The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-19
.CRENSHAW MADE
ACTING AUDITOR
Appointed by Finance Committee
to Serve During Continued Ill
ness Of Z. ]. Warren.
TAKES CHARGE RIGHT AWAY
Promises to Put Office in Shape
So That Business Can Be
Conducted Quickly.


the City Council approved yesterday
I by Mayor Ainslie, the Council Com
mittee on Finance yesterday afternoon
appointed Special Accountant George
y Crenshaw acting auditor of the City
OIL Richmond. His appointment is to
| hoid during the continued illness OF
city Auditor e. j. Warren. but not TO
be longer than Mr.. Warren's present
term, which expires on December 81
next. Mr.. Crenshaw will give bond in
the sum OF $4,000 and take charge OF
.nc once to-day. AS acting auditor
he VIII have under the resolution all
the powers and duties of City Auditor
Besides having general charge OF the
once, he VIII be the custodian OF the
securities Of tho sinking fund. and his
itrst official act to-day will be to in
ventory and receipt TO City Auditor
Warren for several million dollars In
bonds and other securities stored in
the vaults of the Auditors office
Held I'm High Esteem.
Mr.. Crenshaw has been the Special
Accountant OF tho city for the past
eight years succeeding. CAPTAIN Carl
ton Mccarthy when the latter was
elected Mayor. He is an expert ac-
countant of recognized ability. and a
member Of national association OF
accounting officers OF cities of this
been the adviser and expert of the
Finance Committee. and through the
efficient conduct of his office he has
enjoyed the confidence of the City
Council to an unusual degree. For
the present he Will continue to serve
as Special Accountant in connection
with his, duties as acting auditor
Whether tho two Offices can be
merged is a matter for future determi-
nation, and the experiment of the next
few months will serve to show whcth-
er such a course would be wise or not
The urgent matter is to stra!ghtcn
out the tangled affairs OF the Auditors
Office and bring order out of chaos
Has Mr.. wnrrcns Approval.
The suggestion of appointing an act
ing auditor with full power to direct
the office, came from Mr.. Warren him
self. Laid up in hospital with a
fractured leg, his mind is alert and
constantly on the affairs of the city,
which he has served for a generation
More than once he has sent for Mr.
Crenshaw TO urge that steps be taken
TO straighten out the affairs of the
Office.
Although handled with unauestioned
honesty. the methods OF the Auditors
Office have long been a source of worry
to the Finance Committee. The adj
fancing years OF Mr. Warren, the long
illness and death OF Mr.. Reid, clerk to
the Auditor, and the political pressure
brought 10 bear on the Councils To elect
MIR. WcisiGer TO that position, over
the protest of the Finance Committee
when younger and more alert man
was needed. have resulted in an anti
quated system OF accounts, a lack of
accuracy In reports and almost in
terminable delays to the public At
tempting TO transact business at tho
office Since Mr.. Warrens ACCIDENT
Mr.. Weisiser's health has not been
office for days at u time.
Under directions OF the Finance
Committee Mr.. Crenshaw will assume
charge OF the offic CO at once As Spe-
cial Accountant IL has been "A part OF
his duties to examine the books OF
the Auditors office ut frequent inter
Vals. and he is thoroughly familiar
with the s!stem in vogue, and in fact
several months ago prepared and re-
commended TO the Finance COMMITTEES
an entire revision of the system or
accounting. which has not yet been
adopted. owing to the continued i'll
ness OF Mr. Warren
VIII Give Prompt Service,
j cannot say what changes Will be
necessary in the office until | have
looked INTO things more thoroughly"
that no citizen Will be Kept waiting a
half hour 10 have a voucher issued. as
mas happened in the past. I don't mean
10 say that the Office will be run by
clockwork, but | do not share Mr.
Warren's distrust of mechanical add
ing machines or his dislike of type
writers. The accepted mechanical de-
vices which will aid in the transac-
ton of business in an office of this
character will be Installed"
friend who called in to congratu-
late Mr. Crenshaw on his appointment
suggested jolllngly that his first step
should be to purchase a feather buster
and give the Office a spring cleaning.
such shake-up would astonish the
ponderous volumes and musty records
no little
Il realize that am attempting a
big task said Mr.. Crenshaw. but |
believe that Will have the co-opera-
zion Of the other fiscal off GERS OF the
city. and that with the aid OF the
Finance Committee. we can together
/ bring the office up TO a high standard
of public efficiency"
Failed q HIVE Rear