Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-04-08
TRUSTEES QUEER CLAIM
THE FANOY ALMsHOUBE OAR-
RAGE TO BE SOLD.
An Extra Pay Grab-Tbreo Trus-
tees OF the Poor with "Queer,,
Claims. ,'

There are now three claims in the
hands OF committee Of the levy conrt.
winch aggregate abont s 400 aud that
body IS asked to take favorable action on
the bllls in order thnt three members of
the building committee of the poor trus-.
tees may receive extra compf nsation for|
alleged services rendered In connectin,,
with the erection OF the new county
buildings at Hare's Corner. A fact which
makes the claims the more conspicuons
and perhaps their justice more auestjol,-
able, is that three other members of the
same committee, far better qualified 10
perform the duties, and who participated
in a greater part of the work will not ask
tnor receive any extra pay.
The committeeman who have presented
bills to the levy court are H. ID. Hick
man, now a representative of the tax-
payers, in the body which is asked TO
allow his claim. Thomas Bird. Chairman
of the Board of Poor Trustees. and
Milton Laekey. The members who have
served contemporaDeously ON the same
committee and will not accept extra nav.
are Trustees Nathaniel l.. Williams. J
Wilkins Touch and cx-Trnsfee James
Bradford The three last-named g..lrIr.
men do not believe any member OF tb,
board is entitled to it, taking the stand
that 1t comes directly Ia the line of th,ir
duty as public servants, whose coinpena,.-
ton is fixed by law.
A brief review of the circumstances
which have given birth to these clai,us
may be of interest just here, and they
are recited as given by one familiar with
all the transactions of the board for the
past 10 or ~ years. When it was decided
to erect new county buildings a COM
mittee of the trustees was appointed to
visit county institutions with the view
of obtaining ideas and suggestions which
might be utilized here.
They performed the task of visitation.
and the board later paid bill of about
$500 to cover the expenses OF their trav-
cling and incidentals. At the time the
committee wal named it was clearly un-
derstood that the members should not re-
ceive any extra compensation for services.
Just before the meeting of the last leRis-
lature, however, the board was surprised
at three bills being presented from the
three members named which aggregated
the sum given. There were items of
mileage, &C., which it is said were fully
covered by the $500 paid by the
board previously The presentation
OF these claims at once revived
the understanding that there was to be
no extra pay allowed and the bills were
quietly Withdrawn without much discus
sion and have sinceremained in obscurity.
At the last session of the Legislature an
act was introduced through the solicita-
ion of some one, making it obligatory
upon the Levy Court of this county to
pay the claims of the almshouse building
committee for the extra duty. Mr.. viii
!iams personally opposed the bill, and the
Legislature probably not wishing to take
such responsibility upon its shoulders
the provisions of the act, max
ng it discretionary with the Levy Court,
ls to whether or not claims of members
If the building committee should be al
owed. Under this act, which of itself
conveyed no power or authority that did
not exist, the claimants now press their
Eases before the levy court. The
payment of these bills is en-
1hatically and vigorously opposed by
he majority of the poor trustees, but as
hey have no direct jurisdiction in the
natter, they are helpless to defeat the
Icheme of the claimants, and as the
natter now stands it is simply question
If how many members of the levy court
will consent to saddle this illegihmate
lain on the taxpayers. One or two
members of the board have asked TO be
leard upon the matter before the court
axes action upon the matter and before
adds another burden upon the county's
)urse.
The act of the Legislature referred to
eads as follows ''That the levy court of
Sew Castle county, be, and is hereby
authorized and empowered, in the exer-
Use of its discretion, to pay TO the mem
'ers of the said building committee of
If tIha Trnqfaaa nf tha ..f Ne.
)astle county so much money as the said
ourt upon investigation, shall consider
he said building committee Justly and
quitably entitled to receive on account
4 the large amount of time and care re-
uired of and given by them, and the
lrge amount of expense necessarily in
urred, in and about the erection and
ompletion of the said new almshouse
nd insane department"