Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-05-17

position of second assistant engineer at
the garbage crematory The matter
was brought before Council by Mr..
Stats, who presented the following
communication, signed by Joseph u.
Miller and James w. Agnew, respect
lively the president and the secretary OF
the War Veterans Association
WHEREAS, II has come to the notice of
the members of this association that Mr..
Philip L. Layman has been discharged
from the position of second assistant engi-
neer at the crematory, which position was
kindly given him by the votes of your
honorable body at the solicitation of this
association, since which time a change OF
control to the Board OF Health has in some
way brought about the discharge of our
comrade and,as far as we are able to CLEAN,
without cause; now, gentlemen, we enter
our solemn protest of this removal:
First of all because this man has earned
the position by long and continued service
to his country as soldier during the war
OF the rebellion, and thereby the right of a
chance to earn living for himself and
family in the employ of the city govern
ment, which he has helped make possible
to exist.
Second What right has the Board of
Health to dismiss him without some good
cause after the selection by your honor
able body and his faithful services during
your control?
We therefore, appeal this. our COM
rade's. case to you and trust you will in
quire into the matter in the name of 500
veterans of our city, who propose to stand
by each other for chance to earn living
independent of creed nationality or former
condition of servilude, or even politics.
MIR. Stats said the matter is one
which Council should inquire into.
Council had been very liberal to the
Board of Health and In return the
board had treated Council with gross
injustice. Mr.. Layman had been dis
charged seemingly without cause. There
is eXtant one tlimsy excuse and that is
that Mr.. Layman had kept too much
water in the boiler. The board had
treated him shamefully. 1t had not
consulted Council and had gone a little
too far. Mr.. Stats thought the crema.
tory contractor is "trying to play the
whole city of Wilmington" and he be-
lieved the sooner au investigation is
instituted the better it will be for the
city. 1t looked to him like the furnace
is not success and the contractor
wants to have at the crematory a man
he can "work." There is, he added, a
niger in the woodpile somewhere, The
contractor had stopped running the
furnace in the daytime; he had run it at
night so that he could repair 1t during
the day. If he continues to run it like
he has been running it the city will
want new furnace about the time he
is released. In conclusion Mr.. Stats
reminded Council that he had advised il
10 inspect the crematory before it paid
the contractor but it would not heed
his advice.
Mr.. Smith reminded Council that il
bad nd =, ord in moo niyiDn m tho
Board of Health authority to appoint
officers for the crematory, and said
Council could not restore Mr.. Layman
except by repeating the ordinance.
Mr. Ratledge stated that he had heard
that Mr. Layman had used little toe
much OIL He asserted that Mr.. Laymar
is competent and supported his assertion
by referring to letter of recommended
ton which the deposed official had OBJ.
tanned from the jackson e. Sharp Co
Mr.. Ratledge declared that he is op
posed to the action of the Board o.
Health and averred that Councils ONLY
means of redress is to get control of thu
crematory.
Messrs. O'Neill and Dannenberg sale
they had opposed putting the cremator.
In charge Of the Board of Health.
Mr.. Stats recommended the ap
pointment of committee to investigat
the matter. He suggested that the Boar,
of Health be interviewed and tina
Council take charge of the crematory
the board refuses to do as Council ad
Yises.
The communication was accepted an,
Messrs. Stats, Wainwright and Nc
Nulty were appointed a committee I
investigate.
u1I. oit =, trnos,, rar ro,1ortod eOn rI1 X
in Union National Bank to the credit G
the city's current expenses. He also re
ported the following receipts: From
Collector Mitchell, $500, city and schoc
taxes for 1899; from Chief Enginee
Wilson Of the City Engineering an
Surveying Department, $61.2o, fees Ia!
month; from Collector Sayers, $25(
city and school taxes for 1899.
The city auditor certified to the col
rectness of the accounts of the cit
treasurer, the plumbing inspector, til
chief of police, the building inspecto
the chief engineer Of the City Engineer
ing and Surveying Department aud til
clerk of the municipal court lie ais
submitted the April report OF the seer
tary of the Board of Directors of I'll
Street and Sewer Department, as fo
lows; Receipts, $15,26170; expend
lures, $20,8S21 is; in bank to the cred
OF current expenses, $17,2l1.31; in ban
to the credit of paving and improvin
streets, $32, 1860; total amount Il
bank, $49, 438.2Q. ...5.. =......
The clerk of the municipal court r.
ported that his collections last mont
were as follows: Fines, $316; fec
$3.50; costs, SILT, The March wi
ness fees unclaimed amounted to 81
Building Inspector Dohl's reports f
last year and last month were rea
During April he granted 40 permi
The estimated value of the property
which permits were issued last month
61,704. His fees during April amount
to $136.
The election for officers of the Fl
Department. which was held Iuesd
evening, was confirmed.
Mr. Dannenberg introduced in blal
form an ordinance making appropr
tons for the next fiscal year. 1t W
given two readings and referred to
law and finance committees.
Messrs. Wainwright, Maguigan q
Donoho wore appointed q committee
audit the accounts OF the Board of
rectors of the Street and Sewer Depa
ment
The ordinance increasing the salar
OF the officers of the Fire DEPARTING
was adopted and referred to the may
after it had been amended so as to
quire the chief engineer to rep
monthly the number of fires, their pr,