Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-16
WANT SHARE OFTHE FUNDS
Banks Ask That the City De-
poSit Be Divided.
STRONG REASONS PRESENTED
Harry H. Billany to Be City
Auditor.
A Probable Reward for His Questionable
Election Work--Bill Lees Pay Again
Before Council Paying Damage ver-
dict.

President Benson convened City Council
on the minute Thursday night. The body
transacted its business speedily and was in
session exactly half an hour.
On the communication of the Board of
Directors Of the Street and Sewer Depart
ment, inclosing the bill of verdict and costs
in the case Of Anderson & Son VS.. the
mayor and Council amounting to 81 ,4l6,
the finance committee reported favorably.
The communication was referred to the
city solicitor with instructions to settle the
matter and an order for the amount and
interest was directed to be drawn, the ex-
penditure to be charged to the appropria-
tious for incidentals and miscellaneous.
The law committee returned the com-
munication from the city auditor, explain
ing he declined to sign checks drawn to
the order of William I'll. Lee and w. G. X
Colquhoun, and recommended that he sign
the checks. On motion Mr.. Griffin
further action in the matt was postponed
one week for the purpo, of securing
written opinion from the city solicitor.
City Treasurer Adams reported in bank
S26. 25.5S to the credit a current expenses
and 81, 4,454.62 to the credit of special de-
post. He also reported the following re- !
ceipts for the week: From Collector
Mitchell, Sl4, ,450, city and school taxes for
1891; from Administrator Mealey s7,709
and $3.50, respectively city and school taxes
for 1891 and 1890; from the United States
treasurer, $50, interest Oh the Latimer trust
fund; from John H. II IDy, cashier of
Union National Bank, and 1896, re-
spectively interest on the amounts depos-
tied to the credit of current expenses and
special deposits during June.
To the finance committee was referred
the petition of Samuel Guthrie, who claims
that he never was a resident of this city,
asking that he be refunded capitation tax
paid by him amounting to S5.6l, as was
a frf,f,n y. aapl x.F D1rt
Wardens, asking for an appropriation of
800.
A communication from the Board of
Port Wardens announcing that 1t had
nominated Edwin n. Kershaw for harbor
master for the ensuing year, was ordered
spread on the minutes.
To the committee on fire companies was
referred a communication from the Game
well Fire-alarm Telegraph Company,
stating that there is due it 500 the balance
of the cost of the fire-alarm striker for the
Liberty fire engine house, and that ther
will be due soon $3.50, the cost of two fir
alarm boxes.
The following communication. signed
by Edward Belts George s, Capclle and
William Nj. Field, respectively president
of First National Bank, National l,a. of
Wilmington and Brandywine and Ct l.
National Bank, was referred to the fiji
committee:
this city, desire and as a matter of Justice ask
that the funds of the different depa tments OF
the city government be deposited in the evorll
banks OF the city In some equitable and prac-
ticable manner and present the following reA-
sons for their request:
First-As q principle division of large de-
posits is prudent and desirable to insure tho
greatest safety.
Second-The deposits of a bank nr a necan-
sary source Of profit to it, without which no
bank can sustain itself nor Accommodate Gus
toners who need discounts and loans.
Third-The city funds com from and belong
to the people generally who are largely the
stockholders and depositors of the dtferent
banks and hence ali the banks should purtsa!- :
pate in any advantage therefrom.
Fourth-Ihe July taxes are uow drawn from
our six banks and deposited entirely In ono of
them, necessitating Ave OF the banks to reduce
their discount lines and thus Inconvenience
their customers for two or three months, until
the city deposits are again scattered in the
course Of trade.
Bitth-It is customary, so far as we can
learn, for other cities to divide their depo,ils
among their banks In some manner so that
safety may be increased for the city and JUS
tice rendered to all the banks and their GUS
TONER'S
sixth-In case Of the city needing large tenn
porary loans no single bank could acconimo-
date itas the mali nul currency act forbide any
national bank to loan a corporation more than
one-tenth of It's capital.
In consideration of the foregoing facts we
ask your honorable body to devise some plan
by which the city deposits will be eq,iitably
divided between the different banks Of the
city.
1t is stated that all the councilmen ex-
cept Messrs Cotton and Murray favor an
equitable division OF the city deposits
The city auditor certified to the correct
ness of the accounts of the city treasurer
and the secretary of the Board of Drec-
tors of the Street and Sewer Department. (,
During June, he reported the directors re-
ceived 50, 032.30 and expended Sl4,9so.34.
Mr.. Cotton gave notice of the introduo
ton of an ordinance authorizing the issu-
ance of certain sinking fund bonds or GER
tiiicates of Indebtedness, and an ordinance
providing for the borrowing Of 100000
for paving and improving the streets and
avenues of the city.
MIR. Kershaw, the nominee of the Board
of Port Wardens, was unanimously
elected harbor MASTER
The following bills were allowed: D. T.
Marvel, Sl.75; William L. Lyman, s27.64.
After adjournment the Republican
members held caucus and unanimously
chose H. II. Billany for city auditor, to
succeed John A. Mitchell, whose term will
expire on July 3lst