Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-04-17
WIER ON COUNTY AFFAIRS
Talking REFORN IN THE YOUNG
DEnboRdTS.
The County Assets ara Etnbi.itlcs--
EAe EnvUrs fsa Abolition OF tho
h,egy Court ana StIDstitutinG Five
Commissioners.

TavY Courtman william Il. wier was the
speaker NJ last evening weeks meeting OF
the Young Men'G Democratic club.
lie opened hls address with brief his
tory Of the iniitu,iun OF the levy court
since It's establishment In the reign OF
George IL,
He referred TO the effort he made at tho
past session OF the Legislature 10 get an
hmendnlent passed requiring the lavy court
10 inset the frat Tusst4Y In each mouth,
when all accounts fot now hridgrs, repairs,
&e.. should be- presented In DuDiib and
nuiited, and II louud correct tue orders
passed and then charged up against tho
superintendent to tho several hundreds.
1t was n mystery 10 Mr.. Wier why hi5 bill
wa not passed. Ii the course ct p1blie
auditing and T. statement be made, no one
saa cntnrlaln OF ignorance az TO the eX.
peafltulej. he can son by rcgitnE hts
daily AMI weekly papers how tho repre-.
Sentative OF his hundrsi II performing his
dn'ias ss servant Of the people.
The speaker ought trat possibly In
Soma sections tho cornjy thn ~ Spendl-
lures In rsplAai tho old uooiop BRIDGES
witt Iron ones l. ~ bsan Il little In advance
OF the nctual neeis. HJ believed, however,
that thsr6 has bsan no egtrRvugqpce nor
eorruptlon. What bridge building ihnt has
beah accomplished has b un done by petit
ton from tie people.
ahi' NicL sppho III pIhis9 VI WlhL ud lD.
scribed as the splendid present county
equipment OF highways aud structures.
There ls, he thought, little natd Of further
expenditure for several years to come.
New roans, however, will Gail for an OK
peaditure.
S0me OF the recently constructed roads,
Mr.. Wier thought, ara not public neces-
sity. Some two or three or psrhPrs a half
d zJn paraons are accommodated by the
opening OF them. Hs would prefer to see
bst.er roads HiSi fewer Of them.
The speaker thought that tho petitioners
who ask for tho new bridges shall pay for
the cost of thcir advertising In the news
papers. They should aN u lvsrttsed at least
one month previous to the meeting Of the
court at which the return of the, commits
sioners IL directed to ba made. This would
allow the citizens the needed opportunity
OF condemnation or approval.
Speaking or the cost OF maintaining
prisoners at the county j9ii SIR. Weir
thought expenses would be greatly reduced
hY detachlng tho tuty OF feeding tho PRISON
ers from the oflies of the sheriff AMI putting
T. out 10 lowest bidder, making the
sheriff or some other reapeet able cltl2en an
inspector to sos that the hecDntractor properly
cared for ard fed the prisoners.
The speaker considered the present jail
building entirely too small to provide
healthy living room for the prisoners. jail
@ punishment to some OF the prisoners.
In regard TO inuorrlglble tfamps and
drunks inetsed OF sending them TO New
CASTLE hs would con6ue them IN the city
hall or courthouse and fesd them on bread
and water until soherel up. L. would re-
Cuca the Bill of the chiaf of polins the
speaker thought no one wnl'd complain OF
tnat except perhaps the chitf himself. The
latter officials bill to the county this year
is over SGu0, Each prisoner sent over has
his car iarr--thRt of tho ctflcer goiGg IN "A
returning ana 81 cents for going over With
tho prisoner. Tho sheriff receives 50 ceats
each timo he cp5ns tho door aud turns the
key on drunk aud re ewes the sAms Tor
ali other prisoners, thieves or murderers.
Mr.. Wiur asked his sui encs II they did
not think It would ba good pl Il not TO
give the sheriff SO many boarders.
Tho spbaksr did not quite gsres with
Clerk Cochran ia regard TO the establish
ment OF pouitentiarr. He was IN opp1si.
tton to the Idea Of bringing contract labor
In competition vita hon@rr toll.
He Thought 1t time that the State bore
some OF the costs of the courts. He prom
tsed statement of the equity treasurer
report Ga soon rs it is ready Tor the public.
Mr.. Wisr gave the fcllowins estimate OF
tho cou1ty's assets yieldiag total Of
sl,l56,UON: