Evening journal., 1908-11-27
d,nartmont wcre paid into ihe

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OF tho department we're paid into the
treasury Of the city.
Some Specific Cases.
1T developed in the early part Of the
investigation that there was no pretense
Of balancing the cash of the department,
and as a matter Of fact, the December
1907. book OF cash receipts was not bal
anccd until April /, 1908.
There were number Of items aggre-
eating $3.50 entered on the cash book but
not included in the total footings for De
cember 1907 The error was not discovered
until April Il. 1905. and the registrar al
though admitting the knowledge that he
was over this amount. did not deposit the
money with his other. collections, nor did
he make any report 6f the matter to the
Water Department until his attention was
called to it by the City Auditor. notwith-
standing the fact that the registrar has
always reported to the board and the ac-
counting officials OF the city that his
cash book was balanced daily. 1t would
appear from this transaction that such
was not the case. and serves to en-
phasize the loose and uncertain methods
employed by the department
"There is an item of $50 that represents
the petty cash fund in the hands OF the
registrar. but there was nothing on the
books indicating how and when this fund
originated. the registrar himself was even
unable to explain it. As a matter of fact
it should have been included in the cur
rent cash for the department. This item
also serves to emphasize the fact that not
only the water board. but tho employees Of
the board have assumed that they were
working Independently of the city govern
ment, and could establish petty cash or
make disbursements Of the city's money
without the knowledge OF the city's ac-
counting officials, which is dangerous in
the extreme"
Householders Pay More.
The mayor quotes statements gather
ed from fragmentarv information) or
the water pumped. amount metered,
the revenue from non-metered and
metered waters from 1896 TO 1907. Ia
elusive ana a statement Of the division
of the metered waters by the different
size meters and revenue from the same
respectively during the year 1907.
AN examination of the former will
Indicate that as the metered water has
increased the revenue per million sai-
Ions pumped. has materially &c.
creased" the mayor says AN eXami-
nation of the statement relative 60 The
division Of the classes of mctercd water
will illustrate clearly that The house
holder. assuming that this class is oil
the 5-S meter. for thirty and one-halr
millions Of cubic feet of water. paid ia
/ the city. S5O,514 or 1.66 per 1000 cubic
feet. while the aggregate of the othes
/ classes was sold at the rate of less thai
80 cents per loco cubic feet
1T is very clear from this that tho
/ householders using meters. pay NOR
than five times as much per 1000 cubic
feet for water as do the manufacturers
According to the amount OF non
metered water. claimed TO he furnish
ed bv the department. and the revenua
derived therefrom. il would appear as
though This is sold at the rate of 81 pel
cent per 1000 cubic feet. but it must
be borne IN mind that the non-metereo
water account has to stand for all the
wastage. slip and all other shortages
Outlook For Deficit.
made bv the directors of the Wate,
Department. ana it appears from tn,
testimony of Mr.. Leisen that nc never
furnished data 70 the board by which
thev would ascertain proper rates (.
charge. and from the testimony OF the
commissioners that they relied on hi'
recommendations in this regard, Il
would. therefore. seem as though th'
rates that have been in existence sine,
1904. shortly after Mr. Leisen's admin.
istration Of the Water Department be
gan. have been carried over from yeai
TO year: or else. Il changed. done S,
without adequate information Thu
fixed charges of the Water Department
are as follows:
Minimum appropriation as per
recent act of Legislature. Si20,00
Interest on outstanding bonds.
account Of Water Department,
1855 0o0 at 4 per cent........... 1850
Brought Forward .sl5S.6
The plant OF the department,
according TO testimony OF the
chief engineer. is worth
s2.50OOOo. assuming that the
depreciation would be at rate
Of - per annum. we have. $3.50
Making a total Of ..............S92i.1O 10
The income Of the department
for 1907 was ....................S22 ,5o
Showing a deficit of ..........S so
/ IL tho total ~ the bonds permissible
under the recent act Of the Lcgiaia
: lure arc issued. VIC will have the fol
lowing as basis of the fixed charg,.
of the Water Department:
: Minimum appropriation for tho
d