The Detroit times., 1911-02-15
PUTNAM LET OUT,
. STARKEY REDUCED
Water Board Abolishes Offices OF
Meter Inspector and General Man
ager, and Cuts inspectors To 10.

The water board did things" Tues
day afternoon. The net results Of
the meeting may be summed up as
follows:
The ONCE of general manager was
abolished and general Manager Harry
8. Starkey was made purchasing agent
and paymaster, a new position, at a
salary OF $4,000 year. He now re-
ceives s2,750.
The ONCE OF superintendent of me-
tiers was abolished and no provision
made for the retention OF the present
incumbent, T. r. Putnam, who has
been an employe OF the board for SO
years. Mt. Putnam, however, was
exonerated from all blame In connec-
ton with the purchase of meters.
The force OF inspectors was cut
down from 20 to 10 men. those to be
discharged to be picked out later.
Hours of the water board were
changed from $3.50 to $3.50 D. m. to 8
a. m. to p. m.
A proposal TO create the Office OF
assistant to the president and auditor,
TO take the place of the two cashiers
now employed, was laid over until the
next meeting.
Commissioners Gillespie. Pound and
Wilkie were appointed a committee TO
revise the rules and regulations OF
the board.
question Of meters came up. Supt.
Putnam was on hand to answer such
questions as the commissioners saw
fit to ask him. Mr.. Pound demanded
to know why the board had not been
informed that meters were being pur.
chased under resolution adopted by
the board IA years ago, some of the
members OF which are now in their
graves.
Il never had any reason to do so,
replied Manager Starkey.
Didn't think an item OF $4,000 a
year mattered?"
Il had no reason to suppose that
the board did not know about this"
The questioning brought out that
the Thompson Meter Co. had received
about 100000 from the water board
since 1889. Supt. Putnam said he did
not regard II as part of his duty to
solicit bids. Detroit, he said, has
been paying less than other cities for
its meters.
President Clippert took occasion to
defend Supt. Putnam, declaring that
he was q man of unimpeachable in
tegrity. A resolution generating him
was promptly passed, only Mr.. Pound
voting against Ii. The board decided
TO advertise for bids on meters. When
Mr.. Putnam left the room, Mr.. Pound
moved that his office be abolished and
the motion was carried unanimously.
A motion by Mr. Pound TO abolish
the ONCE OF general manager was not
seconded. Later Commissioner John
Gillespie made the same motion as
part OF resolution making Manager
Starkey purchasing agent and pay
master, and IL was passed, Mr.. Pound
dissenting.
Mr.. Pound then moved that the
office OF cashier be abolished. and
proposed that the board go back to
the old plan of having the clerks who
make out the receipts also receive the
payments from consumers. The other
commissioners frowned on this plan
as being a step backward.
Commissioner Wilkie asked why the
old system was changed.
"I'll tell you why" replied Mr..
Pound. 1T was because some of the
commissioners played poker with the
clerks and got 'em right. There was
one who lost $1,000 and brought dis
grace on an old and respected fam
ily."
Mr.. Pound then suggested the crea-
ton OF an auditor and assistant to the
president to take the place OF the two
cashiers who receive $3.50 each. The
proposal was held UP for investiga.
ton.