Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-08-06
AT LOGGERHEADS.
THE STREET AND SEWER d.
REcToRs DISAGREE.
james Murray Stands in the Way OF a
Traisi of the Money Belonging to
tho COmmlssion-Resoluti
Offered.

A special meeting of the Directors ,
the Street and Sewer Department Wa
held last night to take action on the pr,
posed transfer of the money belong M /
the commission from the Union nj
tioDal Bank to the Security Trust an
Safe Deposit Company of Wilmington.
President Carpenter set the ball rol
ng by offering the following resolution.
whereas, AT sundry public meeting
held In the city. OF Wilmington durin
the winter Of 1897, to take into consider;
tion tho subject Of sundry reforms in th
management of city affairs, 1t was u
mously resolved (among other TINS
That there be bill prepared lor presenta
tion to the General Assembly (then Il
session at !Jover) creating board OF dl
rectors of the Street and Sewer Depart
ment to take charge OF the streets an,
sewers of our city and to conduct the cit
work on business principles entirely fire.
from politics. Said bill was duy prepar
ed an received tie endorsement of
very large majority OF the people who par
the revenues into the city treasury. an,
upon Its presentation 10 the Legfpiatur
IT passed both houses by the require,
majority and became q law April 20
1857.
whereas, Said bill gave to the sail
board OF directors all the Jurisdiction ant
control over the streets and sewers and
sundry matters that Council previousl,
had. 1t contained clause which saws,
| Inc moneys and revenue received by the
Street and Sewer Department shall be de.
posted to the credit of said department IN
such bank in Wilmington as it shall de .
eide upon.
Nv hereas, Immediately upon the pas.
sage tie aforesaid act there was pass
ed u supplement (being chapter IS9, vol
ume IL, Laws of Eelaware) repeating
section OF said act Gin SO far as /. relat-
ed to the funds OF said Department.,
which compelled the directors OF the
Street and Sewer Department to deposit
It's money In auch bank "a shall from
time to time bo the depository OF the 9TH
er city funde.
"Whereas, Said act creating the Board
OF Directors OF the Street and Sewer De-
partment compelled the said board TO
give security in the sum of Sy0, 900 before
their appointments would be complete
for the faithful discharge of their duty
according to said act and their oath Of
office.
Whereas, Sail directors recognize
the injustice inflicted upon them BY com
pellin4 them TO bond in such a large
sum and at the eaue time removing
their funds from their control, which is
an implication Of their inability to care
for them. They at the legislative session
OF 1889 prest nted bill for the repeal of
chapter 1S9, volume II, Laws of Della
ware. eaii Lill not meeting with favor
by the chairman of the committee in
whose bands It was placed it was not re-
ported for consideration, but was allowed
to die In commit ee, II being opposed by
the most powerful lobby that ever ap-
peared In the legislative halls OF Della.
ware. Failing to have our b'il reported
(although ut all times there was "a ma.
lority Of both houses in iavur OF ~ 1t
pas, ed in another form as an amend ment
TO bill vacatlng G street which was then
before tho Legislature.
''Wherfas, SAID Till vacating g street
With Its amendment passed both houses
u the Legislature with the required ma !
ority on April 20, 1889, and lie now law,
he funds of the Street and Sewer Depart. |
nent are now under the control of said
Il apartment to deposit where they NAV
lesire, ss intcnded by the act creating
laid del artment.
Nv hereaE, The sum now about to
ONE under our control amounts to some
loO, 600 annual y, vey large deposit OF
uelic money to lay idle In any institu-
ion for its benefit.
"Whereas, II is the desire OF this de-
arment. acting for the public good, TO
i've the people the grea est returns for
be burdensome taxation they have en-
ured for years with very little of a per-
lament character to show for 1t In tire
ray of improved streets and sewers
whereas, The interest on our average
alances In bank at 8 and per cent.
mount to yery large sum annually.
nj the only way this can be saved for
he use of our department is by deposit ,
2 our money In some trust co nnany {
hat pays interest on deposits. :
Therefore, be it resolved by the
card of Directors of the Street aud
ever Department that all moneys and ,
for current expenses of ,,
aid dep rlment be eep- sited In the &C. !
lrity Trust and Safe Deposit Company
Wilmington, Delaware"
All aloug 1t has been known that Mr.. !
urray, member OF the Street and i.
ever Commission, sfas opposed to the :
ans'er Of the money, $l20, 900, from the
non National Bank, ami as no trans.
r could bs made without his signature !
! the check, Il lively tiue was ex. .
I
ons Mr.. Murray said lie supposed there
as no room for discussing them, when h
resident Carpenter assured Lin that S
cre was plenty. Mr.. Murray thtn Id
at he had 1t from mem er Of the Leg
Iature that the bill authorizing this re-
oval oi The money was Illegal, it hay- Ii
z bten reported i'll 0 Senate and WAS II
definitely postLonGd. President Car s.
inter, tnterrupiiBg, said: IL beg par. e
M tho bill dividing the money among II
e several banks WAS Indefinitely post Il
med but tLis bill WAS not" Il
Mr.. Murray then asked how much the U
terest would amout to IN q yearl To u
Itch Mr.. Carpente er iepli,d, about y
600. g.
Mr.. Murray wanted to know Why the q
gersl banks wero not asked for bids OF
: the money, to which President Car II
nter replied, that Natio:al Bank do IN
t pay inter, st on deposits, and Mr.. re
wthrop agreeing said that If they Il ID OF
would open way to pay interest on
posts. The resolutions, he thought,
re ebaut right. Pre- ident Carpenter .
d that the Union Bank had all the Ye
syers 1t could hire and now sellshly pa
nted to keep all the city's money, and !. T.
} OF the Union Bank men tried to ~
end the or. inal act creating this de. to'
tment. -
ir. GAwthrop sal1 that neither hIm- on
nor Mr.. Carpenter were interested in " oe'
Security Trust and Safe Deposit Com ~
". II The funds were to be placed In
other bank the people would talk of
nd co; dtmn the action.
fr. Murray then moved an amend DC
1t, hat the money be placed In the gu gu
on National Bank. tar
resident Carpenter somewhat excited, Cai
: : IsnsInlr L, thIa nitu oro,,..a. - ed |