Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1908-10-10

The Report of the Civil Service Com
mission of Chicago to the Commits
soner of Public Works April II,
1908.
Investigation of certain charges pre-
ferred by your department against
employees in the water bureau and a
subsequent inquiry into conditions in
that service show that neglect of duty.
lack of discipline. inSubordination and
corruption have dcmoraliZcd that SCrv-
Ice as far back as there is a record
of the office. From evidence before it
the commission is convinced that the
fundamental cause lies in lack of or
ganization and discipline and in the
absence of common business methods
The commission is of the opinion
that these evils cannot be corrected
wholly by spaSmodic investigation oI
by occasional discharge of employees
Evidence placed before the commission
by Deputy Commissioner RcdicSke of
the department of public works and
Superintendent McCourt of the water
| bureau, whose efforts brought about
this inquiry, shows utter disregard of
tllI iloh'S vi Hhbl'N Bi'lNINS pil 'lIN
part of those charged with its custody
and use.
1t proved complete absence of
sense of responsibility on the part Of
employees. Officials of the bureau tes-
tilted that no adequate check is kept
upon the city property and supplies.
1t was shown that officials holding re-
sponsible positions were mere figure
heads without authority. Testimony
was heard showing that, following the
removal on charges by this commission
of former superintendent of the office.
it developed that there were 900 I'M
sealed meters in the city. At the same
time 1t was found that fifteen wards
of the city had not been rcasSeSScd
during the last five years. Subsequent
assessment of three of these wards
added $4,000 annually to the revenues
of the water office.
Testimony heard under oath in re-
gard to the working force of the meter
mechanical division disclosed that un-
der these conditions the most the city
obtained for days pay was 30 per
cent of a days work. Efficiency sheets
for the period covered by this eSti-
mate of the value of Il days work
unwarrantcdly credited all employees
with high efficiency. The head of that
division testified he was not permitted
during his incumbency of seven years
to maintain discipline
While the commission has no direct
evidence of criminal acts warranting
prosecution, there is no doubt the city,
through neglect, petty stealing. tam
pcring with meters and lack of ctli-
cheney, for many years has suffered
great loss. Lax methods made easy
the theft of water \ discrepancy be
tween the revenue possibilities of the
water bureau and the actual income is
such as to shock the business sense of
any citizen.
In a general way the inquiry of the
commission covered all branches of the
water service. Conditions under which
the entire bureau has been operated
are such that they protect neither the
city, the property owner nor the en-
ployec. Responsibility is 50 spread
that, so far as the inquiry has progress
ed, the commission is unable to fix re
sponsibility for more serious COM
plants Inquiry along these lines
might be prolonged indefinitely, with
the sole result of an accumulation of
evidence of incompetency and lax
methods.
1t is therefore the conclusion of the
commission that there is nothing fur
thcr to be accomplished by a proceed
ing of this character. TO correct abuses
efforts must be directed to systematic
constructive work.
With that end in view the commits
sion recommends Il complete rcorgan-
ization of the bureau. To effect this
expert assistance should be given the
office to enable 1t to work out a busi-
ness system and establish discipline.
The commission In cooperation with
your department. will continue the in
quiry. To make 1t more effective 1T
desires to place an expert accountant
in the office to audit certain accounts
and to make such further investigation
as it may direct. In this step it has
two objects in vicw-the possibility of
uAlnS RESPONSIBILITY LOT lfauuS ana,
what 1t believes to be of greater i'm
pOrtancc to point out the inadequacy
of the methods of accounting. During
this inquiry the commission will deal
summarily with specific instances OF
neglect of duty Iincompetency or fraud.
In addressing this communication to
you the commission realizes that its
course Is unusual. 1t believes, how
ever, that the city's greatest loss in
revenue and labor In the water office is
fundamental and can only be corrected
by constructive work.
OF the twenty-eight cases in which
charges have been heard by the COM
mission a number of discharges have
been ordered. Findings will be for
warded to you. In the cases of labor
ers in which testimony was heard a
transcript of the evidence is herewith
transmitted for your action.
Russianizing America.
The ordinary citizen whose relations
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