Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-10
Council Bluffs
ACCOUNTANT COX ENDS WORK
Checks Over Books of Water Works
Starts City Accounts.
ONLY TWENTY-FIVE DELINQUENT
Operation of Plant FOR June VIII BE
at Loss ~ Interest Charges Are
Considered--COst $4,000
Month.


NJ. r. Cox. state municipal accountant,
completed yesterday his work Of checking
over the books In the office Of the water
company to determine the amount to be
returned by the company for the month of
June collected after April 1 for the quarter
ending July l. After all deductions and
allowances are made the expert finds that
the citys new water works cash book
should begin with s.. 1861 TO the good,
Mr. Cox completed his work yesterday
morning and left for Des Moines in the
afternoon, after having been here little
more than a week.
The expectation was that he would be
detained for several weeks. The shortness
Of the period of his employment was due
wholly to the remarkably clear and perfect
system of keeping the water accounts in
augurRted by Manager Hart and carried
out by the bookkeeper, Miss Bonham. In
his report Mr.. Cox particularly speaks Of
this and says the system will be used by
him as sample records. The statement
furnished by Mr.. Cox shows the total
amount collected from consumers during
the quarter to be as follows:
Total amount fiat rate collections IS, 34S. 80
Less amount collected previously
earned '''...''''''''.',......'... S2s.O9
Amount to be divided. 81, O1e. 20
Only Few DeIinquents.
There are only twenty-five delinquents
who have failed to pay and the amounts
aggregate only S1.50 The company under
takes to guarantee these collections and
to turn into the city its one-third, S22S3.
The expert finds that there is a refund
on paid up insurance Of S25eS9 The amount
Of insurance carried is $4,000 After all of
these deductions are made the amount OF
cash to be turned over to the city, which
was done yesterday, equals the sum men
toned above
No Rebates Found Due.
No rebates at all are found to be due
from meter readings, and is explained by
Mr.. Cox in his report thus:
The meter reading commenced seven days
before and ended seven days after June /.
These readings are for the May earnings.
l find thai the large amounts, such as
railroads., hospitals, schools, etc., were all
tricts nearly equally divided, 50 near that
there Will be practically no difference, as
part Of the next reading for the city
will date from May % and part from
June s, while the large amounts will date
from June l. These readings belong to the
water works company and are to be sold to
the city upon guarantee as to the col
lection,
All transfers from flat rates to the meter
account made during the quarter have been
checked and found correct.
Since June / warrants have been drawn
aggregating s1186s numbered from 70 6,
inclusive. Collections on new privileges
installed $3.50 refunds, on water turned off
$40. The new books will be deblted and
credited accordingly.
on account OF the distance between the
city treasurer's office and the water works
department office, the system which Is the
most practical OF collecting and receiptlng
cannot be used, but a form OF numbered
carbon copy receipt will be adopted which
adopt.
The form for the cash book, voucher
Council Bluffs Water company viii be
adopted by the city. These are among the
best that have found in the state and
will be used by me az sample records.
Each Of the office force is Competent and
with the improvements noted IN the collec-
ton end Of the business no criticisms could
be offered
The new books should start with a cash
debit OF t2,e9e.o1.
First Month at a Loss.
The report indicates that the operation
OF the plant for the month Of June will
be at loss II the interest charges are
to be considered. The interest amounts to
Ss7,OO year. or $3.50 a month, but the
amount heretofore paid for fire hydrant
rentals, which was more than $4,000 under
the old rates and above 81. 900 under the
$40 rate. must be deducted from this. The
cost of operating the plant will be about
5000 a month. The meter readings for
June must be added to the net amount of
s2,6Ss,O1. which will aggregate nearly as
much as the fiat rates for the month, as
about one-third OF the consumers are on
meter service.