The Wilmingtonian., 1885-07-18
IMPEACH THEM.
They Knew Their Duty but They
Did il Not.

listing statutes, but we were credibly in
formed during the past week that at the
time the contracts were given to the Pusey,
Jones s. Co., (of which company ex-Com-
missioner Gibbons was president) that Mr..
Gibbons asked whether the contracts could
be legally given to company in which a
Water Commissioner had pecuniary inter
est and to this query president Porter said
''that was all right"
The law defining the duties of the Board
of Water Commissioners is so plain that the
wayfaring man, though he be fool could
not fail to comprehend its provisions.
Section of the act establishing Board
of Water Commissioners for the City OF
Wilmington directly and distinctly states
that:
"Each member of said Board shall, be-
any oath required to be taken by other mu-
nicipal officers, take and subscribe and file
in the office of the mayor Of the said city,
an oath or affirmation that he will faithfully
perform his duties as Water Commissioner
of said city, and that he will neither be con-
cerned or interested pecuniarily in any con
tract for work or materials furnished for or
about the erection, construction or repairs
of said water works while a member of
said Board.'
In the issue of THE WILMINaToNIAN Of
the 18th inst. we demonstrated by the rec
ords of the Water Department, that from
March 10Th, 1886, until the day in which ex-
Commissioner Gibbons was superseded by
Mr.. Carmichael, that contracts had been
given to Pusey, Jones & Co., amounting TO
two thousand three hundred forty-six dol
lars and thirty-six cents ($2, 346.36) in di-
rect violation of the provisions of the act
which says ''nor shall be given to any firm
in which any member of the Board shall
have pecuniary interest,"
The evidence can be adduced that the
Board of Water Commissioners sinned
knowingly, and shining knowingly, they
sinned wilfully.
If the Board of Water Commissioners are
superior to the law, then their defiance of
the law can be understood; but if they are
amenable to the law, then their iawlessness
must not, shall not go unrebuked.
A willful violation of oath of office on the
nf o,,J
outlines very definitely the duty of Mayor
Rhoads and City Council in this matter.
Mayor Rhoads very discreotly retired Com
missioner Gibbons, but Mr. Gibbons con-
freres still remain, and the pertinent ques-
tion is, what shall be done with Messrs
Porter and Febger?
Section not only presoribes the oath of
office for the Board of Water Commission
ers, but it also defines the penalty for viola
tion of said oath, and states that:
''Any member of said Board may be re-
moved for cause, by the Mayor of said city,
with the concurrence of two-thirds of the
whole City Council"
The pulpit may plead for correct methods
of living, and the press may decry all forms
of evil, yet, it will be of no avail if malfea-
Tsance in official life is to be condoned.
The school treasurer ktdnaps the funds en-
trusted to him and then skips; the Board of
Water Commissioners violate their oath of
office and detiantly turn to the people and
say in the language of the late Commission
er Tweed: '!What are you going to do
about it?'' These conditions do not con-
serve public morals, and our only safety lies
in holding officials TO severe accountable
ty for their stewardship.
Messrs Porter, Febiger and Gibbons also
took a solemn oath that they individually
and severally would be governed in theil
acts in the Board of Water Commissioners
by Section VIII, which states that:
"The doing of all work and the furnish.
ing Of all materials and supplies for the
water works shall be let out by the Board
of Water Commissioners to the lowest and
best bidder. Notice that the Board will re-
ceive proposals for such work, materials OIL
supplies shall, in all cases, be published al
least five times, the last publication to be al
least three days before the opening of the
bids in two papers of the city of Whining
ton. Such notice shall stats the kind and
amount Of the work to be done or furnished
the place whore, and the period within
which, the bids will be received"
1t is on record that the old Board of Wa
ter Commissioners gave out thousands anC
thousands Of dollars in direct violation o
the above section.
Laws are to be obeyed by the rich as vel
as by the lOwly, and the time is now a
hand for the law to lay its unrelentin!
grasp upon Water Commissioners Porte
and Febiger, bring them to the bar of jus
tice to plead guilty or not guilty for NAL
feasance in office.
1t is reported upon unquestionable au
thority that president Porter said durnj
the past week that ''he did not care a.
what comments were made upon him." bu
this much eau he said when an official al
lects to treat with contempt comment
upon his mal-administration of publ
trusts, it is time for the commonwealth I
assert its ureopatiye: impeach the unfaithfI