Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-04-25
TINE LEGrsLArURE.
How Senator Higgins Passed The
Addicss Biii-Six Senators In Fnyor
of n New state HNousa

in
Addicss Riii-six SEN ators m Fny.r
of = New state House.
STAFF Correspondent Of Gazette ana .Jonrp,l
Down, April I7.-Followinp in the vo,a
on the passage OF the bill to incorporata
pany.
Ayes-Biggs, Broskson CLARK. n A.
DAVIS, Eckles, Gray, Hynson, Lingo,
Lodge, Masten, Maui, Morgan, Richard.
son. saokett, Wallace, Speaker HofF ecker
lie.
Noes --Downhain, Short, whiteman--3.
w. u. Davis said he did not understand
she bill, uid not know the corporators,
was not satisfied as TO the scope Of the
franchises, did not comprehend clearly
why non.residents should come to De,s.
ware for a charter, and, therefore. he
would not. vote on It, The remainine
member, General Armstrong, was out on
committee business.
The protested purpose of this bill il
to consolidate rnder one manapem ant
the Poughkcepsie, N. Y, bridge CON-
pany and two short connecting lines OF
railroad, 80 that the three corporations
thus united may be merged into and
made available az connecting line in a
through line of railway which twill
sford an outlet for perishahle fruits OF
the Delaware Peninsula directly to The
New England markets by an all rail
route, avoiding the delays incident to
transhipment and ferriage at Jersey Oitv
and New York. The corporators named
are John \. Wilson, Charlemayna Tower,
DR., Arthur 3. Newbold, Henry MeOor.
mick, Francis w. Kennedy, Stephen A..
Caldwell, John w. Brock, W. W. Gibbs
Arthur Brock, Henry %. seixss, Joseph
r. sinnott, Charles f. Berwind and
Charles II. Morgan, Jr Tho capital
stock is 10 be $500, 600, in shages of
800, with privilege to Increase to any
amount deemed necessary; and ample
powers OF merger, consolidation, selling,
conveying, mortgaging, pledging, grant.
ing, leasing, &c., and endorsing, guar.
auteeing, assuming, becoming respon.
eible for, 6c., stocks, bonds, contracts,
or leases of other companies, are to be-
found In the charter; which, for some
unexplained reason, haR gone through
the House as "priyate act"
THE COUNTY COMMISSION BILL.
During the noon intermission the
House committee in charge OF bill 10
create board of commissioners for New
CASTLE county gave audience to delega.
hon intending, among others, George d.
Medill, James Hossinger, George Carr,
John L. Elliott, Squire Smith, John O.
Higgina, d. W. Harnish, Joseph robert
and Crawford Rankin, Andrew =. Eliason,
Squire Wier and Samuel Lindsey.
John O. Higgins was the first speaker.
He said that 1t In rare to find man In
New CASTLE county, not politician, who
would not rather have the county affairs
administered by three than by ii men.
The time has come when the farmers es.
pecially are dreadsully in earnest for q
reduction Of taxation. Que way of 40
complaining this Is to broaden the ground
for taxation. and bills with this in object
In view are before the Legislature The
other weY is to lessen expenditures. Iu
New Castle county the dead point il The
levy court. The thing TO be done is to
take it mp by the roots. 1t 10 an injury
: AID menace 10 the body polite II is
not intended to interfere with the present
levy court, but to supplant its members,
when their terms expire. by board oil
three commissioners. The question
cotnes down to this Gan three men dc
the work.
The probability Is that we could get
three of the best men in the county &c
serve on such q board. One OF these
would be Of the minority party; so that
there would always be minority repre-
sentation and increased accountability
Now, look at Chester county. 1t is {
region very like New oastle county, with
hills, creeks snd rivers. It's streams art
arnAnufUa n hrSdrta haa An fAa,
cent more area and 20 per cent NOR,
population. Yet board OF three com
missioners conducts the affairs OF tina
county satisfactorily, cheaply AM
honestly. On our Maryland border il
Cecil county, equally well governed by
board of three commissioners, who no
only attend to the taxation but also rui
the schools and roads. Not far away l
Lancaster county, with double the popu
iation and area of New CASTLE. 1t j
managed by three commissioners. TIL
testimony is overwhelming that thre
men can do the work and do It well
And they could do il at saving o
$50, 200 per year.
James Hossinger spoke of Oheste
county from his own experience. He ha,
lived there both under the old aud new
state constitutions Under the new con
stitution the minority party has on
representative on the board of commits
Bioners. The county machinery worket
30 smoothly that there was no frictiol
anywhere. The commissioners enjoye,
the confidence of the people and ther
was no room fer jobbery. All public wor
OF Importance is put out at contrac
after bids have been duly advertised for
New CASTLE county has an area OF 81
square miles; Chester, 735; Lancaster
30. The cost OF Chester's board includ
ng mileage and per diem, 10 $500 pc
ear. The collection of county taIesan
he management OF county affairs, whicl
ost in New Castle county $50, 500, OF
TENDED to in Chester county for VI sou
George D. Medill gave some of his e1
)erience as levy court commissions
or four years. He was confident that
board OF three commissioners was muc
better and more economical. As mat
ter OF fact the bulk of general business /
done by about three men under our pref
emit system; the others sit around an
smoke and chat most Of the time. Ther
Is no politics whatever in this bill.
has been studiously prepared to aVoi
politics. Each party thinks it will carr
New Castle county next time aud elect
majority OF the levy court. Each part
will have the chance and two year
thereafter the change will be made. IN
composition of this General Assembly
one house Democratic and the other he
publican, make this particularly Of
perfume time to inaugurate this reform
The tax payers en- masse favor tue Dill
II il oould be brought before them three
fourths of them would vote for it.
Squire Smith was the last speaker
Delawareaps, he said, arc conservative