The daily gazette., 1879-02-05
! SECOND EDITION
0 PPOSED TO HIGH TAXES

perty owners was held in +. +. Frazer's
office, second story of the Telegraph
Building, Third and Market streets, last
evening, at 7.30 o'clock. The attendance
was very good, and by the time the meet
ing was fairly under way, the room was
crowded to its utmost capacity. Those
present were all property-owners, large
and small, and among the number were
Col. Ii. S. McComb, Gregg Chandler,
Milton Lackey, Thomas McCorkle, Chas.
McClo,key, Philip Plunkett, Philip
Quigley, Edward Darlington, General
many others.
Tie meeting organized by calling Mil
ton Lackey to the chair and appointing
Geo. II. RObinette, Secretary.
Mr.. Owen Trainor moved that COM
mittee of five be appointed to draft reso-
lutions expressive of the sense of the
meeting. Adopted. Committee, Messrs.
Thomas McCorkle, Charles McCloskey,
Edward Darlington, Philip Quigley, VIM.
l.. Gilbert.
The committee retired, and after a
short absence returned and reported the
following:
WHEREAS, 1t seems to be tho policy of
the City Council of Wilmington (no mat
ter which party is in poaer,) to run the
city in debt, by applying to the Legisla-
ture at nearly every session, for an act to
increase the city uebt by funding sums
unwisely and Unnecessarily contract ed
thereby swelling our debt within a few
years TO 81 ,250, 900, with floating debt of
$l70,0O0 which never should have been
created and which should and ought to
be paid by taxes and by curtailing our
CITY expenses.
Therefore we are opposed to anv law
allowing the city or the Board of Educa-
ton to borrow more money on any pre-
| text whatever.
Resolyed, That in our opinion the sala-
ries of all city officials and the current
expenses ought to be reduced, which
would very soon pay off the floating del
RESOLVED, That we are opposed to the
Water Committees renOrt, believing that
our facilities for getting plentiful sup
ply are sufficient to last for at least twen-
ty-tive years, or even nifty years, with
some additional basins and pumps. We
believe that the cry of impure ,cdter is a
delusion and although our city has been
somewhat unhealthy for ashort time past
we challenge contradiction when we
state that we have no more sickness than
the country, and not 80 much as many
other towns and cities and we further
believe orr drinking water is more pure
than in a majority of other cities, and we
are opposed to establishing water works
up the Brandywine.
1st. Because it is unnecessary and the
expense will be immense.
ID. Because the injury done to water
powers below the works would be great
and subject the city to many suits and
the payment of heavy damages; we think
the Council by vigilance may protect the
wafer in a great measure from impurities.
Sd. Because we are In favor of rigid
economy and opposed to laying. at this
time, additional burdens on the people.
Resoiued, That we respectfully, but ear
nestly, request the Legislature to act with
great deli beration before they impose ad-
ditional burdens on our people.
Resolged, That we are opposed to the
bill of the Board of Education, exempt
its members from personal liability for
BITS incurred beyond their income. II
men accept positions aud abuse their
trust they ought to be liable. Do your
duty or resign ought to be the rule.
Mr.. John w. Hawkins, moved that the
resolution be adopted.
Mr.. David Lemon called for the views
of Col. McComb.
In response Col. McComb said the
prosperity of Wilmington was matter OF
great interest to her people, and it was an
indisputable fact that the lower the taxes
were, the more prosperous The people
would be. He cited the cities of Eliza
beth, N. j., and Memphis, Tenn, whose
bonds had gone to protest, simply on ac-
count of excessive taxation. He claimed
tina the present water supply of Will
mneton was sufficient for the next
twenty years, even ii the growth of the
city should prove more rapid than during
the past twenty years. There is a greater
supply now than the business interests
can utilize, aud when the business inter
ests d mand, it will be time enough tC
increase the supply, as the work coulc
be done as cheaply then as now.
Col. McComb asserted that in his
opinion the drinking water of Whining
ION was pure enough for all uses, as ever
if it was infected by deleterious substance:
up above, it would purify itself by the
time it flowed down to tide water. He
said now is not the time for all increase
OF taxation, and hoped the people would
refuse to have all increase for any suel
schemes as the one proposed by the
Water Committee.
Col. McComb's remarks were greeted
with hearty applause.
Mr.. G. W. Crawford thought the recent
sudden action of Council was all wrong
and he hoped the people would go agains
increased taxation. To keep down tax
alton was to the interest of the working
man as well as the capitalist, and he
hoped the resolutions would pass and be
presented to the Legislature.
Gen. Jordan thought this movement
had been commenced wrong. The peo
pie should have risen in their might {
few months ago, at the city election, ant
placed the right kind of men in Council
lie did not think the Council would carr
now for the protests of the people, AM
was afraid the Legislature would pas
whatever act was asked for by the Coun
ell. He hoped a proper committe
would be app inted to convey the reso
lul ions to Dover.
ii. j. Garel claimed that the men VIII
paid the taxes should be allowed to spen
Them, and therefore the men who pay n
. city taxes should not be permitted t
vote for members of City Council.
: Mr.. Dorsey opposed the scheme {
, leavifg tidewater for the city's waite
supply. He thought the met ting ha
b tier confine itself to the question of ri
straining the Legislature from passin
the bill now before the City Council.
Mr.. Philip Plunkett claimed that tn
lpresent water supply was pure enoug