South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-24
COUNCIL WILL
INVESTIGATE THE
CRAFT CHARGES
Pulpit Assertions Linking City
Officials With Graft Must be
Proven or Fall Flat Special
Session Decides.

The city council met in special SEES
sion Wednesday evening in the coun-
Gil chamber with John A Herzog in
the chair. Upon roll call, Councilman
George Shobe of the second ward was
the only absentee.
The call for the meeting was read
by the clerk. who showed that all had
been properly notified.
The following resolution was offered
by Councilman Campbell and unani-
mously adopted upon roll call:
Whereas. there have been published
in the public press reports OF charges
made by responsible parties that a
city official has been offered a cash
bride 10 permit violations of the law,
and whereas it has been charged that
1t is common talk that city officials
are receiving a rakeoff from the Sa-
looms for permission to violate the
law, and, whereas, such published
charges tend TO create an impression
in the public mind that corruption eX-
lists in the administration of the city's
affairs, and places every official under
suspicion, now therefore be it
Resolved, that the common council.
as a committee OF the whole, forth
with investigate these charges and in
the absence of the city attorney, en-
gage special assistant counsel, TO take
evidence and conduct the investigation
in legal manner.
D. ]. Campbell.
Councilman.
1t was moved by Campbell, second
ed by Bickel that Hon. Charles 2.
Drummond of South Bend be en-
ployed as special counsel in lnvesti-
eating charges, which motion pre-
vailed.
Upon the council meeting as a COM
mittee of the whole. Councilman
Campbell was elected chairman.
The above resolution was passed
after much scoring and criticism by
local preachers from the pulpits of
several of the churches within the
last two or three weeks.
Just when the men who have made
these assertions will be summoned to
appear before the council as a COM
mittee Of the whole is in the discre-
ton of the committee.
Councilman Campbell moved that
Water Works Supt. L. 4. Crabill sub
NIT what data mad been secured in
reference To charges and rates eXacted
by other cities on the meter plan,
the superintendent submitted a re-
port of the American water works
convention held at Rochester, n. Y,
this year, which showed an article
stating that the basis of charges
should be made on the operating ex-
penses and maintenance of the plant
and not subject TO the rates based by
other plants.
George huston, water commissioner
of Kalamazoo, Mich, with whom
SupJ. Crabill has correspondent with,
stated that prior to the metering of
that city one part of the city had TO
alternate he or in 70
get sufficient pressure to sprinkle, and
that after about 500 meters had been
installed, there was a saving from
seven to 10 million gallons of water
per month and the revenue that
poured into the city Golfers increased
to $4,000 per gear. Upon the super
tntendents advice it was decided to
charge all consumers alike on the first
1000 cubic feet used.
Campbell moved that the water
works committee and Supt. Crabill
prepare a schedule of rates for all
consumers both large and small, and
report at the next regular meeting.