Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-15
rHE levy ooURr. 4
objections TO a Railroad Tunnel
The Tax Collectors Instructed
New nkrsdges Asked


O'clock with I'LL tho members except MIR.
Rothwell present and with President Shnll-
cross in the chair. The announcement that
the hlmshouse investigation committee
would make u report drew several people
t. tho court chamber, but no reference was
made TO the matter up to the time OF tho
courts adjournment.
Mr.. Mackey presented petition from
citizens OF White Clay Creek hundred for
bridge over Eagle run, on the turnpike
leading from Christiana and Stanton. The
matter was referred to committee consist
Ing OF Messrs. Mackey and Hannah.
An application was also presented asking
for bridge on the road Leading from New
Castle to Cherry Hill, but no action was
taken in the matter, innamuch rs thematter
should have come in the form OF u petition.
A committee consisting OF Alessrs. AIackey,
Eiaman, McCracken, Oheaifs, Taylor, Motri-
son and Grubb was appointed upon motion
of Mr.. Maekey to view the railroad arch on
the road leading from Ogletown to Newark,
near the bridge crossing SCOTS creek. The
railroad company Is preparing for the cree
ton of two arches under its road
bed at the place named, in place
of the single arched tunnel There
at present. Mr.. Maekey opposed the
construction of the double tunnel on the
ground that his constituents held that the
proposed spans, 10 feet Wide each, are too
narrow. Before the meeting Superinten-
dent Carter and a company's engineer, with
Its attorney, Senator Gray, presented draw
ings OF the proposed structure, and argued
that the double tunnel would be of nm ad-
vantage. The railroad offered to widen
the county bridge over Scott's Run, which
would cut out an objectionable curve in the
road and to assume control of the structure
In the future and keep 1t In repair.
Upon motion Of MIR. Hannah the road
commissioners of Mill Creek hundred were
n irnat In hpin hnir I-u fnp ant
before the courts next meeting.
AT noon the levy court adjourned until 2
o clock in the afternoon. The inquiry COM
mittees report will be presented when the
meeting reconvenes.
AFTERNOON sEssIoN--THE ALNIsHousE INvEs-
LEGATION Committees REponr = NOBODY
MUCH HuRT-soME REFORM IDEAS RECON-
MENDED.
Levy court reassembled in the afternoon
at 2 O'Clock and the committee to investigate
the charges of mismanagement, Nc, IN the
| trustees OF the poor administration OF the
almshouse was presented through its chair
man, MIR. Mackey. 1t follows in full:
40 The Honorable, The LeUy GOurt0f Ntlr
Castle County; The committee appointed
| by yonr body to visit and inspect the new
almshouse and investigate certain charges
| made against the same respectfully report:
That in pursuance of such direction they
| have held eleven meetings ut the said prem
| ises with the following result. BY way of
| premise the committee desire TO Gull
| attention to the difficulty under which they
| have labored. BY far the larger part of the
| charges so far as the Levy Court on this
committee are informed were not directly
| made by individuals stating facts, hut were
| founded on hearsay reports and hearsay
testimony for which no person cared to or
would be personally responsible. In the
| few cases which the committee have been
able to particuarize and truce with any
| dellniteness we have been confronted with
| the fact that any attendance before us must
| be,yolnntary and that We had no power or
| compulsory process, nor even ii We had,
| could we have administered u legal oath to
elicit the trust. The charges as stated in
| tho public press seem to be directed to the
| following points;
First Extravaganza In arranging md
| furnishing tho new county buildings.
"Second-Ihe furnishing of supplies by
| members of the Board of Trustees of the
| Poor.
"Third--Aetual dishonesty on the part Of
| some of the trustees.
"Fourth-G maIadministration of
/ the affairs of the trust.
| We will present the result of our investi-
/ gation in the reverse order of this arrange
/ ment.
