The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-05-01
WOODRUFF FAILS
TO PROVE ACTS OF
M|SMANAGEMENT
Made Against Water
Committee of East Orange
Council Fall Flat.
WOULD INVESTIGATE, IF
PAID FOR HIS SERVICES
Many of the Assertions Made
Taken Up and Facts Adduced
in Rebuttal.

When the Investigation into rne
charges made against the water com
mittee Of the East Orange Council by
Philemon Woodruff a week ago had
been concluded last night in the East
Orange City Hall the members were
absolved of any Acknowledgement. Mr.
Woodruff's only criticism against the
present COMMITTEES was II regard to
the supposed purchase of an aut0mo-
bile. the buying of small articles and
the fact that he alleged there were too
many employees,
I'VE are willing. Mr.. Woodruff" said
Councilman Grover during the hearing,
that you should make an invesftga-
ton of the water department. ana 7
win back you up IN it,
81 will do so.p replied h FORMER
city counsel, 81 the city w1i1 pay me
for the time I spend doing It D.
amount l would receive were / attend
ing my professional duties.
IF we did this" replied Chairman
Pierson of the City Council Il fear
some citizens would accuse us Of gross
extravs sance.'
Mr.. Woodruff admitted tina he had
made his recent charges upon hear
say. He recalled actions OF old water
committees. Occasionally Corneiius g.
vermuele took part, claiming IN D
statement that Engineer Arthur A.
Reimer must have been suffering frpu
a brainstorm when ne made certain
declarations. 1t was asserted. how
ever. that Mr.. Reimer was one Of the
best water engineers In the country
Mr.. Woodruff was requested to po1n{
out how a water commission could Eaxe
s25. 900 the first year of its existences
and said he was not prepared 70 De
that at this time. but was willing l1ter
to offer a detailed statement for the
purpose OF showing where economy
might be exercised.
white Oak Ridge Purehase.
The statement by Mr.. Woodruff com
corning the alleged purchase Of land
at White Oak Ridge, from which no
water was being obtained, by a former
committee without any engineer being
consulted seemed to make an impress
sion.
L VIII ldhc OH my hat To Ink UNI
mittee that secured that plant at White
Oak Ridge for us, however," declared
| Chairman Pierson. They may have
bought a few extra flower pots that
were discovered by Sol McCarter. hut
they certainly gave East Orange q line
water supply"
Councilman Bancroft, chairman of
the special committee which recently
investigated the City Hall, said the
committee found less to criticise in the
water department than any
branch of the government. When the
present building boom, subsidies. prob
ably in three years, Mr. Pierson said.
II might be found expedient to reduce
the number of men In the water and
street departments.
Some other Charges
The charges made by the city for
getting a supply into homes was next
taken up, and II was asserted by a boss
plumber, Mr.. Harrison. OF Harrison &
Walker. that the price charged by East
Orange was reasonable. Concerning
the increase in purchases of oil and
waste at the plant the COMMITTEES
claimed Mr.. woodruffs heureS were
wrong.
Mr.. Woodruff objected TO the pur-
chase Of meters except in large lots.
II was said in reply that the meters
were sold at a standard figure to the
city and as meters are not in use ali
over the city II did not seem necessary
to buy thousands.
When Mr.. Woodruff questioned the
right of the department TO pay for
street s%prinkling a special act giving
East Orange the right to have munich
pal street sprinkling was cad Mr..
Woodruff, without committing himself,
said that II IT conficted with another
act passed subsequent to this Concern
ing municipal plants, 1t would be un-
constitutional On the purchasing OF
materials by dividing the contracts into
amounts less thai $500. thus preventing
the publishing Of advertisements for the
goods, it was admitted this had been q
bad practise.
Finally when Mr.. Woodruff would not
charge acknowledgement against the
committee 1t was declared there was no
use of continuing the investigation and
the session adjourned.