Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-31
TWO IMPORTANT MEASURES.

Special Correspondence Gazette and Journsl
DOVER, Jan. 2S.-Representativ Rey-
bold has introduced an act to provide for
the maintenance of certain public roads in
st. Georges and Red Lion hundreds. II
was accompanied by statement. which
says; "The St. Georges Marsh Co, was
chartered in the year 1862 for the purpose
of embanking and retaining quantity
of marsh, deemed about 1900 acres, the
work being completed few years later.
The building of the Chesapeake d. Della
ware canal divided these lands so that there
are now only l,76o acres assessed in the
company, represented by Is individual
owners. An estimate of the value of the
lands assessed in the st, Georges Marsh Co.
shows:
l,aBo acres at .Sle $50
ip5 acres at s6........................ 75j
1,7G0 acres, total value. ..ssi, 900
about four miles of county roads
(causeways) aud 80 feet of bridges are
protected by their banks from being over
flowed by the tides OF the Delaware river.
From the first building Of the st. Georges
marsh banks until the year 1873 they we're
maintained at the sole expense of the
marsh company. In the fall OF that year
the banks and sluiees were destroyed by
the great storm and tidal wave which
swept over the country. The owners were
unable and unwilling to bear the whole
expense Of rebuilding. A bill was pre-
scented to the Legislature in 1879 asking
that the county be empowered to assist i'll
tho building OF the bank, and it was
passed. In 1879, by authority of said act,
the sum of $4,000 was spent for the re-
building OF the bank, $1,000 of which was
paid by the county. During the years
1881 and 1883 further sum Of about
$4,000 was spent for improving and pro.
tecting the bank, 5000 of which was paid
by the county. During the seven years
following to 1890, the sum Of So, 239, or an
average of about $3.50 per year was spent,
this sum being paid wholly by the marsh
owners for repairs ON banks and sluices.
10 1891 an act was passed by the Legisla-
ture empowering the Levy Court to bear
one-half the cost of maintaining the
bank the total TO be paid by the county
not to exceed $500 each year. For the
three years from 1891 10 1903 inclusive the
sum of $3.50 was spent, of which the
county paid 1,5O0. The total cost of
maintaining the banks and sluices for 10
years was S.. $50 or an average of $3.50 per
year. The heavy storms of last spring
again badly damaged the banks, the roads
being submerged and communication
with Delaware City cut off, and the
county commissioners were called upon.
They inspected the roads and river bank,
but they had no right to spend money on
it and could do nothing. Some OF the
owners of the submerged land decided
that they would advance sum sufficient
to make the banks temporarily safe and
| render the roads passabie. Accordingly
during the past summer and fall the sum
| of SS 400 was expended in repairing and
rebuilding said banks, $500 of which was
paid by the county under the act of 1881,
and $1,000 was advanced by some marsh
owners, $500 of which the marsh COM
pany,, according to the act of 1891, has
\ paid, leaving u balance OF ~, 400 expended
| In the erection and repairing of the banks
unprovided for. 0ne-half Of this balance
the marsh company has paid but they
deem it unjust that they should pay the
whole cost of rebuilding the banks that
| protect the public roads leading through
these lowlands. The work, SO far as it has
| gone, has been thorough, but it is still I'M
| finished, and from $4,000 to $1,000 more
will be required for grading and stoning,
These banks, when completed on the
plans laid out, will be higher and stronger
than they ever have been, and it will then
require but very small annual eXpendi-
ture for many years to come. The situa'
ton now regarding the banks is the same
us it was in 1878, excepting as to the
amount of money involved. Then S30,00(
| WIS dllu NOW uOt IuOTt lDuT
| $1,000 will bc required to complete Q
higher and stronger bank than did $50, 00C
in 1879. The marsh company ask fol
assistance from the county solely on the
ground that it is for the benefit OF the tax
payers.h
| The amount the county is asked to pay
is about $1,000.
| FOR A STATE TRAINING SCHOOL.
" Representative DAILY introduced an ac
to provide for establishing and maintain
ing State training school for teachers, Il
says: 1T shall be the duty of the State
Board OF Education to provide IN the
months of July and August next, and an
nually thereafter in the town of Dover
State training school for teachers, to con
time in session not less than five weeks in
each year, and to all persons residing in
the state who wish to become teachers il
shall furnish free of cost instruction in
school organization, in school government
and in the art of teaching. Instruction il
said school shall be divided into two de
partments-a primary and grammar
lum adapted for the public schools Of th
State. 1t shall be the duty of the STAT
Board OF Education to employ as in
= structors only professional institute
teachers, professional training teachers ant
those whose education and training ar
guarantee that the instruction given il
school organization, school government
and the art of teaching will be equal t.
that given in the best normal trsinin
schools in other States. All persons VIII
wish to teach i'll the State shall be requires
to pass An examination on the methods o
teaching the primary grades before the
shall be eligible to receive first teachers
certificates and on the methods of teachin
both the primary and the grammar grade
before receiving the second teachers cert
'ficates, provided, however, that this fea
ture of the law shall not be enforced be
fore July LIST, 1896, and provided furthe
that this law snail not be binding on thos
teachers who hold diplomas or certificate
of graduation from normal schools q
. training schools for teachers in good stanc
. ing elsewhere" 1t further says that pei
J sons not residents OF the State can atlen
the sessions Of the school by paying
the State Board of Education IS per wee
or SIS for the session, that the school sha
receive an annual appropriation of 81 ,0C
and that the provisions Of the act shall N,
! apply to Wilmington.