Weekly Delaware State journal and statesman. (Wilmington, Del.) 18??-18??, 1869-02-05
ONE MILLION DOLLARS.

II the present City Council keeps on
little longer it will soon win for itself
name Tor recklessuess that will vie with the
municipal legislation OF New York or the
more subtle corruptions of the Pennsylvania
Legislature. Indifference 10 the interests
of the people and wasteful expenditure OF
the public funds appear 10 have possessed
our city fathers of late to an alarming de-
gree. Indeed, they are getting so impatient
of all restraint upon their desires for money
that they are not content with clutching il
by the thousand as heretofore, but now
boldly tell the Legislature that they must
have II by the million. Bridges, in the in
terest OF town-lot-rings, must be built, and
streets leading 10 nowhere in PARTICULAR
unless il may be into some shrewd bust
ness operators pocket-are to be opened
and numberless other "pu5lic Improvement"
are 10 require all this public treasure, we
are told, in order that Wilmington may
march on in lis progressive career.
Will the people submit to these fine plans
and schemes 10 raise their taxes and squan-
der their money!
A year or two ago, we were told by the
Council--and their story was backed up by
long report from the Superintendent of
Water Works-that tic town might sud
denly burn down some day for want of a
sufficient supply OF water. The people be-
lieved the tale, became alarmed, and had
committees appointed at town meetings
called for the purpose of considering and
avoiding the threatened calamity, and every
measure of precaution was adopted that
seemed wise and proper at that lime. Mem
bers of Council debated, harangued, and
continued TO alarm the public mind with
prospective confiagrshon and all that sort
OF thing, until more water privilege should
be granted them, and more money provided
TO meet the expenses thereof. The Legis-
lature finally did grant the power and
money, upon the official request OF the
Council; but in the act II also provided ex.
perienced commissioners to expend the
money properly, when 10, all of sudden
waller became abundant, Councilmen held
their peace, and we heard no more OF terri.
BILE fires, dry hydranis and the parching
droughts with which our municipal rulers
terrified the people. None of those alarm.
ing fears and lorebodings have been realized
The clause oil the legislative enactment thai
deprived the City Council of the privilege
of lingering the tro hundred thousand dol
lars asked for and granted, and which
placed It's disbursement into the hands o
dlsinterested men, dispolled all municipa
misgivings and brought water in abundanc,
as II some magic power had called II forth
aud to this day we hear no more oil scarcii,
Of water, notwithstanding some of the cit,
basins are said to he constantly leaking llk,
sleeves.
So, we see II was not go much water as |
was money the Council wanted. Money
money, money, and having failed in getiinl
that, water was not Of much consequence
and the destruction of the peoples propert,
by conhagration has not very much disturb
ed them Of late.
II now comes up in another shape 4
cool million Is TO be obtained for genera
purposes, not because II IS wanted at all JUS
now, hut IL would be so Convenient to hare
about The municipal house, and dispense
free from Legislative interference or objeC
ton. Nice little arrangement this. truly
but we hope the General Assembly of Deln
ware will sec 10 it that Wilmington's in
terests and Wilmington's prosperity need n
such thing as a million dollars in bank 1
protect 1t. Dover is quite as nigh to Viii
mington as 1t used TO be, and two years hay
NO more days in them now than formerly