The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-11-02
Sufficient Funds
 Available To Pay
 Truckers On Time
Special Inquiry Into Funds Results in Vindcation of Superintendent of Streets-Eror Credited
 to Controllers Staff


 Controller Sherwood L. Rowland was described as innocent" last night at the board of public works meeting; but the committee of the board which investigated 1on-pay- ment of 18 truckers over 10-week periods found that the controller leaves everything to his clerks"
 The report of the committee lauded Superintendent of Streets Thomas J. Fleming and refuted contention of James P. Purcell, holdover accountant, that the su- perintendent "had not made trans fers in time" to allow payment of the truckers, which Purcell had told the board of finance weeks before, were being made on schedule.
 Money Available
 The report showed that a balance of $24,000 was available for paying the truckers Purcell had told Fi- nance Commissioners John H. Goss and Major w. Judge were being paid" So far as the attempt to blame Superintendent Fleming for submitting vouchers calling for pay ment from street funds and WPA items, as remarked by Controller Rowland in a statement to the Re- publican last night, the street de- partment official and the board of public works commissioners recalled today that Purcell was the control ler's office deputy who suggested this procedure" early in the year. Purcell has been paying such vouchers until the time that he was cross-examined by the finance com- missioners about payment of the truckers and claimed they were be- ing paid on time. It was then that he raised the question of separate vouchers" and the controller took up the excuse to escape blame re- marked by the finance commission CTS.
 The report of the committee, comprising Commissioners James A. Phelan, Robert J. Mccormack and Albert Loeffler, shows that there were no transfers from or to the $75.000 budget item, "snow removal and truck hire," from the time Con- troller Rowland took office, thus eliminating as alibi the Purcell con- tention that he twas waiting for transfers" Only a small propor- tion of the men who were unpaid engaged in WPA work, it developed, and the funds for this were shown to have adequate balances.
 Official Report
 The report of the committee, self explanatory, is printed as follows:
 Waterbury, Conn,
 Nov. 1, 1898.
 Hon. Commissioners of the
 Board of Public Works,
 Waterbury, Conn.
 Gentlemen:-
 At meeting of the Board of Public Works held on October 18, 1888, a delegation of 18 truckmen appeared and stated they had from four to ten weeks pay due them from the City, although they had been assured at Board of Finance meeting held about two weeks previous that a procedure had been set up whereby they would be paid regularly every two weeks. A spokesman for the dele gation stated that he read in the newspaper that at that meeting, MT. Purcell said that all truck men had been paid to date. This was thesunanimous opinion of all the truckmen in the delegation. Inquiry was immediately made of MT. Fleming if any neglect of his > or of the boards was responsible for the failure of the men to re- ceive their pay, and he answered that he had taken all the steps required by the controller as set- up by MT. Purcell and MT. Arm strong and that there was no valid excuse for the failure of the controllers office to make the payment.
 AS a result of this statement