Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-07-18

1t " en Hha OWNERS hp'hrsu to
pay sax .,ke'y 10 Create u dc.
ficiL In the City Treasury.
8 Another bill that was quietly passed ut
\ the last session of the LeRis ature and
that materially Affects the interests of the
people OF Wilmington has Just come to
light. II Ia measure affecting city taxa.
Z alton, and the firss that was known o. it,
outside OF fhes, Immediately interested,
was when parties whose lands we're ex
empt from inxation by Its provisions In
formed the tax collectors WHEN they
came 10 pay their taxes. II was revela-
ton to the tax collectors, and the in
. quiriea they started resulted 10 bringing
"a certified copy o: the bill to light. The
ia text of the tiil Il as follows:
S. An Act to Exempt Certain Marsh Lands in
VI; the City II Wilmington ftom Municipal
(s Taxes.
AZ VaGRrAs. The expenses Of maintaining
+ aud Keeping In repair the banks and eluiues
2 OF the m.rshes within the limits OF the city
OF Wilmington. have been and are now
enormous (whan compared with tue value
OF or the income from thee unclaimed
lnnds), by reason of said mar'hes bling
bouu1ed by one or more Underwater streams,
4 rtuuirins large banks OF great strength
ami Icing b TO resist fresheta and upu.uai
SA high Id which frequently break through
II and over flow tuch marsh land said banks
" are also su set TO ths sw lie caused by tug.
boats and eamOoats in the navigation o.
q said streams, and require large sums Of
MONEY! TO keep them Iii proper repair; and
IA WHEREAS, A number nt years ago the
limlta Ut the city OF Wilmington we're OK
q teuded go az to include large portion OF
tnese MARI hes. a part thereof 10 give the
X citv q frontage on this Delaware river; end
WHEREAS, Certain upland. suitable fJf
n thu erection o. dwelling houses and
a large portion thereof now being built
upon, has bpen BROUGHT with the limits
OF the said city OF W imtngton on the ~est
erly side thereof, subject to city tax OF
only oneeishth OF the Valuation Oh SUCH
lands and
WnEn as, This marsh land. which "a
used during the spring and summer
months IA pasture and hay land only. anu
/. not II liable. should have been txsupt.1
from municipal tag alton when said lands
were brought within "a d city limit and
WuERFAs Tho taxes heretofore assessed
upon SAID marsh lands by the said cry OF
X Wilmington average ABOUT three and one
half dollars (53.5 per acre Annually, ana
a the rental Inv,me I ON said marsh lann
does not average four dollars (ft) per acre,
NJ and waen said bangs ale broken ami the
VI nds vetfiowtd, the growing crops aud
heritage are destroyed and no ptoht Is then
y derived from ,hs lands; aud
"A WHEREAS, rho SAID march iand Is as.
~ sessed iur cry take at the average rate oil
four hundred and eighty five dollars
Pm fsiS5.nt) per acre, ut one. malt rate, while
NJ tue county assessment for the same mateh
& land situate In said city Of Wilmington is
" at the average rata OF Qua nun ired aad
"A bfty tour dollars (5i5i ON per acre; aud
stl WHtRgAs, The said uahk OF said marshes
Era maintained by the SnerS thereof, protect
lE ths city OF Wilmington and numerous inii.
14 vidual small land owners who have erected
II dwelling houses on said m FISH lands, AMI
H.T IN mr. rfn
said houses will become Immediately IN.
"a teuabis and vAusiess, as said land would
be entirely covered by water; aud
M WHEREAS. Is wholly unjust and bur.
IA densoms -xAction TO tax Said marsh TO az
amount equal to, 10 not rx :endtn (, In SOM
w case-, The r-ntal value thereof; and
X WHEREAS Il i-a maxim municipal Law
that property Ia O city snail pay reason
IN able tax for the LfottcIinn given Il by tht
81 oitv, and from this is deduc-d tne rule tina
properly that protects the city should no
be tAxsd by 1T; Rud
wuEREAs, II is all i'm portant to the livss,
heR tn anu protsc,inn Of the citiznns If IN,
city Of wi ming on, that the own-i rs OF SAT-
marah lands shall continue 10 the fnui'
las they have 10 tho past) TO keep up thel
Ranks, aud TO that end they should, In al
Justice aud fairness. be exempted from al
taxes and assps-m ants heretofore levie(
upon them BY the said city OF Wilmington
there ore,
Be Il enacted by the Senate and House o
Representatives. OF tie State OF De.awaI
IN General A ssmby mst:
SECTION |. That each and every acre, an
all parts and por ions ut an acre, OF TIL
unimprovt d marsh and meadow land
within the limits Of the cry OF Wilmington
except ali such marsh and meadow land
within tine limits of said city, which nav
heretofore been exempted from taxation b
act OF General Assembly. b. and the sam
are hereby declared to De exempt from al
municipal taxes, asseSsmsnte, burdens an
tnposvtions OF any kind or mai ure whats.
ever, fJr III d during the period and te
OF TN years from aud after the passage {
this act; and no municipal tax shall /
levied or collected by the said city OF WI
ming on from the owner or owners "f an
par or parts OF eaid marsh and me do
ianda, during the period aud term OF 10
n years AZ aforesaid.
Passed at Dover. April 23i. 1889.
joan II HtFFEcKER,
Speaker of the House OF 2 s-entatives.
"a b. L LEWIS,
Y " Speaker Of In. senate.
The effect OF this bill is 10 exeml
from city taxation, for a term OF 10 year
every .,re OF marsh land located with
the limits Of the city of Wilmington
The bill WAS presented to The Lsgislatu
by Daniel W. Taylor and George
Lobdell, representing the large owners
marsh property, and Phi,iD Oburchma
q student in the law Off ie Of Senau
Higgins, acted as their attorney ut Dave
Mr.. Taylor was seen by an Every EVE
ING reporter this morning and admitt'
that hs and MIR. Lobdsll were Re eponsib
for the measure. The reasons he 9
signed were Identical with those g
ID forth at length in the preamh
to the bill. 1t was Sc
"A to Dover immediately after the Cher
Island Marsh exemption bill, which /
ceived the Enforcement of the Ci
Council, was Introduced. There was
attempt at concealment, although the
PRODUCTION of the measure was n
haaralded with brass band. Mr.. Tayl
says he spoke to Senator Donshoe abe
It telling him it was similar to the Cher
Island marsh b,il and the senator pro
Used to attend to it. He does not rene
Der who took charge OF it in the Il ,n4
IA matter Of fact, the bill is not OF
similar to the Cherry Island marsh b
but supercedes 1t. as II covers every fl
OF marsh land within the limits of
M civ.
v The people of Wilmington in gene
VA and the mem hers OF Ci y Council in p
ticular knew nothing If the bill, b
49, ls"k of knowledge is likely to era
M sone trouble in the city's iusnciai
M Engagements. The assessors assessed
% the marsh property in The usual mann
and these assessments, were, OF cour
81 considered by the finance COMMITTEE
III LAYING the tax rate for the present ha