Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-11-04
Report of Investiga-
tors Will Be Made
to Council Com
mittee.
PROBE MAY RESULT IN
MANY IMPORTANT CHANGES
Joy-Rides, Obsolete Methods
and Abuses VIII Probably Be
Done Away With Soon az
Possible.

Following an investigation Of the
books of the water department OF the
Board Of Works sensational dis
closures viii be made when thB
finance committee of the Comznon
Council meets on Wednesday night.
The disclosures win be made in re-
ports to be presented BY Price
Waterhouse & Co. certified account
ants, who have been CONDUCTING the
investigation. which. it was learned
today. has been in progress Tor
months CareIessness and a lack af
efficiency are among the charges. il b
said.
Many Changes Recommended
To remedy matters. it is said, tha
accountants VIII in an exhaustive re-
port recommend so many changes
that the entire department viii Be
revolutionized. Establishment OF d
departmental accountant 20 aupplanf
the connection between the engiueer-
ing bureau and the water Departments
is one of the most important reeana-
mendations.
A more businesslike way OF ham,
ding the payrolls and keep lnx rec
ords Of all meter work win be asked
since it is found that several nonfhs'
extension is often given consumers
who are in the arrears. Although
the department has a sufficient force
to shut of the water from almost
every house in the city in q day. the
cutting on from deIinquents is ae}-
dom entered into.
It is also understood that the ere
perts are not satisfied with the read
ing Of meters in some districts and
-ozss-fUr general shift Of tho
/ inspectors. The statlonine Of insF'zE
/ tors on fixed routes is evidently found
to have worked out wrong
It is coincident only that the &C.
countants have finished so Close to-
election. They would have repaF 81
weeks ago. but the jumbled eondill
of the books of the water departmen.
required a more ardunus disentanzfe
ment than the experts have ever en-
eountered In all their internatlouat
experience.
sese.eoo Deficit Alleged.
| While the accountants refuse 70
discuss the findings, it is known that
several officials kill find It difficult to
explain their methods. A shortags
imitation Of the surplus. juggling q
property valuations, until a deficit OF
$3.50, 900 is shown. and a general loose
ness in the collection of meter rates
and the sale and repair OF meters. 4
is said, are but some of the features
that will be reported upon.
That no record is kept of the trips
of the many automobiles owned by.
the Board OF Works is said also 70
be mentioned in the report The in
vestigators, after watching the
autos, find that no. one cares who
uses them or how; that the cost ot
the heavy maintenance of the cars
interests no one, and even when n
ouiry was made as to which type
of car was most serviceable no req
I ord in the possession Of the Board
of Works was available to give such
data which might be used in futurs
| purchases of machines.
That Cashier Henry D. Nerthrap
i has no direct control over the col
lection of cash and the inspection
of his Office is said to be anoIaer
| sensational declaration of the inxes-
1 tigators, despite the statements g
excellent management boasted OF n
the past by the Board of Works
nepartment Heavily Overmanned-
/ The water department is found -
he more overmanned than the street
! and garbage departments, Whsen
/ were exposed during the past SUM
mer Despite the large number q
men empIoved their work is entirely
without system. so much so that IN
| dieations are that reports altogether
at variance with the facts have been
| made to the Public Utilities COM
| mission. The latter body requires
| that annual reports be made BY thp
| water department on the cost OF
| nrnperties and establishment Of re-
/ serves for depreciation OF proper
/ ties From what could be learned
todav a truthful statement Of these
accounts could not have been ren-
| dered in the past, nor can 1t be made
today because of the deploraDle lack
Of system of accounting
Handling Of cash Independent Of
Cashier Northrup by the meter sales
and meter repairs department Is de-
elared to form an important part q
! the report and result in sussestiepH
that will require a careful accounting
/ of all money involved
The practise of assistants carrying
cash from bill payers atAthe Window
10 the assistant cashier cage. ST
uated some distance fronl the wsnr
dows. is also found fauit VI 4or
reasons which will be gi@ "
report, and adjustment, i A
ed by those who say they &
the practise will be the outeot
To stop the JOY riding in tht
autos the probers will direct
those in charge OF the ears be-
PEELED to make daily reports 70 .s.fa
superiors on the name Of the city oI.i.
eial using the car. the time and dez-
tination OF the trip made. tho amount
Of gasoline consumed. the cycioineltf
record and amount Of all repalfl1E
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