The daily gazette., 1883-03-15
DOVER'S ANGRY DADS.
THE GAS TURNED OFF AND
POLICE DISCHARG ED.
SPEAKER BATES ON STATE DEBT.
Work OF the Legislature-The City Charter
Before COmmittee--Dover's Town Coun-
Gil to be Asked to Resign.
rspecial correspondence Of tne Gazette. J

Tuesday has since then become greatly In
tensifed. Yesterday President Day, acting
by order of the Town Council, which is en-.
ragged that its bill was not passed, turned off
the gas from the street lamps and discharged
the police. Last night the town was In
darkness, and what little protection the
"police," who are like the Wilmington
force in that they are never seen, gave to
persons and property is gone. There is
great deal of excitement In town over the
matter, and no one yet seems to know just
what the Legislature ought to do. All
action on the bill, 1t will be remembered, was
postponed until the citizens could agree.
A call has been issued, signed by "The
People," for a town meeting tomorrow
night to endeavor to reach some conclusion.
The meeting will no doubt be IKE some of
the meetings of Wilmington's City Council,
and lively and interesting time is expected
by dislnterested parties. 1t is stated that an
effort will be made to put through a resolu
ton calling upon the Town Council to re-
Sign, and no doubt rare exhibition will be
afforded.
THE STATE DEBT DISCUSSED.
In the House yesterday afternoon Speaker
Bates called Mr.. Perry to the chair, took the
1oor and offered the following:
ResoEUed, That In the opinion of the House 1t
is undesirable to have the State debt proper re
duced below the amount due to the State upon
the two railroad mortgages held by 1t and that.
after the bonds of the State above that amount
are paid, there should be such reduction Of tax
ationas may judiciously be made TO avoid i'm
posing unnecessary burdens upon the people of
the State to accumulate surplus which Is not
needed.
Resolved, That the Committee on Ways and
Means be and they are hereby requested to re-
port 10 the House what Legislation, If any, is re-
quired at the present session respecting the
finances.
Mr.. Bates stated In the outset of speech
ON the resolution that he had offered it for a
reason which the resolution itself explained.
After speaking of the desirablity of not re-
ducing the debt of the State less than the
amount of the mortgages held by the State
against the j. q B. and B. & f. railroads
(S600, ,000), which were amply secured, ex-
cept as the payment on these mortgages re-
duced it. Mr.. Bates called attention to the
fact that the certificate of indebtedness held
by Delaware College for $4,000 was the
amount received from the general govern
ment for education purposes. He went on
to say that the State holds ,275 shares of
Farmers Bank stock, the value of which was
given by the State Treasurer at $50 per
share when It was $50; and 90 shares OF
stock of the National Bank of Delaware, the
value Of which-1gas neaEer $685. per share
than $465, which would make the total value
about $87 900, or $4 900 more than the amount
due Delaware College. A proposition which
might be worth considering would be to take
the securities and set apart trust fund for
Delaware College. This would wipe off the
books debt of ST., 900 and an asset of $S7,-
000 There is bond of the State held by
the school fund resulting from the sale OF
p, w. g. B. bonds, which amounts to $685.
900. 1t now occurs, what is to be done for
the schools This bond is fixed to run 90
years from now. 1t is a question whether
to increase the bond from which revenue is
derived or TO increase the appropriation
from year to year. If the Delaware College
indebtedness were arranged as suggested
and this school bond paid off the State would
be practically out of debt
Mr.. Bates went on to say that the question
now was what shall we do with the surplus
revenue which will be rolled up in the next
two years2 The expenses and expenditures
of the State should be carefully estimated
before anything is done in the way of max
| ing appropriations, or in fact before any
action is taken with reference to matters
affecting the finances of the State. Were 1t
not for the investments which the State
holds, NOTABLY the $500, 900 in j. & B. and
| B. & F, mortgages-he (Mr. Bates) would
be In favor of paying off the debt as rapidly
as possible. But this generation has done a
great deal in the way of reducing the debt
of the State, Gas much as it should) and
we are going on to give to posterity, not
only clean balance sheet but the 5000, 900
of railroad mortgages, as well.
Mr.. Bates remarks were attentively
| listened to and as no member had any re-
marks to make on the subject the resolution
was, by request, laid on the table,
Inquiry was made as to what had become
of the estimate of probable receipts and ex-
| penditures which had been asked by resolu-
| ton of the House of the State Treasurer,
but nothing had been heard of them.
DoINGs IN THE HOUSE.
The passage of the bill to devote the rro-
/ ceeds of the Potter estate to the free schools
of Kent county, In the House yesterday,
| telegraphed to the GAZETTE, took place
after lively debate. The bill was ably sup
| ported by DR.. Watson and DIR. Lewes,. the
former making a lengthy and able argument
| In favor of devoting the money received
from the land for educational purposes.
Under the will the money is to be devoted
to the Support, maintenance and educa-
tion of the poor of Kent county," and SO
far, through many years, no one except
lawyers have been able to get any benefit
from the bequest. 1t was quite a victory
for DR.. Watson, who introduced the bill
Other bills were passed as follows: to
| change the place for holding the town cleo
ton; TO increase the term Of mayor of New
Castle from the next election from one to
three years; to authorize new school house
in Delaware City; Senate supplement to the
charter of Lewes; House amendment to the
charter of the Sussex Midland Railroad
Company (with amendments prohibiting
the crossing of the Junction q Breakwater
tracks, making the termini within half a
mile of Bridgeville and Georgetown and
requiring that the road be commenced
within one year and completed, barring litiga-
tton, within three years and be fenced on
both sides;) House amendment to the oyster
law (under suspension of the rules. This
bill prohibits non-residents from dredging
natural oyster racks in the Delaware bay. }
Joseph Vaughan petitioned for the enact
ment of a law to enable him to locate GER
tain vacant lands in Little Creek and Broad
kill hundreds, Sussex county, "at the head
of Folks mill-pond," and George W. Whit
taker, to be transferred from District 70 to
72, Kent county.
The bill to amend Chapter go, Revised
Code, in relation to roads to equalize
road taxes, to make the commissioners
pay back to incorporated towns one-hali
of the road taxes collected in said towns
was lost by vote of to I.
WHAT THE SENATE DID.
In the Senate bills were introduced ant
, read as follows House bills, to amend
! chapter 21l, vol. Is, Laws of Delaware
changing the time of dredging for oysters
to repeal chap. a7s, vol. 10, Laws Of Della