The Morning herald., 1876-09-07
WILMINGTON. DEL. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER Z, 1876.

Err Z, 1876.
and to elevate It to the highest possible
standard, yet with all due respect believe,
gentlemen, there ought to be some limit ~
to tt cir expenditures.
Some of you gentlemen will remember
that not long ago the argument was held,
that the City Council could be compelled by
our Courts OF Law to comply with the de-
mands of the Board Of Public Education
and gentlemen what painful and lament,
able spectacle It would have been had not
Council wisely given way. II costly law
suit had been entered between two bodies
that ought to act harmoniously for the best
interests Of the city, no matter what body
would have been victorious, the same tax
payers would have had to pay considera-
Bile attorney fees and court expenses. Your
own wisdom and practical knowledge will
lead you to present such an enactment
and will not in the least interfere with the
efforts of the Board Of Public Education,
vet be Just to the taxpayers. In my opin-
lon fixed rate for per capita for the number
of average attendance would prove the
happy medium, and In this connection l
would also ask you to take into considera-
tion an enactment prohibiting any one gen
tlemen to occupy both positions as MEM
ber of the Board of Public Education, and
as member of Council at the same time.
Accidents may occur, they have heretofore,
that the duties of member Of the one body
had to be sacrificed while advocating the
claims of the other.
Another no less important matter, Is the
necessity OF having pure water. 1t Is
claimed that the enaetMents obtained from
the Legislature on this point are sufficient.
They are not gentlemen! The law prohibits
the letting in of any obnoxious, impure, Of
fensiye or poisonous matter In the stream
while it should read-that nothing of any
kind should be allowed to run or be emptied
into the stream, then every violation could
be punished.
As the law reads now, the prosecuting
attorney will have TO prove first that the
matter allowed to run into the stream Is In
reality offensive or poisonous.
Gentlemen An all-wise Providence has
gtyer plentiful supply of pure and whole
some water to man and the brute creation /;
and hold that no one, neither the richest
nor the most influential corporation along
the Brandywine or elsewhere, has right to
| pollute this greatest necessity of our exist
ence with the washings Of old rags or pois-
onous paints. =,
How many little ones sleep in their cold
graves in consequence Of impure water
The great Creator alone knows-not we.
How many weak and enfeebled constitu-
tions had their days shortened by the same
agency9 Who can tell their number
| Pardon me, gentlemen, If speak feelingly
on this subject. / think and feel, nay, am
convinced, that these conclusions are true
to their fullest extent. I beg Of you, gentle
men, to act speedily on this subject, for the
evil is increasing daily.
Yet, gentlemen, in our efforts to procure
pure water we must not overlook the fact
that the parties interested had prior claims
to the Brandywine. They are gentlemen of
high culture, and undoubtedly desire to do
Justice to their fellow citizens. If the proper
com nittee would fairly. state our grievances
in a spirit of Cancellation, some measure
could be devised to obviate the evil.
| Gentlemen: Thirteen months of experience
az presiding officer has convinced me, that
our present contract system is worse than
farce, It is q perfect swindle. For certain
kinds of work there are five straw bids tor
every legitimate proposal, and the conse-
ouepce is that some citizens refuse to enter
the field, who, under other circumstances
would be bona fida bidders. d. you doubt
that the city is thereby loosing considerably!
l do not GentlemenI Blank forms ought to
be furnished by the city. in which the work
to be done for the city ought to be so dis
tinctly stated, that there could be no room
left for misunderstanding +; In addition to
that, there ought to be space left for two
names as surieties, so that the lowest bidder
would be held responsible to enter upon the
contract. Then Gentlemen, we would
receive no straw bids, but we would estab-
lish fair and honest competition. You, no
doubt, Gentlmen, saw lately in the public
prints charges that proposals were tamper-
ed with, it will be your duty to guard against
any such occurrence. By . proper ordinance
you will render it impossible.
Not two weeks ago contract was en-
tered for certain work at 46H cents square
yard, while another bidder proposed to Dc
the same work at 40 cents. By mere tech.
nicality in the wording, the 40 ceht proposal
was rejected and the 46H cent proposal
adopted, and the work cost just 10 per cent.
more than 1t ought to cost. Hence you see
the necessity for printed forms. would
also call your Atten1loA w ono Pl"e''eO v,
having reports on important matters and Of
bills of considerable amount, without their
having been before the committee. 1t ID
proper for any member to refuse to sign
any report without due consideration and
public interest could be furthered, IF objec.
tions were raised here tothe adoption of any
such report. In conclusion, gentlemen
allow me to express the hope that all oul
deliberations may be conducted In that kind
spirit so bedtting public legislators and gen
tlemen.
When Mr.. Pickels, who was first to come
in, entered the circle slight demonstration
from the great number of men who had as
| ann hlnd "a witneas the 0rnQ Qnizati0n WA