Daily Republican., 1883-04-30
The Water COmmissiOn Hitch.


mission, appointed after the most ap
proved pattern of Democratic non-par
tisan legislation. That Commission has
organized according to law, Mr. Payn
Yer drawing the two year term, Mr..
Rodney the four year term, and Mr..
Porter the six year term, Mr., Paynter
has been chosen President Of the Com
mission and Mr.. Bond has taken his
place as Secretary. So far, so good.
What next? Just this. Wilmington
has Water Commission complete in
every part, but like a ship without a
rudder, it has no money can have nc
money until the first of January next,
and it has not the power to negotiate
loans except for certain specified pur.
poses. The City Council is just as ef
fectually debarred by law from provid,
ing money for the use of the Water De.
partment either by loans or by levying
taxes The first meeting in May the
Finance Committee of Council is re,
quired to present an estimate to Coun-
Gil of the amount of money needed TO
carry on that part of the city govern
ment yet left in the hands Of the people.
These estimates will in all proba bility
be presented, but amongst them will
not be-indeed cannot be, the usual es-
innate of about forty thousand dollars
for the Water Department. This APP
preparation is what the city had to de-
pend upon to keep the Water Depart
ment in operation from the first of July
to the first of January, but this year is
Department has been made by law
entirely an independent part of the
city government. 1t is disconnected in
every manner from the least control by
the city government. 1t is in reality
Independent and intended to take care
Ct itself. The City Council cannot hell
it even if it desired to do so. The law
that created the Water Commission
tied the hands Of the City Council, and
the same law ties the hands Of the
Water Commission SO tight that it can
not borrow money for any other purpose
than for repairing and enlargng the
water works.
Here is a pretty condition of affairs i'll.
deed We are at the commencement OF
probably dry, hot summer but with
the danger of being without water
The Lobdell Car Wheel Company, with
which President Paynter is connected +;
the Nulcanized Fibre Company with
which Mr.. Rodney is connected, and
the j. Morton Poole Machine Company
Of which Mr.. Porter is President, are all
in danger of water famine, though the
Brandy wine may be OVertiowing with
water
This threatened water dearth, we are
free to say, is attributed to no fault of
the Water Commissioners They would
no doubt give the city an abundance OF
water if they had the means with which
10 do it. But without these means no
Water Commission, however able, how
ever organized, can provide What is
to be- done in this emergency is yet to
be revealed.
Who is 10 blame for this bungling
job Not the Water Commissioners.
Not the City CouuCil-especlally the
Republican members Of it, nor the p"o-
pie Of Wilmington III general. Who
then ? Here is .he answer. a few schcIn-
ing Democratic politicians OF Will
mingtOn, at the head whom, head and
shoulders above all the rest stood II. Il.
NCIntIre, the great political boss Of the
Democratic party. Paid some three or
four hundred dollars by tlr, City CoLn-
eli % Wilmington to lobby through the
Water right bill which compels the city
of Wilmington to pay sixty thousand
dollars for two water rights upon the
Brandywine, he more than performed
the work assigned him, but in addition,
to him more than to any other man i,
to be attributed the influence which die
81 Ia. ktIl I,l
the fatal omission of providing money
10 carry it on, which will make 4 adeau
letter from the start unless the Com
mi-roners % down in their own pork-
cts and provide money. trusting 10 the
next Legislature to pass a bill SaddIimg
the debt upon the city. How was Nh"
Water Commission bill passed To all
intent, and purposes, for all the cItl-
h,n- uf Wilmington knew about what
II contained, it might AZ well have been
. private act and passed in "A star cham
Der Legislature, II Was carried around
til" STATE ti"u>r alternately in the pork-
fL VI II. u M'ln'IIt ana III Ihr packets
Of q few trusted leading members Of the
Legislature under promised Obligations
not to 0et Il reporter ot the press see il.
when Introduced il was rairJadrd
througI with almost lightning rapidly.
The interests of Mr., McIutirc demand
ed urgency and secrecy. Even Senator
Bettg, Chairman uf the Committee on
Legislation for cities and towns was not
permitted to see the bill, and when it
CAM b. the Senate it was offered By a
r"rpucratlc member, read first and
snrunl tIne and next day pnt through
without giving an opportunity for th"
Wilmington Senator to see its provi-
.on- II was requisite that it should
t." pu' through in hurry. Delay might
b" fatal Copies of almost every bill