The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-03-10
Hustling Young Club Official
Gets the Credit for the Work
Which He Devoted Much
Time To.
Is COMPREHENSIVE
IN EVERY RESPECT
He Finds That During the Zim-
norman Regime No Official
Records Were kept-Re-
port Approved.

To Edward II. Harris, secretary of
the Young Mems Business Club. be-
1.ngs the credit of preparing the first
authentic report of the financial de-
partment Of the city's government,
covering a period of the last seven
years. The report was submitted by
Harris to the club at its meeting last
night. Harris served as chairman Of
the coEa,ittee, which originally con-
sisted CT three members. The other
two assert they had practically no
time and not the greatest inclination
to make the report. SO that thanks
must be directed to Harris alone:
OF Advantage.
1t is believed the report will prove
of great advantage The idea Of an
investigating committee was promul-
gated by the club. after charges had
been made in a newspaper to the effect
the city's money has been wasted and
that the expenditures we're excessive.
The report is comprehensive in its de-
tails and was complied only after a
great amount of work.
TIL work Harris did as a member of
the committee, delving through records
searching through the lcdgers, run
ming over the minutes of the city
councils proceedings and here, there
and everywhere looking for memoran-
da OF money. spent or money received.
gave him thorough acquaintance
with the finances of the city. He ex-
4, III
work acquainted him in a. thorough
way with the manner In which the ex-
penses of the city government Is de-
frayed. 1t is doubtful if the city
controller or treasurer could give him
pointers on these matters. His train
ing as an accountant stood him in good
and facilitated the result. He now is
able to converse upon the subject Of
city finances with the ease of the ex-
pert accountant versed in the burden
some details Of conducting city gov
ernment
Most Thorough One.
It Is believed the report is the most
thorough that has been prepared in
this state. BY glancing over it, it is
years in the amount of receipts and
expenditures of the city. The city's
greatest investment Is the electric
light plant. Harris has prepared a
competent report, which shows that
although tho plant was run at q deficit
in the earlier years of it's existence,
1t now Is making money. This point
argues for It's retention.
One Of the most interesting state-
ments contained in the report follows:
In securing data for this report,
the committee finds that there are no
official records on file. or anything on
the minutes Of council that shows the
amount of money received or disburs-
ed between the years 1903 and 1906.
This period covered the incumbency
of DR.. w. w. Zimmerman as mayor.
DR. Zimmerman is candidate for re-
election to the office.
A Good Showing.
The city's total Indebtedness is S43,-
600 less than the constitutional limit.
This is regarded as a good showing.
Many cities of the size and class OF
Richmond have crowded their official
limit to the edge, or even have ex-
ceeded 1t by circumventing the law
by adroit ways of securing money
without charging it against the city.
The old subject Of depreciation in
the value OF the municipal electric
light plant is evaded by the report. No
reason was seen to bring it before the
public. as 1t is one on which experts
differ. The question is one that al
ways foments arguments by friends
and foes of the plant.
The report is found in an adjacent
column.