Evening journal., 1908-05-07
LULL IN WATER
BOARD INQUIRY
Next Hearing Will be on May
IS, as Water Commission
erS Will be Away
TALK OF INCREASED COST

At the close OF this mornings session
Of Mayor Wilson's examination into the
affairs Of the Water Department an al
iournment was taken until Monday morn.
ing, Nay IS. when the investigation will
be resumed. Water Commissioner Peter
j. Ford stated at the hearing this mern-
ing tina. the commissioners desired to at
tend the session OF the American Water
Works Association in Washington next
week, and they asked that provision be
made for this by the Mayor in fixing time
for hearings in the investigation. Ac-
cordingly there viii be a lun in the pro-
ceedings for more than a week. Mean
while the Mayor and City Solicitor Town
send requested Mr.. Ford and Chief En-
gneer Leisen TO have much data that has
been requested prepared so that 1t can oe
taken up when the investigation is re.
sumed and the inquiry be brought TO
close as soon as possible.
Special Auditor w. H. Gleason, who is
assisting Mayor Wilson in coilatlng the
Water Department financial data. win 90
to Norfolk, Va. tomorrow TO install a
new accounting system for that city. MIR.
Gleason said he probably would be in Nor
folk the greater part, II not all of next
week. working on the new system. It will
be modelled along the line Of the system
introduced by Auditor Gleason in will
mington.
At the beginning to-day City Solicitor
Townsend took up the comparative state
ment Of the operation Of the department
submitted by Mr.. Ieisen last week. and
quoted figures showing that in 1908 the
distribution payroll was Sl6.95o.16. and in
1904 it was S27,967.55, an increase Of S11..
0l7.55 while in 1908 there was 1876 feet OF
pipe replaced and in 1904 but 4,692 feet of
pipe was replaced, and there was a three
per cent increase in the quantity pumped
in 1904 over 1908 He was asked to ex-
plain the cause of this increase in the
distribution payroll. Mr.. Leisen said he
could not very well give further facts OF
reasons than those set forth in his state
ment of last week in which many OF the
items were Jumped together. Mr.. Lelsen
explained that the reduction from a nine
hour to an eight-hour day caused an in
| crease Of 5000 in the pay OF the laborers
alone. The eight-hour day went into effect
May 1. but Mr.. Leisen said it covered
most of the work Of the year.
what reason can you advance for the
] charges Of extension and distribution be-
ing mixed up so that you cannot separate
/ them" Mr.. Townsend asked, and Mr.
Leisen replied that some of them were
mixed up and there also was a question
/ of judgment, as there still is. as to what
should be charged to distribution.
] Mr.. Townsend cited that in 1903 there
was 2654 feet Of four, six and eight-inch
pipe laid in rock excavations and in 1904
there was 1896 feet of 4, s. Il. 16 and "a
/ inch mains laid through rock. In 1903 there
was 24oS0 feet Of mains laid and in 1904, 1S,-
3l7 feet laid. Mr.. Leisen was asked
whether under these circumstances he
/ considered his statement of the increase
of cost of 1904 work over 1903 fair one.
Mr. Leisen said the mains laid. in 1901
were much larger than in 1903, much OF
the 24-inch main being laid in 1904, while
in 1908 the most Of the main laid was
eight-inch main. He said the question Of
size of the pipe laid entered into the cost
Of the work more than the length Of the
main did.
Mr.. Leisen said he had gone further ints
the laying of pipe through rock and his
figures practically agreed with those he
had furnished, but disagreed from those
of Special Auditor Gleason.
Mayor Wilson asked Mr. Ford e hs
would not have prepared a further state
ment to show the increase in the distri-
button payroll. The Mayor said he mad
tried to get the explanation desired. but
could not get them satisfactorily Mr..
Ford said it had occurred to him tha.
such information should come readily
from the bookkeeping department.
The Mayor asserted that while less worl
has been done along pipe laying and ex-
tension lines and there had been no grea
increase in pumpage in succeeding yeari
compared with 1903 the cost OF operation
had increased since 1903 at tremendous
figure. there being payroll increase un,
der distribution alone Of s1l.OO0 Mayor
} Wilson said he thought this should be cx.
(Continued on Second. PaRe.)