Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-05-18
PAYING TAXES.
THE TAX MILLS GRINDING
SLOW AND SURE.
About $50 Taxes Paid Yesterday Nc
KEGS MIL In Miserable Order
Tho Great Crowd in the Main
Orderly - To-day Again.

About $50 people paid taxes yesterday
to Collectors Dougherty and Mckee aud
fully 500 went away unable to pay their
taxes. A noticeable fact is that Mr..
Dougherty received about two taxes to
McKee's one.
When the Office opened at O'Clock in
the afternoon large crowd had collected
out front The collectors mounted the
stairs and the crowd followed. In few
minutes the tax receipt mills were in
operation grinding out receipts, McKee's
Mill turning very slowly and Dougterty's
revolving with a lively clatter. IL. c.
MahatIy lent all the assistance possible
to Mckee, and Hugh Mcconnell, execu-
tive officer of the Board OF Health for
the Eastern district, aided Mr.. Dough-
erty.
Mckee was nervous, uneasy and timid
as if afraid of the crowd or afraid of
making mistakes, while Mr.. Dougherty
was smiling and pleasant, had kind
word for black and white taxpayers, and
ratified off receipts at lively rate. Mr..
Dougherty gained in general favor while
Mckee lost. 1t was a matter of regret
when a taxpayer came and found he had
to fall In line to go to McKee's desk.
1t is not thought that Mckee vas indis-
posed to issue receipts but that his ex-
l
him from performing his, duties effec-
lively. 1t must be said, however, for Mr..
Mckee that any neglect he made in filling
In dates or stamping receipts, was always
cheerfuly rectifed.
About 9. 80 o'clock the crowd in wait.
ing to pay taxes had increased tremen-
dously. A line extended two and two
from McKee's desk back to the rear OF
the rear office, and line two deep ex-
tended from Mr.. Dougherty's desk back
out of the door and up the stairs leading
to the third story, while a crowd belong
ing to both lines blocked up the stair
way leading from the street to the second
story.
The crowd, however, was orderly and
patient, believing that the collectors
were doing all they could. 1t was, how
ever, very harrassing to those who had
knocked oil for the day to pay taxes to
he compelled to go away without having
accom- plished their purpose.
Promptly at O'Clock Collector Mckee
Informed the crowd that his desk would
close urtil $50 o'clock, and then marched
out. Collector Dougherty, however, lin
gered fifteen minutes longer taldug
taxes from this one and that one to ac-
commodate them. The latter were colored
men. Even after Mr.. Dougherty had
locked up his books colored man told
him he had been waiting all day to pay
his taxes and he couldn't come again.
Mr.. Dougherty opened up again and
gave him his receipt. Then Mr.. Dough-
erty hastened home, got his supper and
was back promptly at $50 and had his
tax mill in operation a half hour before
Mr.. Mckee put In an appearance. Men
scowled on him and grumbled as he
pushed his way to the desk. He, how
ever, got to work and his machine
turned very slowly, notwithstand ing the
fabrication oil supplied by Mr.. Mahafy.
by 8 O'Clock the rooms were filled to
sutfocation and the crowd was growing
very impatient, The grumbling against
Mckee was loud and deep. Mr.. Dough-
} erty seeing the situation calmly spoke to
the crowd, and said If order was not
maintained the books would have 70 be
closed. An impatient indiYidual ex-
claimed that "McKee thinks he's count
ing lumber in Philadelphia" Another
said, "Let's make them stay until we all
get receipts" while another cried, 'Let's
throw them out OF the window"
Mr.. Dougherty cast his eye over the
surging crowd and said; "Gentlemen,
you can get nothing by such talk as this,
! am going to close my books"
Things began to look squally, knots of
men angrily talked over the situation and
|
remain.
Some one in the crowd shouted: "a
school boy could write faster than Mckee
and Dougherty They are only giving
out one receipt In fifteen minutes
"Throw them out the window" was
again shouted.
Henry G. Mahafy, who was still help.
ing Mckee, shouted; ''Gentlemeu, Nc
Kee and Dougherty have done good
| Ill To- aaty I'D Of
any better"
"No, they haven't" replied some one.
Another said: "Dougherty has, but
Mckee amt. He was thirty minutes
lale."
Mckee has issued as many receipts as
Dougherly," replied MahaiTy, whereupon
the crowd shouted: "No he HASN'T"
All disputes were cut short by the COL
lectors closing their books, the time hay-
ing expired for which they were to keep
them open, and Mr.. Dougherty informed
the crowd that the office would open
again at 8 o'clock in the morning. AS
the collectors passed out there were
some very uuirlendly words spoken about
them which had no effect upon Mr..
Dougherty, but caused Mr.. Mckee to
| look around neryously.
Collector Dougherty said to a REPuB-
LICAN reporter after he came down, that
there was Kind OF feVerish unrest
among the people that advised the closing
of the books. The evening was very
warm, the rooms were crowded and many
of the men had stopped on their way
home from work and had no supper. The
books had been kept open longer than
had been promised aud understanding
human nature as he did, he was not sur
prised at the spirit OF restlessness that
was exhibited. He wanted IT distinctly
understood, however, that his business
was to collect the taxes and this he in
tended to do without fear or favor from
all classes.
The report that ex-Collectors Neary
and Dickey were giving out spurious re-
ceipts to Democrats arose from the fact |
that they were giving duplicates to both |
DEMOCRATS apd Republicans who had |
mislald or lost their old ones.
During the evening large number of
Democrats crowded the opposite side OF
the street from the tax Office, evidently |
expecting to see rumpus, but they were
disappointed.
1t is Useless