The daily gazette., 1879-03-17

iutc Auu pressing nee, Ssty, IoI INC erec-
tion of new county buildings.
Shall the present Legsla' ure to whom
the evidence has been presented, and
whose duty 1t 10 to provide q remedy
perform that duty like men, or shrinx
from II, and cast it upon their successors?
THE BILL FOR REMOVAL APPROVED.
The bill now before the Legislature,
providing for the removal of the seat of
justice TO Wilmington is judicious, pru-
dent and economical. II directs the Levy
Court 10 borrow such money as may be
necessary for the purpose, not exceeding
$50, 900, at a rate Of interest not exceed
ing per cent; .forbids the Levy Court to
expend Cor land ami buildings more than
$4,000; requires them to advertise for
proposal IS, and let out the work and ma
terials by contract to the lowest aud best
bidders-with the right reserved to reject
unsuitable bids.
The City of Wilmington Is authorized
to donate the land required for the build
lngs, and the Levy Court Is prohibited
purchase o; land.
county ever hope for any plan by which
/ bilC HCCuCd CudlSc Cdh DC nduC uuuCI
more favorable conditions
| The land is to cost the county nothing.
If the people of Wilmington are not will
ling at the proper time to furnish suit
able site, let them forever after hold their
peace, aud this ancient controversy as to
the location OF the Courthouse will end,
never again to be revived.
$4,000 is the utmost limit-but If on
full examination any less sum shall be
found by the Levy Court to be sufficient,
then only that amount will be expended.
The buildings are to be erected by con-
tract, and the cost 10 full completion will
be fixed before the work is begun. Un-
der such circumstances there can be no
ground to apprehend thai the Levy Court
will violate The law which expressly
limits their power, or that the next Leg
islature will be asked to allow further
expenditure for this purpose.
Labor and materials are lower now
than for many years, and there is no rea-
son to suppose that the same amount of
money will have greater purchasing
power in the future.
The limit in the rate of interest g per
ct.) is less than we in this State have ever
known until very recently, but there Is
ground to hope that this loan may be
placed at even lower rate.
But supposing that the whole amount
allowed by The bill shall be expended,
and that the rate of interest shall be the
highest, SO, 500 will be the annual inter-
est.
/ For 1878 the county assessment was,
in round numbers, $40, 1852, ,000-the rate
for county and poor taxes SO cents on the
$l00-making the tax STAG ,466. Add to
this rate cent on the $40, and you have
sufficient TO pay the interest on the pro-
posed loan, and provide sinking fund
of $56S each year.
Is cent adaed 10 80 such burden as
to frighten the Legislature and the peo-
pie from their convictions of right and
duty?
The rate for 1875 and 1875 was 40
cents.
County Treasurer Herbert Ga large
property owner in the city of New Cas-
tie, and all ardent opponent Of removal,)
proposes to add 10 cents to last years
rate, and declares in his annual state
ment, published few weeks since, that
tsa tax rate of 46 cents Oh the 500 levied
for the present year, would pay the ex-
penses of the county and pay the entire
debt of, both bonded and floating"
Where will you find county in the
United States financially more prosper
ous, or in better condition to incur the
small debt required for the erection of
building, necessary for the preservation
OF its records and the transaction OF It's
bus ness?
When will come the time that the
County will have in bank SIT, 900, or any
other sutfi aient sum, for which there
shall he found no other Use than TO erect
new County buildings? No such time has
ever beeu the past, or ever will be In the
future
provement out of the tax of a single
year.
The small debt that it will be necessary
to incur, will be funded on easy terms,
and paid Off at our convenience, when
the times are more prosperous and taxes
less burdenhome.
The saving of expense in mileage and
attendance of witnesses in criminal
cases from Wilmington and tue adjacent
Hundreds will, it is estimated by careful
aud competent Judges, amount to near
ly as much as tue interest on the
debt.
The refusual of the present Legislature
to sanction removal, will be to pronounce
Judgment in favor of New Castle as the
cept 1t !; and in view OF the condition of
the present buildings, the presentations
of Grand Jurles, aud the reproaches of
the Court and the people, they will be
T obliged, before the next meeting of the
Legislature, to expend upon The old
buildings, or in the erection of new ones,
such sum of money as will etfectually
: defeat the wishes of three-fourtns OF the
people of the county for removal.
This the Levy Court may lawfully do
without any further legislation.
To refuse to pass the bill for removal,
) and to pass one prohibiting the spending
of money for the extension aud repair OF
the old building, or the erection Of new
one at New Castle, would be to establish
and perpetuate by law a public nui-
sance.
Senators and Representatives of Kent
and Sussex In this matter of purely To-
, cal concern, which can never cost your
people one dollar, will you Weld to the
. wishes of a majority of the members from
!, New Castle County IN both branches OF
The Assembly, and of an overwhelming
r majority of the people of that county. OF
: with you, by your refusal, furnish the
most potent weapon ever welded against
: the present system of representation In
the Legislature?
j. MORTON POOLE IL. 5. McCoMB,
GEO. s. CAPELLE, CHAs. IL. LORE,
| n.