Evening journal., 1908-04-29
AT WATER
INVESTIGATION
tcontInued from First Page,


and services that had been originally
laid too shallow. This makes total
Of $4,000
A summary Of the four items Of dis
tribution, extension. meters and SER
vices shows $8l. .62s.94 for 1903 (meters
and services being included in distri-
button in l9O3), and S51,S53.S9 for 1904,
or an increase Of s2022845 for the lat
ter year, and without making any at
tempt to separate them accurately 1t
will be seen that a resume Of the sew
eral items enumerated giving the in
creased cost under the conditions pre-
vailing in 1904, amounting to $4,000,
comes sufficiently close to balancing
the former figures to eliminate the ne
lcessary examination OF this subject"
/ Special Auditor Gleason at the re-
quest of City Solicitor Townsend, took
up Mr. Leisen's figures He said thar
I for the sake Of comparison between
! 1908 and 1904 Il would be necessary
for Mr. Leisen further TO classify his
| items under the head Of distribution.
/ Mr.. Gleason said that there was an
abnormal Increase Of about $4,000 in
the payroll expenses charged to dis
tribution In 1904 over 1903, yet there
was no increase In pumpage in 1904
and less work in extensions and con-
struction was done in 1904 than in
1903.
Mr.. Gleason said II was desired 10
find out what caused all this increase,
as he thought Mr.. Leisen's figures
left many thousands OF dollars Of the
increase unexplained.
Mr.. Leisen said he believed II the
department is getting a dellar's worth
of work done for every dollar expend-
ed on necessary work 1t didn't amount
to anything under what head 1t iH
charged and he had no apologies to
make for Il.
Mr. Gleason said he would show
that the payroll for distribution in 1904
was not $34, 145 but $4,000. and Mr..
Leisen remarked that IL Il were dono
II would be by transferring items
charged under other heads. Mr Glea-
son said that was what he would do.
Engineer Leisen continued 20 read
his figures as to increased cost OF
pumpage in 1904 1905 and 1906. Mr..
Gleason remarked that he regarded *
as natural Increase, but Engineer
Leisen said he wished to read them as
he thought it-only fair to himself. He
told Of many increased expenses
charged TO pumpage which he thought
were necessary.
Mr., Gleason said IL still remained
to be shown why the increase in the
cost Of distribution vas sustained in
1905, 1906 and 1907, and Mr.. Leise1
viii prepare a detailed statement OF
the various items under distribution in
those years.
Il don't think the department Will
get into the condition which you with
your pessimistic ideas think It will OF
not sustaining itself" asserted Mr.
Leisen.
''Well. II Is not self-sustaining, Ere
piled Mr.. Gleason.
Then there was general discussion
btwewen Engineer Leisen and Auditor
Gleason as to the amount of bonds
issued for Water Department purposes
and the amount OF money the Water
Department has paid over to Council.
Auditor Gleason quoted figures and
contended that Council and the sink
inG Fund Commissioners had paid Off
bonds amounting to S2S5.77S more than
the amount the Water Department has
turned over TO Council up to 1905
On the other hand. Chief Engineer
Leisen Quoted figures and contended
that the Water Department has turnoi
over sufficient money To Council to pay
Off the departments bonds. The
amount OF bonds issued for the Water
| Department from December 81 1885, he
said was ST76,0OO. and from 1886 TO 1904
inclusive the Water Board had turned
over TO Council S775162 in surplus and
from 1856 TO 1897 there was paid to
Council S276, ,SS5 in interest. or total OF
s1,O52.O47.
The Water Department by virtue OF
an act Of the Legislature passed April
49, 1889 ceased paying interest on the
bonds. in 1897 which would seem in
elusive evidence that the department
had then paid 20 City Council sufficient
surplus to conoel all unpaid water
bonds" continued Mr.. Leisen.
''In view OF these facts IL Is I believe
that It Is improper TO charge to the
operating expenses Of the Water De-
partment either the interst or sinking
fund chargs or the S169. 500 Of outstand-
ing bonds Of issues prior to 1904"
Qualified Testimony.
Mr. Leisen said he felt that every
cent Of the cost Of the waterworlSs
up to the present time had been wiped
off the slate. Every bond outstand-
ing and charged to the water depart
ment should be paid off, and the inter-
est, sinking fund charges and princl
pal should be paid, he said
In finishing his testimony Mr.. Leiser
made a statement qualifying his testi-
mony regarding the Rockford water
tower, and the mains laid across West
street which he gave the other day
His statement was similar TO that
printed nthe newspapers. Regarding
the Rockford tower he said he was not
responsible for Il and n he were re-
sponsible he would have no apologies
to make for IT, He said he was the
park engineer at the time the tower
was built Mr.. Leisen asked that q
copy of histestimony be furnished him
so that he might have an opportunity
TO qualify some Of the answers If he
desired. Mayor Wilson said Il would
be furnished TO him and he could 60
over It before the Mayor made up his
report on the investigation.
Mayor Wilson explained to Mr.. Lei
sen that there was no personal feoi-
ing in the examination Of him as a
witness. but he was regarded as the
chief operating Official OF the Water
Department, hence the questioning.
When President BENJAMIN +. Shaw
of the Water Department was called
as a witnesse Councilman Cassidy sug-
gested that Water Commissioner Will
liam W. Knox next be called. Coun-
Gilman Higgins thought the Council
j, men should be consulted as 70 fhe