Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-12-12
THE ACTION WAS PREMATURE
A Misunderstanding Leads to
an Awkward Situation.
DIFFICULTY EXPLAINED AWAY
Telephone Men Surprise the
Street and Sewer Directors.
The New Corporation Gets Copy OF a
Draft in Advance OF the City Body and
Acts Upon It--1he Whole Thing Was n
Mistake General Street and Sewer Dee
partment Business. s.

The new Delmarvia Telephone Co.
was well represented at the meeting of
the Board OF Directors of the Street
and Sewer Department Tuesday night.
President Joseph l.. Carpenter, Jr., F.
III. HofTecker, one of the attorneys for
the company, Mr.. Brewington of Bal
timore and several directors were on
hand. They had with them copy Of
set Of resolutions, which they in
tended to submit 10 the board for adop-
ton. 1t transpired, however, that the
gentlemen had obtained from City So
licitor Harman draft of something
which the Street and Sewer Directors
had intended to consider, and the COM
pany's resolutions were taken from the
paper which was obtained from City
Solicitor Harman and which some
thought the department had adopted.
As soon as these facts became known,
which was before the gentlemen had
time to make any request for action
from the board, Mr. Pratt expressed
surprise. He said he was not aware
that anything had been drawn up by
the board, and il it had the board had
never seen the draft and consequently
did not know what it was. He asked
the gentlemen present how they came
by such paper.
President Carpenter Of the company
| said one of their attorneys had got the
| paper and when he (Mr. Carpenter)
saw it he understood 1T was what the
Street and Sewer Department intended
to adopt and was Of the opinion that
permission had been given to see the
| draft in advance. AS soon as be was
informed that such a draft had been
obtained he called meeting of the di-
rectors of the company for the purpose
of considering the supposed resolu.
tiona Accordingly the meeting was
held Tuesday afternoon and resoiu-
| tion. somewhat different from the paper
they had obtained from Mr.. Harmau
was drawn up, with the intention Of
asking the board to adopt it in place
of the original.
Mr.. Pratt said he knew nothing at
all about the supposed resolutions; he
was not aware that anything of tho
kind was in existence.
Mr.. Simmons made an explanation.
He said that few points had been
iotted down and submitted to the city
solicitor with instructions to prepare a
form of resolution. The whole thing
was tho result of the meeting last Sat
urday afternoon.
City Solicitor Harman stated that j.
II. HofIeckcr of counsel for the new
company, and Mr.. Brewington, who is
also interested called on him and stated
that they had authority from one of the
directors of the department to get from
him a copy of the draft, and pursuant
to this information he furnished one.
Each of the Street and Sewer Direc-
tors denied having given such author.
ity, but President Chambers said Mr..
Hoffecker had spoken to him about the
matter and he simply told him that
the draft was in course of preparation
by Mr. Harman. He did not under
stand Mr., Hoffecker to ask for copy.
J. II. Hoffecker, the gentleman re-
ferred to was absent, but F. ii, Hof-
fecker, the other member of the law
firm interested in the business of the
new company stated that his partner
understood that he had permission to
obtain copy of the draft before he
made application to the city solicitor
for it. He also stated that nobody but
the directors of the company knew
what the paper contained, that no in
formation whatever had been given out,
whereupon Mr.. Pratt replied that
when the proposition of the Street and
Sewer Department was in shape and
had been acted on it would be given to
the reporters for publication.
There was evidently a misunderstand-
ing, and, as the members Of the depart
ment stated that they were not ready
to act, the representatives of the tele,
phone company stated that they would
willingly Withdraw and await the ac-
tion of the board.
President Chambers Informed the
gentlemen before tliey left, that they
would be informed when the board was
ready for them. They then took their
departure, but left draft of tho reso-
luton which they had intended to ask
the members of the board to adopt
On account of pressure OF other
business the matter was not brought
up at all, but it was learned that it
will be taken up and acted upon in the
near future.
There is no question but that there
was misunderstanding and that ]. II.
Hoffeclser acted as he thought he had
been given permission to act when he
asked City Solicitor Harman for the
draft There is no blame attached to
Mr. Harman, either, as he thought he
was going according to instructions
from a mcmber Of the board, Every
body concerned evidently acted con.
scientiously in tho matter, and the
gentlemen present expressed regret at
being placed in an awkward position
through Misunderstanding.
The following resolution, which is
self-eHplanatory, WAS adopted:
"That Fourth street from Fren h to
Walnut, Fourthstreet from Shipley to
Tatnall, Fourth street between Madi.
son and Jefferson (south side) and
Tenth street between King and Mar
iets tsouth sido, be set aside from the
1st Of December, in each year, to the
lsr of January, in each year. for the
display and sale of Christmas trees.
"Section 2. Any person or persons
displaying or selling Christmas trees
on streets other than those above
named shall be subject to fine Of So
for each and every offence, and il such
person or persons fail TO remove said
| trees from said streets within five hours
after notice to him so to do by the
clerk Of the market, the said clerk OF
his deputy may remove the same and
convey them to place of safety, there
to be kept until the expense attached
to tho same by reason of said removal
be first paid by the owner or owners
thereof.
! Clerk of the Market Neidermaier,
who was present, was instructed ia
carry out the provisions.of the resolu'
tion.
| The Wilmington Coal Gas Co, was
given permission to lay pipes on Eigh,
! teenth street, between Washington
street and the Boulevard and ON the
Boulevard between Eighteenth street