Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-01-12
CITY CLERK MAKES
A GOOD RECORD
Only One Mistake Found in His
Books by Auditor-Two Years
Work Examined.

City Clerk Crittenden has just re-
ceiyed the report from the state
auditors Office at Des Moines, of the
official checking of the city clerk s
books by M. F. Cox and son from
the auditing department some two
weeks ago. The report seems almost
incredible, covering as it does two
years of work in an Office in which
there is every chance for error. Only
one mistake was found in the audit
ing Of the two years work and that
was trifling one where a warrant
had been issued for only half the
sum the stub called for. This was
explained in that two warrants lay
before the city clerk, one for $11
and the other for $3.50; the stub
was made out for $11 and the
clerks attention called elsewhere
for a moment; when he returned,
/ he filled out the warrant for the
$3.50 instead Of the Sill. This con-
stituted the only error in the books.
When the auditing committee fin
ished they informed Mr.. Crittenden
that this was a most remarkable
record.
thought this to be, is deserving OF
the attention of the public to the
clerical efficiency of the man and
his assistant in the city clerks Of
fee.
Perhaps one of the reasons the
work is run so smoothly and we'll,
is because upon Mr.. Crittenden's en-
try into the clerks Office he saw
great need for and Immediately de-
vised a cash ledger completely COW
ering the needs of this city.
This at once attracted the atten-
ton Of travelling men showing city
supplies and the book was taken out
by the travelling statesmen of the
Matt Parrot concern in Waterloo.
which makes speciality Of city Of
fee supplies. Representatives from
the auditors Office in Des Moines
requested other towns in the state
to write to Mr.. Crittenden and OBJ
tain if possible a leaf from his cash
ledger
Together with the especially fine
cash ledger the clerks Office here
uses the latest thing in light and
water ledgers. The warrant ledger
used is also one of the most i'm
proved pattern and nothing in the
way of books is lacking to complete
one of the best conducted city
clerks offices in the state.
Mr.. Crittenden is not only let
ter perfect statician, but is Won
derfully ingenious individual wher-
ever he finds books or ledgers which
do not at once conform to the idea
he has in mind He makes a square
peg fit round hole, by rounding
off the peg until it will fit and fit
perfectly at that.
Recently he found that the re-
ceipt book used in collecting light
and water bills was not entirely
satisfactory. 1t was the old fashion
ed kind which has stub retained
by the clerks Office. He saw
that in a moment of distraction, it
would be possible to make out the
stub for one amount and the receipt
which is to be torn off, for another.
All business men have at some time
had this thing occur; banks fire.
quently find this mistake in check
books. Mr.. Crittenden had receipt
book made for this work, which
makes a carbon copy of the receipt
at the time it is made out and prac-
tically eliminates mistakes.
Some firms in the city, and many
city clerks offices over Iowa, are
still using the old system of large
receipt book bearing several receipts
on a page. These must be torn off
in sections and each filled out sep
erately, making it easy to err in
one or the other.
One mistake from December list,
1912 to December list, 1914, is a
record to be proud of and the city
clerks Office shines in reflected
glory.