Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-04-21


to make good the interest In addition to
the appropriation, taking it upon the
basis of former loans that the city had to
get from the banks The business rule
is to deduct the interest. Any busi-
less man can readily see the point taken,
| Any department, however well managed,
may be forced 10 overdraw the amount
of what the strict estimate was for work
to be completed by unforeseen circum
stances that may arise before the work is
completed. There have been numerous
instances of this kind in our city govern
ment The Board of Street and Sewer
Commissioners has ample means at its
command to pay the interest upon the
loan, and think it should do SC"
What about the second amendment
providing that contracts shall be given to
Delawareansi"
That is studied, every word in It, and
what objections any citizen or taxpayer
will be able to sustain is something
beyond my comprehension. All, | think
will agree The sum Of money is great
one, and will be necessarily paid by taxes
levied upon our people. Who, In the
name OF all that is fair, will say that
they have not the right to at least derive
the profits OF their labor and material
to do this work. AS we are given to
understand 1t is TO be used for paving
the streets, and the only things that
know Of that enters into such work are
the stone and sand. and the necessary
labor TO put it there The city owns the
street; therefore that will not cost any
thing Ia the bosom OF Brandy wine
hundred lie millions Of dollars worth Of
the best quality of blue rock
to be had anywhere, simply requiring
the labor TO get It out. We are also
blessed with sufficient sand In the imme-
date vicinity of Wilmington, easily ac-
cessible and Of good quality, to use with
stone to grade aud pave the streets for
years to come Why should not this
money be used to develop our own home
industries aud natural resources. ! do
not intend that these amendments shall
operate to the benefit OF any particular
individual firm or corporation If the
present companies operating are not able
10 FIJI the orders for Belgian block and
rubb'e stone, business enterprise will
prompt others to invest capital aud fill
the bill, as the quantity of stone
Is inexhaustible and the quail
ity unsurpassed Our present
companies compete successfully with the
aud have sold hundreds Of thousands Of
tons to the Federal government. To
show you to what an extent the bust
ness has grown among us. It has in
creased In a few years 1,700 per cent.
and the pay roll Of one company Is over
$40, 900 per month, aud gives employ
ment to 100 men. There are several
quarries right out at our door, and com
petition need not be restricted,
"Do these men who object to your
amendment, want Belgian block and
rubber
Judging from the stand they have
taken they must want some hing better
Under the present custom OF the Street
and Sewer Commissioners there are in
different parts Of the town. squares paved
in asphalt blocks and FIRE brick But u e
residents OF the block so paved have
to pay an excess Of 80 much per cubic
foot over aud above the cost for Belgian
block or rubble My amendment does not
interfere with these people, nor do dc
sire that II should My only desire Is
that the paving shall be general that the
rich and poor alike shall get The benefit
of this money, and that the laboring
classes Of the city aud state shall be the
benehciaries under the act,
taken by the MIR Carpenter2
II told the Citizens Committee from
the start what proposed TO do and they
cannot accuse me Of deception. | see that
Mr. Carpenter cites an example, but he
takes an iuterceptlng sewer and think
can cas- ly intercept his inierceptiug
argument When that contract was open
our home contractors were considerably
mixed up about, there being 80 many
different stages Of the work. There was
great discrepancy In their bids,
which showed that while the price wa
high thare was no coilu i'm. Let Mr..
Carpenter take previous contracts for
paving streets as au example and then
will talk to him Ii this were bill
to authorize the construction of an in
tercepting sewer the figures he quotes
might come III quite conveniently, but
they do not apply TO this case at all
This bill simply means so much per
cubic FOOT for stone and grading, 50 much
per load for sand and so mucE per day
for labor We have all in abundance,
and it is work our contractors thoroughly
understand
Il see DR. Draper has also been inter
viewed and expressed himself as being
| opposed TO the amendments
well, Dr. Draper, | know 70 be very
rice gentleman, and one whom ! regard
very highly He is also public spirited
citizen aud enters earnestly into all
public improvements While / accord
him the same right 20 Judge that any
other citizen enjoys, | reserve to myself
the right accord him. He states that
II the amendments cannot te dropped the
bill had better be killed at once This Ii
I | not the wav that a good physician genar
! ally kills patient He further states
that the last amendment will place tbs
! Street aud Sewer Department on thl
. hands OF Wilmington agents OF the man
, ufacturers OF the materials wanted. Al
said before, all they want i
stone and sand. Those VIII
want del.cacies In the street paving
% ltue can get them without any trouble
e by paying extra as they are now com
= PEELED to do. He fears the agents viii
u make a corner in the materials and charg
e whatever they choose aud the city nigh
1t he gouged out Of q great deal OF money
Is This is mere superstition and not argu
ie ment I want to say for the contractor
Of Wilmington, that in the various in
" dustries they represent that they orr
not only able to hold their own in th
home market but compete successful
with those out side. AS for che las
10 fling that It looks like a scheme to Civ
III Dickey, Neary and solomon job in tut
ee nishing ERE brick why should they
"a prevented from filing a contract II the
OF are the lowest and best biddersg thin