Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-29

No better or more forcible illustration
of the fact that the affairs of a big and
populous county can be successfully and
economically administered by board
of three commissioners could be desired
than is furnished by an inspection of
the practical conduct of governmental
affairs of Chester county-the northern
Pennsylvania neighbor of New Castle.
An examination of the method Of county
government, prevailing in Chester, car
ries with 1t the conviction that similar
law is just what the overburdened tax
payers of New Castle must look to for
relief and bettcrment of county affairs.
The first surprise, 10 citizen of New
Castle, such an examination will bring
forth is the readiness with which facts
and figures can be obtained in the West
Chester office by any citizen. An
The GAZETTE representative passed
Saturday in the county commissioners
office at West Chester, making inquiries
and an investigation into the practical
operations of the county's legislative
body, with the view of presenting the
facts to the taxpayers of Delaware.
THE THREE COMMISSIONERS.
Chester county, as stated, is governed
.h;op, ~ - ,,iror;,,, nnii,ioai ~
",tU., -, MI ~, g
,,..s;su, Y ~ ,ataI ~, oa'i.
" ,ha nomnt a., ,hynmnh oo ~ o,f 80
W. ~ 49,, .o,,eiiai L.
Goraraii, .dharod ~ IL the % rn,,ira Z
t;nns 4. J,ha saioot;,', ~ ,,,an fra,, AZ
farant soct;ons ~ No carnty Thara l.
,,a,t;.s. T., tLs ~ ri,;ai .,,i1
vent aIi ,ho co,,,,ni.s;"nars ho % av
from me township INT the rule has
long been to observe the upper, middle
and lower districts, which however
have no boundaries in point Of fact.
At the election each voter in the county
casts his ballot for two of the nominees,
and the three polling the highest vote
are elected-thus always giving the mi
nority party representative. The re-
Enumeration allowed the commissioners
by law, is SO per diem, and an allow
ance OF ~ cents per mile, for the dis
lance trayersed between the member
MONIES anu lhe county seat Inc law
however ohly ALLOWS lor oile HliieaseIee
per "eeh' ..
me iast prlnteo report Slor 1851
SHOWS thdt IN inc rlatttr OF per ulen
a az niIleage tiie commissioners received
@o,!o4ou, OF winch sum Tl,2lb.oO Is
creuiteu 10 tlle ililieage account ana sou
lot alloWahces 20 atlend a convention on
commissioners, helu III Allentown, IA
IN ad o 70 inns sum the clerk receives
@i,oyH PEI eals anu ElNes ms liihe
business evsrv dav md The atten pin ~ l.
rcadv al iii times M traneact bnsi,,ass
within his Jurisdiction '''''''>''
nun,, .,
:, hnNh iAoNa W A.oooNrs'
by the same system Oh nomination
ana electloh tnree auditors are selected
whose outy IL Is 70 annually pass upon
me accounts OF the commissioners, treas
urer ana otner county ofilclals, inspect
ing carelully every Item IN the recelp'
ana disbursement Of money. Two OIL
me AUDITORS, as SHOWN ny the published
report, received To4 each, and the third
was PAID Soo.fO.
TREASURER AND TAX COLLECTOR.
The county treasurer combines AS hi,
duties the collection Of the county take,
property and occupatlon-and the pay
ing OF all money upon warrants. He il
elected by the voters and ls paid Sl,0OI
per annum Tor making tax collections
ana one per cent upon all money paiC
out This makes the office worth abou
S5,0O0 per year, in the aggregate, ont o
which he pays the hire Of a clerk who is
daily at the office III the discharge of tn,
county's business.
ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF TAxEs
Assessors are olected bv IN
voters of the resnective toynsbin
general assessment lie mn Ia rfbis +
DESIGNATED the "trienniol Assessment
For the latter each assessor annn;nts 10,
assistants-men in the tnwnshin-za,t
+he three mas unnn tha y.Ine IL In III
estate in their township and fix itsassoss
able value. Unnn the assessn,.nt th,
lew of taxes i based for three VAR.
unless in the event of some deterioratin,
in the values. through fro NJ ,rLo
an anneal Is made Aha a nav valuatin'
ixed. In making this assessnamt ra,,
are usually selected wbn hav.'n ,,n,,,
KNOWLEDGE of the yalne Of real nstafn
uow r,,r rpr,srr,.r ,,,,, -,
II - 7. "" Noi-lHels
Aiter inc assessments are completes
uuplilates q warrants are Prepare
anu turned oyer 70 the county treasurer
Anoul tiie midule OF June that otiicln
Deglhs MS WORK OF gathering taxes ~
ba s;;s - i, 4 itgd,S III Puglo ilptl.
the co1ntv an s,acihnd Ja ''',9,a,'', ~
ccivcs tho nnnoy " III S'i VIZ IN VIM II
for tho convnnionco of ,Gn a., 80, 10
who NAV also snttle men arcoI,nt q y; IL,
fine In ihe treasurer's ofTicc AZ the Wn.
Chester court house if they so desire " -
nrofor u'avo. II, n. =, s,''.z..',
18th are payable at the face value Of m
warrant, but taxabes failing to srttl
by that date are classed US delinquent
Warrants for the taxes of the latte
class with 10 NOR pnnt ofIIn1 an, ,,,,,,