Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-10
Board of Works President Sub
mits an Array of Plain Facts
of Public Interest.
THINGS ACCOMPLISHED
AND PROGRESS IN SIGHT
City Development and Obstacles
Met and Overcome Shown
, in Historical Review.

prospects, PRESIDENT charles j..
Kraemer, of, the Board of Street and
Water Commissioners. last night gave
. to the public an array of facts and
figures that will prove interesting and
instructive TO all Newarkers.
Commissioner Kraemer's address
was delivered at the Democratic
mass meeting in the Huron Club, be-
fore a crowd that packed the club
house and overlooked into Clinton
DIR. Kraemer's Address.
ST stand tonight before the citizens
of Newark, the largest manufacturing
city of the United States, and the
most literally, the most economically
and the most efficiently governed
municipality of this nation, a candi-
date for reelection as a member OF
the Board of Street and Water Com
missioners," declared DIR. Kraemer in
his opening.
II stand before you this evening a
nominee OF the Democratic party. l
stand before you and ask your sup
port upon the record that the Board
OF Street and Water Commissioners
nave made since January 1, 1913, when
the reins of the board, for the first
Tune In twelve years, was intrusted
into the hands of the Democratic
party.
The Democratic party has been al
ways party of accomplishment, a
party of achievement, a party of pro-
gression, party of construction in
the city of Newark This Is n fact
recognized by every man, and admit
ted by every man who has been
watching the growth, the steady on
ward march of our beloved city un-
der Democratic administra tive rule.
The Board of Street and Water
commissioners is an elective office
Three years ago I received q plural
ity, and tonight 1 am going to rem
der an accounting of my stewardship
and to ask for your support on No
vember Sd because of deeds accom-
plfshed, of results achieved, of work
done.
Judge the Future BY the Past.
There is no way of Judging the
future save by the past. This is an
age that demands results, that de-
mands actualities; we are living In
an age of deeds, not words and to-
night | propose to ask your careful
consideration of q few. merely a few.
OF the practical things that Demo-
cratic board has done. The air of
late has been filed with incrimina-
tons. One of the newspapers of this
city has been publishing series of
scurrilous articles-it is printing a lot
or foolish figures-apparentl the
workings of the convolutions of the
weird brain of an overimaginative
Munchausen.
But, gentlemen, facts speak for
themselves; figures tell a story that
cannot be gainsaid by any petty no.
iiticaf newspaper for petty political
gain.
When took my place on the
Board OF Street and Water Commits
sioners by appointment, to fill a va
cancy caused by death, the board
was overwhelmingly Republican. For
twelve long years the Republican
party had been in power in the
board. controlling its every delibera-
ton, governing its every action. For
one year | served among the minor
uy members of the board. and YOU
can imagine, gentlemen, Just what
chance Democratic minority mem
bers could possibly have on a Re-
publican board.
On January /, 1913, the Demo-
board. Mr. Ryan was made chair
man and | was intrusted with charge
OF the water department.
Proud of Party Record.
II feel proud of the record the
department of our municipal admin
istrallVe life during 1913eand 1914.
Wnen we assumed management
OF the water department we found
tnat there was no adequate account
ing control. Everything was in a
chaotic condition. There was neither
head nor tail to this department:
everybody was foot-loose and with
out apparent responsibility. The books
of the department were a sight to
pehold--entries here, entries there,
red ink interlineations, blurred en-
tries, scratched entries; everything
and everybody was in a deplorable
state of confusion.
1.-THE situation was made clear to
us by expert accountants, who clear
~ demonstrated after expression of
doubt by the Republican members of
the board that instead of surplus
of over $5,640,000, as reported by the
Republicans, there was a deficit of
over s273,000
1T is common report that the city
of Newark could not sell it's water
bonds in 1870. and in this connection
it is evident that the imitation of the
book cost of the watershed by S., $780,
1913 must have been done for
purpose.
I'VE took this item out of the OPP
Grating accounts and placed it where
1t rightly belonged in capital sur
plus, and even this is dubious sur
plus, for the value Of the present
watershed may never increase to this
amount
This deficit was increased by
further loss in 1912 Of $17,42S83.
What did the Democratic party
do in the water department?
Water Departments improvements.
You have heard 1t said the Dem
ocratic party appreciates that a
public Office is a public trust, and
we put this Democratic principle at
work in the water department.. We
reorganized the water department
from top to bottom. We systematized
the methods of bookkeeping. We in
troduced business methods into the
we made order.
ANY man or woman who uses
water in this city will vouch for the
truth of this statement
I'VE are doing away with the oil
system of meter repair charges, the
cause of so much embarrassment and
, controversy between the department
and the consumer. We wiped out
100000 of accounts that were carried
on the books for from three to ten
years and which were uncollectiDle.
and like business house we charged
this off to profit and loss.
I'VE thoroughly Investigated and
inventoried the properties and equip
meift owned by the department. This
has been done before in slipshod.
haphazard, go as you please way.
But we did it in a business-1ike way,
we treated it in a scientific manner,
and today we can tell you the pres
ent day value of every single unit
) owned and operated by the depart
ment.