Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-28
gutenberg FAvORS
CITY AUTO BUREAU
Research Bureau Director Says
It Would End Waste by
Departments
GREAT NEGLIGENCE SHOWN

To effect necessary economies. Fred
erick =. Gutenberg. director Of the Blu
reau of Municipal Research. advocates
the creation Of n municipal bureau OF
automobiles. BY the establishment OF
such n bureau. he contends. direct
check could be kept on aii motor ve'
hices owned by the city.
Mr.. Gruenberg's suggestion was made
after revelations made by the city con-
troller, showing the negligent methods
Of some city departments in caring for
their cars.
A statement furnished by that official
to the special councilmanic committee
on automobiles revealed an amazing
upkeep Of automobiles by the various
city departments and bureaus.
Through that lack Of system. it was
shown. one bureau charged the city
S2551 80 for supplies and maintenance
for year on a car that originally cost
$1175. Another bureau charged only
800. 30 for the yearly upkeep OF
somewhat cheaper cor. Bureau chiefs
nscribed that wide difference in costs to
the fnct that the higher upkecp figures
included expenses for labor and over
figures were caused by those costs being
charged to other items in the budget.
Bill Now In Council
Councilman Simon Walter. chairman
Of the committee. recently introduced
an ordinance providing for the creation
Of bureau Of automobiles. which
would virtually centralize all city
owned motorcarS except those in the
fire and police bureaus and bureau and
department heads. placing them in a
city garage. where officials could call
for them aE they were needed. The
measure il now in Councils property
COMMITTEES.
1T is perfectly obvious" Mr.. Cru
enberg said. that there is q great deal
OF JOY riding and uneconomical use Of
city owned cars. The information made
public by the controllers office. how
ever. does not startle me. In 1917 the
Bureau Of Municipal Research ordered
one of its engineers to make an investi-
CATION into the matter. The engineer
found the officials Of Mayor Smiths
administration anything but friendly to
re lthTU III
teresting facts. though. before the war
cut short his work
Buying Method Criticized
From the facts he presented me and
those given out by the controller ! am
heartily in favor Of ccntralizing city
ofhcialdom's motorcar service in some
way that will make for greater efficiency
and for a better system in reckoning
expense items for automobile main
tenance. The engineer, for instance,
brought to light facts TO show how off
cials in some departments were buying
cars from concerns which shortly before
had ceased manufacture. To get spare
parts for those cars the city was com
PEELED to send to distant cities. in
volving long waits and unnecessary ea-
pense. Cars that were still made Mt
that time and whose parts were easily
available could have been purchased
just as cheaply and given just as good
service.
"As to the joy riding. was walking
along Sixty third street this morning
when I noticed n large motorcar. with
the unmistakable seal Of the Depart
ment of Public Works on It, 20 by.
Now. that car might have been on
Official business, I'll admit. But. then.
today is Easter. aud 1t is just as possible
that some official decided to take n ride
in city car on the first fine Sunday OF
the season.