Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-21
HUNGRY FOR THE SPOILS
The Water Department to Be Made a
Republican Machine.
PICKLES AND WASH" IN CHARGE
They Make Peculiar Changes
in the Bylaws.
PATRONAGE PLACED IN THEIR HANDS

Bond Will Have to Go, aud That Secre-
tary Grohe and All Democratic Officials
VIII Have to Walk the PIank--It Gave
"wash" the Headache to Arrange the
Plans, But Ho Never Faiterod--Tliere
viii be Big Change Next July.
The action of Messrs. Hastings and
Pickels, the Republican members of the
Board of Water Commissioners at the
meeting last Tuesday evening, in railroad
ing through brand new set of bylaws to
govern the affairs of the board in the
future, is regarded with general suspicion,
and there is wellgrounded belief that
the action is II step towards changing the
administration in the Water Department
In the interest OF Republicans. This infor-
nation will be regretfully received by
many who have regarded the work of the
WATER Commissioners with pride for a
number of years, and conservative citizens
will be loath to see the board descend from
It's high .standard of efficiency to the level
| OF ordinary politics.
The Board of Water Commissioners
, from its very inception has been purely
non-pArtisan body, and for the last decade
not breath of suspicion could have been
: directed toward the action of the directors,
who never permitted politics to control
their actions in any manner. This has been
the desire of President Porter, and for the
past 10 years no municipal body in all the
city had been run on such an economical
and non-partisan basis. This beingthe case,
as might naturally be expected, stir has
been created by the action of the majority
members Of the board. and as two beat
one every time, speculation is rife as to
what officials will be victims of political
decapitation when the axe begins to fall
among the officials in the Water Depart
ment.
WHEN WASH" WENT IN.
When Washington Hastings was ap.
pointed a member of the board to succeed
ex-Representative Thomas ID. smith, sew
eral months ago, it was openly asserted
that there would probably be change in
the condition of affairs about the building
at sixth ard King streets, and that several
of tine officials there would be called upon
TO toe the mark for no other reasons that
they were Democrats. While the persons
who made this statement had little doubt
that this condition of affairs would come
to pass in time, they hardly expected to
see their prophecy fulfilled in so short
period. but declare that it now looks as IL
the plans mapped out by the Republican
members will be put in execution much
sooner than was at first expected.
BEGIHHfNG THE WORK.
The first step taken by Messrs. Hastings
and Pickels i'll the direction of political
activity was on the evening of October 3d.
when the Republican members submitted
which, on close inspection, gave indica-
ton that something not unexpected was
about to drop and u political odor was de-
tected. One of the bylaws provided:
The board shall hold an annual meeting
for the purpose of organization on the
7.30 o'clock"
For some reason, the month of Jan
uary was subsequently stricken out and
n 4
the Republican members to better per-
feet their plans previous to exploding
the bomb which many of the officials
are regarding with feelings of fear and
mistrust.
The second bylaw reads as follows:
AT the annual meeting the officers of the
board shall be elected, and the officers,
agents. ministers, and servants of the
Water Department shall be appointed,
and their terms of service shall be one
year, unless sooner removed by the dIrec-
tors OF majority of the board.
LIKE A DEEP-RooTEp PLAN.
The above bylaw is the one which is
expected to work to the political inter-
ests OF the majority members, and the
passage of the bylaws has pro.
duced profound stir In speaking
on the matter yesterday, gentle.
man signally qualified to talk upon the
subject said: "To person reading be-
tween the lines it looks like a deep.
rooted plan TO change the condition of
affairs about the Water Department,
and would not be surprised if Chief
Engineer Bond and Registrar Grohe
and others are called upon to show
cause why they should not be given
n permanent leave OF absence soon.
You can readily see what harm will
be wrought by this action, as some
of the men who have spent years Of
| faithful toll in the service of the board
may be given their walking papers and
| green men called upon TO fill their places,
understand that there is a strong poll
tical pressure being brought to bear on
Messrs Hastings and Pickles, and if this
was not the case / do not believe that
their plans would have been formulated
SO suddenly. But when lot of hungry
office seekers make up their minds that
they should be given employment BY
those in a position to bestow political
patronage, and who feel in any way dis
posed to yield, something is pretty sure
TO drop"
There are others who have expressed
similar view, but they did not believe
that any steps in this direction would
be taken before the new year at least
TIEING PRESIDENT PoRTER's HANDS.
The third bylaw introduced at the
meeting is as follows:
The regular meeting of the board shall
be held on every Tuesday evening at 7.30
o'clock, and the presence of two members
shall be necessary for the transaction of
business, except that for the approval of
pay.rolls, and the drawing of the check
Tor payment oil same, one member OF the
board shall be competent.
Heretofore the president of the board
had authority to attend to any business
of urgent Importance which was brought
to his attention, but after the passage of
the above rule President Porter's hands
are tied. 1t had been customary for
him, in case of the bursting of any water
pipes or damage of similar character,
Immediately upon receipt of notification
of the same to order the matter attended
to at once, and ii any of the water pipes
were broken by, reason of the huge
steam roller passing over them, it was
his custom to have workmen dispatched
Immediately to stop the flow of water,
and thereby prevent damage to private
property. Under the new bylaw the
president is not competent to rectify
such matters, but a majority of the
board must be hunted up before the
damage can be repaired. In other
words, the only business that the presi-
dent of the board is competent to trans
act under the new bylaw is the approval
.f h.. ,,s,1I 81, : Al.