Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-12-05
D|STORTS FACTS,
SAYS KRAEMER
Works Commissioner Declares
That Denman's Recent At
tack Lacks Truth.
EXPLAINS DEFICIT in
SEWER DEPARTMENT
Charles p. GiIIen, Drawn Into
Tilt, Says That Republican
System Was Lax.

That Commissioner Arthur r. Dem
man, the lone Republican member of
the Board of Works, had made GER
tain statements short time ago con-
corning the management of the
boards departments for political rea-
sons, and without any regard for the
truth, was asserted by Commissioner
Charles F. Kraemer at the meeting
of the board yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Denman answered DR.. Kraemer's
attack on him and provoked Commits
sioner Charles P. Gillen to denounce
the methods OF the board OF 1912 In
which the Republicans were in the
majority, and which he charged with
being lax and extravagant
The reason for the deficit in the
sewer departments accounts, DR..
kraemer declared, was due to the
fact that Mr.. Denman had expended
over $4,000 for a roof on the Peddie
street pumping station, the contract
for which went to a favored Repub-
Hcan contractor. The bills for this
work came in piece-meal, DR.. Krae-
mer averred, SO that the other COM
missioners were not aware of the
gross extravaganza until the work
had been finished.
Even the chairman, Mr.. Denman,
was not aware of the cost of the
work until he was informed of 1t, DR..
Kraemer added.
The sewer department is controlled
by a committee of which Commits
sioner Denman Is the chairman and
1t was his asking for an additional
appropriation of $4,000 to finish the
present fiscal year that caused the ar
gument originally. This matter was
voted upon yesterday and the request
denied by a strict party vote of to /.
In reply to Dr. Kraemer, Commits
sioner Denman waxed eloquently sar-
castle and demanded of DR.. Kraemer
that he explain how it came about
that he signed the bills and audits of
the sewer department IL he had no
knowledge of what was being done in
that department. All of the commits
sioners in fact, took an opportunity
to display their forensic ability and
the meeting was indeed a lively one.
In explaining his vote on the mat
ter of the additional appropriation
President Patrick H. Ryan said that
he had gone before the finance COM
mittee of the Common Council and
asked for an appropriation OF $1,000
This he succeeded In obtaining, but
knew from the attitude Of the COM
mittee it would be useless to apply
for any more.
DR.. Kraemer had the following to
say in reference to Mr.. Denman's
statements:
cat our last board meeting, dur
Ing discussion bearing upon the
financial condition of the sewer de-
partment. my colleague, the chair
man of the sewer committee, made
some statements, which were subse-
quently repeated in the press and no
doubt were only uttered for political
reasons; these statements are in the
form Of indictment and censure OF
his colleagues and their work in their
various capacities during the year.
How well founded these utterances
were and with what care such state
ments should be made, so as not to
be absolute Misrepresentation with
the consequent damaging impressions
they leave upon theapublic mind is
the reason I am compelled to answer
same today.
IF all the statements made by my
colleague were as we'll founded as his
statement that the excellent condition
of the water department was due to
his supervision, and you recall he
prides himself on being familiar With