Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-05-19
TO HAVE AUDITORS.
BURLINGTON ADOPTS NEW METH.
Cd TO CHECK UP CON-
DUcToRs
Not System Of Accountants and Col.
Ieetors, But One Which Provides
Auditors for Checking Purposes
Causes Much Discussion.

auditing system, whereby special men
have been appointed to check up the
reports of conductors. The auditor is
possessed Of credentials, which per-
NIT him to board train and take full
charge of the collecting of the tickets
OF any time. The plan is already In
operation. 1t Is not known at the To-
cal Burlington offices who are the
train auditors appointed for the OF
tumwa division.
A well known railroad official, when
seen this morning in reference to the
new system said: II do not know
who are the auditors for this division;
all know is that enough will be or
have been appointed to serve on the
those west of the river will be sup
piled as soon as the matter has been
more thoroughly organized.
Accounts Not Audited.
"The conductor, up to this time, has
been the only employee of the railroad
who has handled the railroads money
without an auditor to check up his ac-
counts. The train auditor will in no
sense be collector as Is the case on
some other roads. That is, there will
not be collector on each train. He
will be as are all auditors, given GER
tain amount Of territory and will go
around that territory investigating
and checking up the conductors &C.
counts.
He will board train and, showing
his credentials to the conductor will
take charge Of the collecting of fares,
check up the conductors accounts and
examine their reports, and also ex-
anime the conductor to see if he under
stands that late ticket forms that have
been issued, and in general way per-
form the. Offices of any auditor.
Conductors Honesty Not Doubted.
This is no reflection upon the hon
esty of the conductor. Every man who
handles another party's money should
court investigation of his accounts OF
course in cases, where there is dishon-
esty, or where conductors are carry
ing people against the rules of the
company, these auditors will be ex-
pected to discover it. But they are in
no sense spoilers and assuming our
conductors to be honest, there is no
reason why they should not welcome
the new system 50
Have Commissioners.
The new auditors carry commits
sions signed by the general manager,
but are under the charge Of the gen.
eral auditor as to accounting. The
new system is causing a great deal of
discussion among Burlington men,
from the fact that it is entirely for
eign to Burlington methods. They at
tribute the change to the ownership of
James J. Hill, upon whose Great
Northern railroad the conductors are
bonded. In connection with the in
stallation of train auditors it is under
stood that the Burlington made an ex-
haustive examination into the result
attained on other roads by their use or
the use Of train collectors. In some
cases the saving by the employment
of the train checking system has been
as high as so per cent.
Too Much For Conductor.
This is said not to be due entirely
to dishonesty among conductors. On
many trains the work of running the
train and collecting tickets and fares
is too great for one man to perform.
The use of collectors on such trains
greatly reduces the number of tickets
presented for redemption. In the audi
tor system the conductor never knows
when nor at what station an auditor
may board his train. Whenever the
auditor sees fit to go aboard he will
show his authority from the general
manager, take charge of all collections
and give the conductor check, which
he will turn in instead of his tickets
and receipts. Should there be any
trouble with passengers, however, it
is ''up to- the conductor to take care
of it.