Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1883-07-05
COUNCIL COUNCIL MEETING
THE TAX RATE FINALLY FINED
At SI.50.


cOunt for Disregard Nf Law
Council mot on Thursday in the Board
OF kduoation room, the Council chamber
being in a state Of renovation and repair.
Upon n favorable report of the Opening
Streets Committee, the deed of George w.
Bush for portions Of the bed of DnPont,
Chestnut, Scott, Lincoln, Union and Kim
streets WAS accepted.
Treasurer Pierce reported an overdeaft
of $24, 6s8.51.
Auditor Ball reported collections for the
week, as follows George w. Bush Il
Sons, wharf rent, $605; city sand sold,
$t4.50; total, &6l9. so.
The regular process Of overruing The
Auditors objections TO the Water De-
partment pay roll was then gone through
with vote, IL to 10.
Street Commissioner Zebley reported
~ men and six single teams employed,
with pay roll of $l6275.
Chief Engineer Coyle reported "a men
employed in the Water Department With
apay roll of $279.35.
Petitions and communications, as
follows, we're read aud referred From
Samuel I. Reeves, asking that the gutter
on the west side OF Jefferson, between
Second and Third streets, bs repaired !;
from John Countiss, asking that rs feet
OF guttering be done on Smear
man street from the Board OF
Health, enclosing a complaint OF
Btsgnant water caused by defective
guttering at Tweuty-seoond and Carter
streets from the Board Of Health, reso-
luton asking Council to have Spring
alley paved; from w C. R.6olquhoun, ask
ing tor the completion of the sewer at
Delaware avenue and DUPONT street !;
from Jaquett, Kelley and others, asking
for lamp on Taylor between Lomba
and Pine streets and the paving of that
square; from Seidel & Hastings and
others asking that some street north OF
Seventh and east OF Market, (and sug.
gesting that it be either Ninth, Tenth or
Eleventh street) be paved with Belgian
blocks before next winter.
Mr.. Garrett moved that the action of
last Saturday, regarding the condemna-
tion of certain streets in the Eleventh
ward be recousidered. Agreed to.
He then moved that the following
streets be condemned Eighth avenue,
from Brown street to the p, w. & B.
railroad. Anchorage street, from Fifth
to Seventh avenue. Coleman street, from
Stroud's line to Eighth avenue. Duncan
street, from Fifth to Eighth avenues.
Brown street, from Oak street to Eighth
avenue.
Mr.. Speakmap moved that Oak street
from Broome to Clayton be included in
this list.
There WAS some discussion on Mr..
Speakmans motion and some objection
thereto on the ground of the probable
expense the condemnation of that portion
OF the street running through Mr.. Bnsh' 4
ground wonld be likely to entail upon
the city. This objection searuing TO gcow
stronger as the discussion proceeded, Mr..
Speakman Withdrew his motion, and the
motion OF Mr.. Jarrett was adopted an
altered.
Mr.. Baugh offered tho folio wing resolu
tion
Resoloed, That the sum Of $1,000 be loaned
to each OF the following fire companies,
Water Witch, Weccacoo and phmniS, and
that 5000 be deducted every year from thoir
annual appropriations until the amount Of
the loan be liqtida.ed.
The Chair declared the resolution ont
of order at the present stage OF TIL. pr
oeedings.
The ordinance fixing the grad3 ii
Fourteenth street between the r., w. 4
B. railroad and Marsh lane was resd +
third tims aud passed, subject 10 the
approval OF the Mayor.
Council theu proceeded TO elect a Reg.
istrar OF Water. Tue vote resulted
Joseph A. Bond, IL; Blank, 2. MIR. Bond
WAS therefore duly declared re- elected,
Eight Democratic members ruiisinsd froI
voting.
Mr.. Pickels then called up Tor third
reading his ordinance amending the or.
dinanoe fixing the appropriations for til,
coming fiscal year.
MIR. Baugh moved to amend by making
the revised fire appropriation $27 BOO, In
stead of $2l 800, (this bring intended tC
include a loan Of. ~, 600 each to the Natsl
Witch, Weooacoe and Ph~uix companies.
Mr.. johnson said that, in order tbs
the members might understand til,
merits and legality of this question, h,
would suggest that the City Solicitor b,
given a hearing.
Mr.. Farrell objected.
Mr.. Taylor asked what use Il woul,i b,
as the Council had not needed the opiuioi
OF the City Solicitor in the Water Com
mission business.
The question Of inviting the Cit,
Solicitor to address Council upon thi
follows
Ayes-Esstburn, Garrett, Grub, Johu
SOL, Litzenbsrg, Miller, Pickels, Smith
Stevenson, SpsakDan, President Copra,
Ill.
Nles-Abele, Baugh, Blake, Denney
Farrell, Menton, Moore, McKenna, Murray
Newell, Tay lOr-11
Mr. Moore, it will bs seen, voted will
the d ,mocrats.
MIR Pckcls reiterated that no Law ye
will say thet Council has the right +
make any such appropriation as MIR
BAugh's motion contemplated.
Mr.. Garrett retorted that, whethe
legal or illegal, loans have been made +
fire companies by City Councils for tn
past 40 or 80 years, and this is the ilrs
time such action has been objected Ia
Furthermore, oOunoilmen had recent,
voted to loan these fire companies So, 90
each. 1t it is lawful to loan them So, COO
1t is lawful to loan them 80, goo each, Ii
hoped members would have the courage
either to refuse to make auy loan or t
make 1t $4,000 TO each of the three CON
panies.
Mr.. johnson would not vote tor loa
until it could he shown to him that
would be right in doing 30; but, If
should vote for any loan il should ON Ii
$1,000 basis. ....- .
Mr.. Farrell said that If IL was right I
make such a loan before the election
should bs right to- do SO after the election
Mr.. Baugh was willing to make IL
loan SO, 900 each and accepted an Ament
ment to his motion naming that sun
Ho thought Council could lawfully graz
this money to tn. fire companies a1
there will not be a word OF diasent fro
the people.
l air. Piokels. Loais made years a,
do not come within the same category
loans made Low. There was theu
law against them there is now. Ii Il,
IN motion is carried, shall certainly of
amendments to still further reduce u
Il appropriations 80 as to bring down Il
IA aggregate TO what 1t was before.
Ne, Farrell had been doing some fnsi
oial figuring and had passed up to Il
clerks desk a paper which, at Mr.. Ga
3 rett's desire, was now read for the i
.ls formation of Council generally and Il
Finance Committee in particular. 1t 3
forth that So, 600 could be loaned to II
fire companies and the tax rate still
1 kept down to $l.50, by Topping $40
from the sidewalks appropriation, stri
n ing out altogether the road to the riv
"a, ,000), the public square ($200) al
the Fourth street ($3, ,50O) appropriation