The Detroit times., 1908-03-28
HAWKINS REPORT
AssA|Ls D. 2. ". S
BOOKKEEPING
DECLARES SYSTEM FARclcAL.
AND THAT CITY LOSES ~ LAX
ETHops - COMMISSIONER
HAARER MAKES REPLY.
CHARGES AGAINST o. p. W.

CHARGES AGAINST .. p. w.
That 90 descriptions Of cement
walks laid for the city In 1905
were paid for and not charged %
property-o~ners, the total involved
being s4,12e.o4.
That In the same year walks
costing $t5,066.z6 were paid for
and the amounts not yet collected
nor assessed against the proper
ty.
That 81 Items on intersection
bills, not recorded a. laid, cost the
city $448.36.
That dupiirzts descriptions Of
intersections occur amounting to
$526.7o.
That the city lost $f,s25.3s In
cutting weeds last simmer.
That the books Of the offlce DO
not agree within $1,000 In amounts
Of rebates due outsIds parties.
That material bills are receipt
ed for from memory.
That there II = discrepancy Of
more than 800 barrels In the &C.
ment account.
That bills have been paid twice
for sand. stone and asphalt ma
terIsis.
That the paving brick account
has been carslessiy kept.
That &3t,234.14 10 due and un-
collected from corporations and
outside parties.
That moneys have been "heId
out" temporarily In the cash bal
ancea
Mayor Thompson's investigation Of
he department OF public works Is
over.
The report made by N. A. Hawkins
& Co, the mayors accountants.
charges the department with having
poor methods OF bookkeeL-
ng and instances numerous items
which, II Is claimed, are unaccounted
Tor. -
The report is slightly indefinite In
that the accountants admit that they
are unable to trace all transactions
They characterize the
as ''farcical"
This principal portions OF the report
deal with the sidewalk division. All
'nptci ioi aSSSuhtS ofS cftticiSro. NV"
ever.
The report is voluminous one or
rs typewriter pages II states that
the task has been done without fear
Or favor, or regard In any manner to
the political atmosphere which may
surround and possibly affect the OUT
come OF thin investigation"
The several divisions OF the depart
ment are taken up in separate sum
maries. In regard to the sidewalk
division, the accountants say:
Extreme carelessness characterixes
the records OF this division through
put. and there is every opportuRity
under the wresent lax and tardy meth
DDS for the city to lose money both
by duplication Of payments to con-
tractors aud omission OF charges to
We experienced
difficulty In checking the
records for 1906. and those for 1907
are not In shape for examination be-
causa the work Is SO far In arrear."
City Loses Money.
Ninety descriptions OF walks laid
In 1906 and not found to be charged
TO property-owners are cited as loss
to the city OF $4,000. On other
1905 walks, costing 315.086.7S,
charges have not been collected nor
the property assessed In the same
year ITO orders for walks were issued
which are not found charged.
The intersection bills are referred
TO as a positive" disgrace because
OF changes, interlineations and Insult
ficient data. Descriptions OF inter
sections costing S44S.S6 are not To-
Gated on the records. Duplicate de-
scriptions are found for the amount
OF $526.70. 1t is added that the In
formation does not show whether
these Implications are "aprons' added
after the original intersection was
laid. A loss OF s1.s2s.3s is shown In
the cutting OF noxious weeds. the de-
partment having spent S4,047.94 and
collected or turned over for assess
ment, s2.221.56.
In the permit division. the report
states that the division accounts are
not checked with the general books,
so that there isra discrepancy q
50, e69.72. The records are charao'
terized as absurd and Il IL added tha1
refund receipts were not always sign-
ed properly.
The method OF receiving and rocord-
Ing material in the storage yards y
tConsinsed % PnGp o1x.)
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