Evening journal., 1908-05-06

There was a general questioning this
morning by Mayor Wilson and City So
licitor Townsend Of witnesses at ths
investigation into the Water Depart
ment affairs. The examination COW
cred a varied range. taking in depart
ment finances and the installation o.
steel pipe IN Wilmington. As to the
finances II was shown that the depart
ment had used a quarter of a million
dollars on construction work during
1908, 1904. 1905 and 1906 In excess or
the operating expenses, surplus turned
over TO Council and money paid on
bonds and interest IN those years. Com
missioners Peter > Ford and Benia-
min L. Shaw said they did not know
the law required this excess TO be turn
ed over TO Council. and city Solicitor
Townsend cited law 70 that effect. Mr.
Townsend also pursued a line Of ques
tioning and brought out figures to show
that Il will cost s4T a million gallons
to pump the S,800000 gallons required
during 1908 and TO meet the operating
expenses and interest on bonds and
payment Of bonds for the department,
excluding contingent expenses that may
arise and depreciation. lie also show
ed that the Water Department Is SELL
ing metered water to the wholesale con-
sumner at $45 a million gallons, and 20
the fate rate meter user and the small
consumer at a rate Of 500 a million
gallons. on the face OF these figures
Mr.. Ford said that the small consumer
Is paying for the building Of the water
works while the consumer Of 100000
cubic fet or more annually Is getting
water at less than cost Of pumpage.
Mayor Wilson after quoting engineer.
ing authorities today hsowlng that stee
pipe Is unsatisfactory In several cities
ventured the assertion that Whining
ton viii have to repair If not to re-
place much of its steel pipe within ter
years. Mr.. Ford requested Engineer
Leisen to produce at the Investigation
the letters and other reasons that wer,
submitted to the Board in favor OF stee
pipe at the time It was adopted. Mr
Leisen said 1t was figured out that this
Board would save $4,000 by using stee
mains in preference TO iron mains. III
also said he had letters from many en-.
gineers and verbal statements from
Others recommending the steel pipe. ans
had more since then
Mr.. Leisen. I think II is importan
TO us and 10 the Board that these letter
be produced as a Justification Of GU
aetlanH said Mt Ford "As say.
. recall that many reasons were give
at the time we adopted the steel pip
and my opinion was well formed thel
: and ] have no reason vet 70 change
! but think these letters should be Pre-
: duced
I Mr. Leisen said he would get all tn
d letters and Mayor Wilson said he. TOT
would like 70 have them produced an
made public.
At the beginning or today's investiga
I tion City Solicitor Townsend said h
, would like 10 have Engineer Leisen an
Assistant Registrar Grohe in the roor
to assist in getting information desire,
Mr.. Ford was the first witness Gale
az to-day's hearing and City Solicts
Townsend referred TO statement mad
up by Chief Engineer Lelsen a few day
ago giving the running expenses OF n
department as follows: For 1908, sii5 40 q
for 1904, slSs,055s7; 1905. 500 6t2 a.: 1906. sos
20. or a total for the four years OF sl4a
6Sn77 Before questioning Mr. Ford, NJ
Townsend asked Mr.. Leisen II he woul
stend by the statement as a coses
rmonnt OF all the running or operatin
2 expenses OF the board Mr.. Lelsen sa
he compiled the report to show what
thought would be fair comparison OF n
operating expenses for the years specific
The statement, he said, did not conta
every item OF the operating expenses