The Sun

WATER BOARD MEETING
Report of the Condition of the Finances.

Various matters of business were considered at the regular meeting yesterday of the Board of Water Commissioners.

Chief Engineer Bond reported having written to T. Coleman du Pont, president of the Delaware Button Company regarding the question of someone having tampered with the meter at the plant, which was considered at last week's meeting of the board. The reply received was that Mr. du Pont was away and that the matter would be brought to his attention upon his return the latter part of the week.

The application of Dr. H. R. Spruance of Eighth and Lombard streets for meter service was granted.

Registrar Grohe's collections for June were $1,276.77.

The weekly payroll of $869.81 was passed. At present there are ninety-eight men on the roll.

The contract for laying a cement sidewalk on the east side of Franklin street from Tenth to Twelfth was awarded to the A. S. Reed and Brother Company at $1.27 per square yard. Simmons and Brother's bid was $1.48, $1.35 and $1.33 per square yard.

BILL HELD UP.
Water Commission Thinks it is Being Overcharged.
Street and Sewer Department Asked $1663.10 for Repairing Flooded Streets.

When a number of bills were being given a second reading at the meeting of the Water Commissioners yesterday afternoon President Betts of the board had one taken out of the batch and said: "I don't think we will agree to pay that."

The bill was from the Street and Sewer Department, a charge of $1,663.10 for repairing streets which were damaged as a result of the bursting of the reservoir at Eighth and Rodney streets some time ago. After the other bills had been read by Commissioner Pyle and passed on motion of Commissioner Jones the matter of the disputed bill was discussed and all agreed that the charge for the work was excessive.

The itemized statement was as follows: To repairing and resurfacing Broome street from Tenth to Pennsylvania avenue, $640; to repaving and resurfacing Pennsylvania avenue from Broome to Van Buren streets, $1,023 total, $1,663.10.

All agreed that the account was an unreasonable charge for the work and also that $500 would be ample compensation to the Street and Sewer Department.

Finally the commissioners decided upon a course of action as embodied in a resolution in effect as follows: "That the bill rendered by the Street and Sewer Department is excessive; that $500 is considered ample compensation for the work; and that the matter be referred to Chief Engineer Bond to communicate with the Street and Sewer Department."