New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-11
WATER METERS.
Complaint of a Householder against
City Department.
!, the Editor of The Tribune.

To- the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: Among all the diverse and ingenious
forms of official graft in this city there Is one
which deserves a publicity which 1t has not
hitherto received. refer to the water meter
swindle A water meter is a patented article
sold at a large profit expensive to install, I'M
certain in its operation and very liable TO get
out of order. The law allows the Water COM
missioner to order a meter installed in any
store business building, but does not require
him to do this. The discretion given to him
so that laundries, saloons, barber shops, res
taurants. and similar places using great deal
of water could be properly charged for the in
creased consumption. That is the theory, and
down to quite recently such was the practice.
Within year past, however, the commissioner
his deputy has issued orders for meters IN
stores of all kinds without any regard to their
consumption of water. Even II the matter We're
managed honestly this is an imposition, for
a store occupied by grocer, tailor, painter or
stationer less water than an apartment or
similar size. and there is no reason why the
owner should be made TO pay any more Tor
water If the rates for water are too low they
can be raised; but it IS wrong for the commits
soner to abuse the discretion vested in him for
a proper purpose by forcing certain individuals
to pay excessive rates for water While other
individuals get off more cheaply.
But this is not the worst The modus operandi
OF installing q meter is this: The order for the
installation Is left at the house; II not com
piled with by the owner within thirty days the
job is given by the department TO an ndi-
viduaI called a city plumber" This is not a
responsible official, but political heller en-
ployed by politicians. am speaking with the
facts behind me when | say that the job done
in this way costs from three to five times
much as when done by u responsible plumber
under private employment. Men who own
much property avoid this eXtorton by comply
Ing with the orders at once. but inexperienced
owners, seeing from the notice that the de-
partment will do the work often neglect the
order Intentionally and only realize their error
when they Of
for job which can easily be done for $40
Furthermore, I suspect Though cannot prove
III that the people who leave the notices at the
premises arrange by collision with janitors, or
by other improper means that the notices shall
not be found by the owner or agent till after
tne lapse or thirty days and then II Is too late.
| This happened in five cases TO my knowledge,
In all of which the names and addresses of tho
owners were registered at the bureau and the
notices could have been mailed If the bureau
had really wanted to reach them. 1t is safe to
say that for every meter installed by city
plumber there is an illegitimate profit OF about
500 and this is enough TO explain a good deal
of crookedness. l neither know who
gets thls mohey-the dirty hands which help
secure the plumber will take care 10 divide the
/ spoils. 1t seems to me that the heaa Of the
department owes II 70 himself and to the public
to look into the matter for he IS the one respon-
sible for It, and 1t is by the abuse of his dscre-
! ton that the extortion is practised. X w.
| New York May 10 1907.
| Michael c. Padden, the Water Register, opened
the books and files Of his office yesterday for tho
inspection OF Tribune reporter to show that there
could be no collision between his bureau and rep
resentatves OF owners of buildings by which the
| owners might fail to receive the notices 10 install
water meters, The records seemed TO show that
| the inspectors serving the notices required in
| all cases to make afidavits regarding the service
and that in most cases the signatures OF the own
! ers appear on the proof OF service In many cases.
! Mr.. Padden said, owners of buildings where water
meters were 10 be installed resorted TO tricks to
evade service Sometimes owner would sell a.
/ building after receiving notice without inform
ing the buyer and later the expense Of installing
a meter in the building would become lien on
the property.
AS to the statement that tho installation Of a
meter by the city plumber" costs several times
as much as installation by private contract. Mr.
Padden said that the cost depended both on the
size Of meter and the quality OF the plumbing
/ work. water meter for service pipe only Ave
eghths Of an inch in diameter about So while
| water meter for a siX-inCh service pipe costs
about 500 The Of IA building, ~ permitted
might install too small meter for tho amount OF
water to be registered to cost, but the city
plumber would be sure TO get Il meter OF sufficient
! size.
There dozen or more city plumbers TO
whom orders to install meters given when the
owners fail TO obey the notices. Several them
are Tammany workers. including a district leader
or two who happen to be plumbers.