Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-07-26

Thursday nights session of Council
was of 80 minutes duration. Five
minutes were devoted to reading the
proceedings of the previous meeting, %
minutes to acting on bills and five
minutes to other business. The bills
were exceedingly numerous. MIR.
Donoho was the only member absent.
The public buildings committee pre-
scented three bills which had been sent
in by Philemma Chandler, one for
Sal. IA, one for $4T.70 and one for
S4O52, and recommended that they be
paid. The sum total was the amount of
bill which had been contracted in
violation of law, and which had been
"sliced" to make it appear Legitimate.
Mr.. Smith asked for tao reading of the
several items, which request was COM
piled with. The items were as follows:
Bill No. 1-Lumber, $S4.S7; hardware,
$6.2T. Bill No.2-Three days carpenter
ms, $9;do., 80; two days carpentcring,S6;
do, $5; do, So; three days carpenter
ing, 50; nails, 81; bolts, &C.. $1.T0. Bill
No. 3-Three days carpentering, 50;
do, 50; lumber, $0.4S; pine wood,
$10.78; boards and flooring, $1.7O; oak
and pine wood, SO cents. At the conclu-
sion of the reading of the items MIR.
Smith inquired where the materials
were used and where the work was done.
Mr.. Kirby stated that the materials
had been used and the work done on
the City Hall tower. When the uprights
of the tower were examined, he eX-
planned, it was ascertained that they
were rotten.
Mr.. Smith accused the committee of
having done wrong. lie declared the
| job had been continuous one and con-,
tended that the committee should have
advertised for proposals. The bill, he
asseverated, had been sent in in three
pieces to prevent it clashing with the
| ordinance requiring the securing of bids
for work the cost of which exceeds $50.
| Mr.. Tyre admitted that the committee
| had done wrong, but attempted to
excuse it by saying that the members
had no idea that the job would be such
big one. They had thought at first
the work would not last more than u
few days, but the tower had been found
TO be in a very bad, and even dangerous,
condition and they had concluded the
best thing to do was to so on with the
work.
Mr.. Meaney explained that he had
sanctioned the work before it was COM
menced, but he did not know it was to
be so gigantic job. Tie other mem
bers of the committee had not consulted
him since the work was started.
Mr., Smith thought Mr.. Tyres excuse
was weak, Mr. Chandler and the build
ing inspector, he asserted, knew when
the inspection was made what would
have to be done and the committee was
not excusable because it should have
known the extent Of the job at the
beginning.
The bills were ordered paid. Mr..
Smiths vote was the only one In oppo-
sition to their payment.
The city treasurer reported that Coun-
Gil has SIC, 476.44 in Union National
Bank to the credit of the city's current
expenses. He also reported the follow
ing receipts From Collector Mitchell,
S23, 900, city and school taxes for 1894;
from Collector Sayers, $3.50, 81 200 and
$4,000, like taxes for 1899, 1898 and
1894, respectively.
The city auditor certified to the cor
rectness of the accounts of the city
, treasurer.
The Board OF Education was allowed
its monthly appropriation, amounting
to $40, 1926.
An order for $35,0OO, the sum Dor.
rowed by Council to tide it over the las
fiscal year, was directed to be drawn il
favor of the Board of Directors of thu
l Street and Sewer Department.
Mr.. Ratledge gave notice of the intro
duction of an ordinance regarding tn
width of streets, and Mr.. Stats CAV
8 notice of the introduction of one regard
Y ing the fire department.
Mr.. O'Neill said the absence of til
7 Delaware Fire Co. from the fire a
! Third and Orange streets was deepl,
: felt and asked why no report concern
: ing the suspension of that company ha
been presented.
!, Mr.. Stats stated that the committe
! to whom the matter was referred ha
s held two meetings and would have bee
!, prepared to report had all the commit
teemen attended the meeting he'll
Wednesday evening. The committed
he said, will meet next week. He dit
g not think it will be able to do anythin
in the present case, but thought tn
b ordinance OF which he had given motto
e will probably prevent the recurrence {
IL slch cases