98 Chicago Bureau of Public Efficiency 



deposit is rung up the machine discharges a ticket, which is given 

 to the renter and on which his time "out" and "in" is subse- 

 quently stamped by an electric time stamp. On presenting his 

 ticket again to the cashier for refund, the amount of the latter 

 is supposed to be rung up and registered on a separate totalizer 

 in the machine. The cashier is thus accountable at the end of 

 the day for the difference between the total amount of deposits 

 and refunds respectively registered. If, however, when tickets 

 are presented for refund on which the charge to be deducted is 

 over 50 cents, the amount of charge is rung up instead of the 

 amount of refund, the cashier may easily "beat" the machine and 

 the Park Board by the difference between the two amounts. The 

 requiring of a deposit, even of 50 cents, as in the smaller South 

 Side parks, often precludes persons from renting boats who 

 would like to do so, and also fails to secure any better financial 

 control than is otherwise possible. With the aid of the police 

 boats, there should be but small loss from non-payment of 

 charges, even if no deposit were required, and the few boats 

 which might be "beached" could be brought in by the police boats, 

 as was formerly done, since they have been retained in commis- 

 sion even under the present system. 



It is therefore suggested (1) that deposits be no longer 

 required; (2) that tickets in books or on roll spindles be charged 

 to each boat cashier through individual ledger accounts; (3) that 

 the use of mechanical time stamps be continued in Jackson and 

 Washington Parks and extended to the smaller parks in order 

 to show on each ticket the time "out" and "in"; (4) that the 

 amount charged be entered on the ticket and the latter retained 

 by the park officials, the ticket discharged by the cash register 

 when the amount is rung up being given to the customer as a 

 receipt. In this way only one amount would be registered on the 

 tape in the machine, which should balance with the cash in 

 drawer and amounts shown on the tickets. The correctness of 

 the latter might easily be verified daily by an auditing clerk in the 

 central offices, since the time "out" and "in" and also the amount 

 charged are all stamped thereon. Cash registers much less expen- 

 sive would meet all requirements of such a system. 



