of some of the
lcity's property in the shape of junk
that lay around the waterworks plant.
!Out of this. Walters alleged. came bit
ter feelings. and Walters finally quit
the plant as he had had trouble with
Engineer Sprague as well as Bancroft
and he refused TO work with Sprague
Walters said that he had been given
1.-THE cold shoulder purpOsCly in order
that he would quit working at the
plant After his quitting Walters said
that it was equal TO discharge. He
lstated that on Feb :. this year. he saw
an old radiator and some valves loaded
into junk wagon and hauled away in
the direction of a junk yard, but he
ibid not see it unloaded in the yard.
Common street Gossip.
Walters was under the impression
THAT Bancroft was disposing of the
property without authority. Aid. Sex
ton then questioned Walters closely
Aid. Sexton said that the management
Iof the waterwOrks had grown to be
Icommon street talk and il was time
that thorough investigation be made
He did not accuse the management oi
the charges made against him. but he
lstated that in behalf of Mr. Bancroft
land the city it was only just that there
be an inquiry. Aid Robbins. chair
man of the waterworks committee
STATED that Walters and Sprague could
mot get along together. There was