"First-We have examined the accounts,
| vouchers and statements of the trustees OF
| the poor and find everything in n proper
/ condition. AS this Is more properly the
| duty OF the levy court, we do not think it
necessary to report more at large upon it.
i We find the houses and buildings, being
new, were, OF course, in good condition
clean and healthy. The inmates We're com
| Portable and orderly and we think 1t but
| proper TO say that SO far as our observation
| extended the superintendent MIR. Guthrie,
is TO be commended for the efficient dis
| chage of his duties.
i tsSannnd- Aa tn nnt,tnl diSbnnactv IN tha
| part of individual trustees, the charges are
| that three trustees respectively furnished II
| horse to the board and did so collusively
| with the owner, receiving part of the pur-
/ chase money, or being otherwise benefited
by the transaction. These were tho mem
bers from Red Lion, White Clay Greek and
ono member from Wilmington hundred. AS
to these changes the committee think expla-
| nations have been made which they feel
bound to accept. The members from Red
| Lion and White Clay Creek hundreds have
supplemented these with explanations
which are submitted with this report:
'In this connection we would state that
we invited the trustees of the poor to meet
with us on the Both day of September, and
mt such meeting laid before them the evil
dence we had obtained leaving it TO them
to institute such investigation as they
might think fiji.
"Other circumstances, such as T.. moving
not been sufficiently explained, and, while
they cannot say that the transactions were
eulpable, yet they would suggest that Il
further investigation be made by the trus-
tees of the poor.
"Third-As to the furnishing of supplies
by individual members, the committee find
this charge to be well founded. They haye
not been able to discover, however, that the
| public have in this way suffered my loss on
been subjected to any cXtortion. We cannol
sufficiently condemn this method OF doing
business, both MS being intrinsieally wrong
and also in violation of law upon eNamina.
ton of the books of ths trustees, how.
ever, we find the custom t.
have prevailed for many years
and that to Il much larger
extent formerly than OF late years
In this connection we would condemn thu
system by which the individual members
of the trustees draw what nre called leash
ORDERS" being in the value Of checks OF
the treasurer Of the poor and, 50 far rs w
can discover, unlimited MS to amount, u
the interests Of the public we think il
necessary legislation should be obtained IL
; prevent this.
! "Fourth-As to extravaganza in furniture
tho committee say, that in their Opinion
| tho public have received full value 70
i money expended. 1t is true that in tn,
, | opinion of individual members some par
| of the furniture Is unsuitable and rathe
, more costly than they would have pur
l chased, but they look upon this as u differ
, encc of opinion, and that il extends to bu
s u small part; the rest being appropriate ant
( proper for the purpose for which 1t wa
!, procured. Other charges have been mad
I, in the press as to the large quantities OF mea
: and bread which was greatly wasted ant
7 squnndered. Your committee find that n
h the time OF removal to the new buildings
s there being u large supernumerary fore
8 engaged, necessarily there were require,
/. larger supplies-this your committee be
lieve to be tho foundation for the said re-
ports. Your committee further report tina
they ADVERTISED in tho public press thu
u they would be ut tho almshouse on the %
II day of September and invited all person
II | having any specific charges uf complaint
l. | to make to appear before them; md thu
J. they met pursuant to such notice on thu
~ day, but 10 one appeared to present an
, such charges or complaints.
:. Your committee say further that Will
'r the general course of business is, as is ind
W Gated in the above report, open to adyers
rs transacted in accordance with law, yet W
nj think the public have been unduly excite
,s by anonymous charges and publications.
"fhe largely increased expenditures
:, the trust makes such charges easy and pul
VI lie suspicious not unnatural-althougl as
III matter Of fact we find the expenses to
e. within the amount of the appropriation.
''In conclusion we would say that wit
tho fullest desire to do our duty we hay
dcs pite tho vagneness of tho charges NJ
40. the difficulties surrounding us, examine
~ the facts without favor 10 anyone, but IN
= spirit of Justice to all, and have Gmhodii
y, the result In this report.
he lSignedl EDMUND lIkaIAN,
he Thomas w. MCGRAcKEN,