Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-12
p1scussrNa rnr rAx ELL.


and Taxation--What Ex-Treasurer Davis
Recoilects About the Contents of the
Notorious Tin Box.
stRff Correspondence of Gazette and journal
DOVER, March 9.-Speaker ponahoe
brought down to day and handed to
Senator Richardson for introduction the
following bill which will interest some
Wilmington readers.
An act for more efficient protection
against crime.
Section l. That the governor as soon as
conveniently can be after the passage of
this act, shall appoint two suitable persons,
resident in the city of Wilmington, to be
detectives for the county of New Castle.
IL shall be the business of the said persons
TO ferret ont crime, and when not under
orders from the encouragement or his
deputies, shall be subject to the orders Of
the chief of police of Wilmington. They
shall make to the said chief of police
weekly reports of their doings.
Sec. 2. They shall have authority to
make arrests and serve writs anywhere in
the State.
Sec. 3. They, or one of them shall serve
all acquisitions, and for this shall receive
no compensation, except for their actual
expenses. which expenses shall be paid by
the State treasurer upon the production Of
their vouchers, which shall be first APP
proved by the attorney general and the
Secretary of State.
Sec. 4. They shall receive for their ser.
vices each the sum OF 5000 per annuin,
payable in equal quarterly installments by
the treasurer of the county of New Castle
and for this the levy court of said county
Is hereby required to make provision.
Sec. 5. They shall be appointed for the
term Of four years, but may be remoyedat
any time, and for this purpose it shall be
sufficient for written notice by and from
the governor to be served upon them or
either of them. Such notice so served shall
be u revocation of the commission and the
removal from office of them or either Of
them.
TO FOSTER THE OYSTER.
Mr. Hutson introduced this afternoon
bill appropriating $4,000 to foster the
oyster interests. A preamble to the bill
sets forth that the oyster industry fur
nishes some revenue to the State; that
the oyster beds are becoming exhausted;
that oyster shells deposited in proper
places will in few years, by providing
a lodgment for spawn, produce an album
dant supply of oysters, and that there is
now over $4,000 in the treasury de-
rived from the oyster fund. The bill
goes on to enact that Joshua Mettonigal
and j. Thomas Lowe be appointed
commissioners, whose duty it shall be
to purchase oyster shells, upon the
most advantageous terms, for the
purpose Of planting the same at such
places in the waters of the Delaware
bay as they may deem advisable. The
commissioners may engage boats and
men for procuring, delivering and dis
tributing the shells and employ an eX-
perienced FISHERMAN, acquainted with
the bay, to aid in the selection Of the
grounds or beds on which the shells
shall be deposited. These grounds shall
be marked by buoys, and dredging
or taking oysters therefrom is prohibited
under penalty of 500 fine Or six
months imprisonment, until 1895, and
until the legislature of 1895 shall
determine the conditions, terms and
regulations upon which said grounds
may be legally subject to the dredging
or taking of oysters. The commissioners
shall receive $500 between them, rs
compensation.
DELAwARE's DIRECT TAX FUND.
Mr.. Ridgely offered joint resolution,
which was adopted by the House but
has not yet been acted on by the Senate,
accepting the $70,332.S3 appropriated
to Delaware by the Direct Tax refund
ing act recently passed by Congress and
pledging the State to the faithful per-
formance of the acts imposed in that
measure; also empowering the governor
to receive and receipt for this money.
Mr. Ridgely followed his resolution
with notice of bill authorizing the
governor to pay the proper persons such
sums as may be coming to them out of
this appropriation. Considering that
quarter of century has elapsed since
these direct taxes were collected it is a
reasonable presumption that very few
will be able to produce vouchers to sub
stantiate claims for repayment at this
late day.
EXEMPTION OF MARSH LANDS.
Representative Smith brought down a
bill to exempt from "all municipal
taxes, assessments, burdens and IMPOSE
tions of any kind or nature whatsoever,
for and during the period and term Of
10 years. all marsh and meadow lands,
protected by banks from overflow BY
the tides, within the limits Of the city Of
Wilmington, whereon no houses or
buildings are erected; provided that this
act shall not apply to any marsh or
meadow lands heretofore exempted by
Act Of Assembly from taxation. The
bill is ushered in by long string of
"whereases,' one of which Sets forth
that the average municipal tax on these
marsh lands exceed $3.50 per acre, while
the rental income therefrom does not
average 81 annually, and that the said
land is assessed at an average rate Of
$iS5 per acre by the city and only $l54
per acre by the county.
DOVER, March 10-Ex State Treasurer
Robert II. Davis is the best informed
incumbent Of the office who has vel
shown up at Dover. Mr.. Davis term
dates back 20 years, yet he knows more
about it than men who have d much
shorter period TO recall He spoke freely
and tluently to The GAZETTEiS rep
resentative in an interview which ran
as follows:
Mr.. Dayis-I was State treasurer
from 1871 to 1875; saw the tin box; (box
shown and identifiede the use ii was put
10 in my time was abandoned before
John Mitch Houston came in. The
United states government had donated
certain land scrip to all the states for
the purpose Of establishing agricultural
and mechanical colleges. Delaware's
quota of the scrip was sold by my prede-
ccssor (Mr. William j. Clark, now Of
Wilmington and the proceeds invested
in Delaware State bonds for the benefit
of Delaware College. MIR. Clark had
not collected all of this purchase money:
when ! became treasurer collected the
balance and invested ii iii Delaware
= bonds. This box was used FIR the pllr-
pose of keeping these bonds in. think
the box was turned over 70 me by Mr..