Evening journal., 1891-03-05
HIGHLANDERS OBJECT.
THEY ARE NOT ANXIOUS TO CONE
INTO THE CITY.

They WIN Hold a Meeting Tonight to
Consider to Proposed Annexation and
the Creation of a Thirteenth ward-Ben-
eft for the Few
The doughty Highlanders are up in
arms against the formation OF Thir-
tenth ward The tocsin Ia sounded aud
TO night, 10 is expected. the sentiment Of
the people will be expressed ia no un-
certain tones when they come together
in Odd Fellows Hall Ever since the
proposed annexation Of tie Highlands to
the city OF Wilmington. the inhsbi .
tants have been asking themselves what
benefit would they derive from such
annexation. After having aektd
themselves often without getting any
satisfactory answers, they began to ask
their neighbors what the benefit
would be. The result was that many OF
them began to think and then they came
to the conclusion that the present gener
alton Of Highlanders would not be beue.
fited In any particular while their load
of taxation would be materially in
creased So, having come to this conclu
sion. It was determined that II should be
known; hence the object of the meeting
tonight
An EVENING JOURNAL reporter called
on a number of the citizens Of the high.
lands to day, and inquired what their
sentiment on the matter WAS "Abso-
lutely against" Was the digest OF all their
answers.
The principal cause Of this uneompro
missing opposition isdue to the unwilling
ness OF the 9ighlsnders to take upon
their shoulders portion Of the city tax.
while, as they assert. heir district would
not be benefited by the annexation at least
for twenty years. Only one eighth their
share of the municipal tax would be
levied during tas first FIVE years, and one
fourth during the next FIVE. but even
this amount, they assert, is unjust, as the
ward would absolutely get no benefit
during the time this tax would be levied
Tho Highlands is Inhabited principally
by artisans, laborers, small dealers and
contractors. who have made for them
selves comfortable homes there, where
they live away from 1.-The madding
crowds i2noble strife These men are
employed either in the city, in the
Augustine Mills OF Bancroft's Mills, or
carry on business of their own. Few Of
them are wealthy. but all are comforta-
bic and as one of them tritely observed,
don't need the clty's protection.
Rotert Printer is one of those who 10
not want tbs 'eity's protection. He
says the boundary Of the ward was
marked out by Mr.. Brinckley, an extern
sive real estate owner on the Highland
border, who very shrewdly did so to his
own personal Iantsge. Some Of
bis real estate Mr. Brinckley has offered
t. l. - l.
included this portion in the proposed
Thirteenth ward; the remainder. and
this he intends to retain, is left out and
of course will not have to bear the extra
taxation. Another thing which Mr.
Printer vigorously objects to is the
proposition'to exclude Bancroft's mills
As these mills employ many people from
within the city limits, it is thought that
II any annexation be made they should
be included
In order to make It acceptable" NJ d.,
Printer continued, "the boundary should
extend to the pike. thence TO the Brandy.
wine Greek. This would take In all
the wealthy property owners, and manu-
facturers, and might prevent the project
from eucountering any serious opposi-
tiou.
The population Of that portion of tn,
Highlands to be annexed is about 500
These 500 would have the same priv leges
in the city government as wards may
times more populous, yet this does not
seem to hatter them while the bugbear oil
taxation stares them in the face
In answer to the inquiry II they did
not want street improvement. Mr. Prin-
Ter said that undoubtedly they were sadly
in need of better streets, but he supposed
that those who would have the
handling Of the appropriation would at
tend 10 the improvement Of the streets
within the city, and the next generation
might hope for An improvement Of the
streets on the Highland.
There is only one church in the pro
posed included area that of Emmanuel
Episcopal The Greenhill Presbyterian
and Mount Salem NJ E. Church are left
beyond the margin.
"What do you propose to do at the
meeting tO.nightg"
why discuss the matter and most
likely pass a resolution that the Genera
Assembly be petitioned to reject the
/ till. "