Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1895-03-16
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
What the Law Makers Did In
Dover Yesterday.
THE WORK OF HOUSE AND SENATE

Way-To Tax Electric Cars and Poles.
old Almshouse Property-No Merger
Clauses wanted-Capital City Notes.
STAFF Correspondence Evening Journal.
DOVER, March 10 The Wilmington
City Railway Company must look out for
Its charter. For several years 1t has been
using electricity as It's motive power,
although It's charter gave 1t no right to
do SO No one objected because Of the
desire Of the people Of Wilmington for
more rapid transit than that afforded by
the horse cars used before that time.
Representative Ball gave notice yester.
day OF an act to revoke the charter OF
any railway corporation using motive
power other than that provided ia its
charter. Whether it Is strike" bill or
not it will give Willard Salisbury, Jr.,
an opportunity TO gun for something
besides ths Wilmington and Brandywine
Springs Railway Cympany supplement-
The bill may not get through, bat It's
friends will make 1t exceedingly warm
for the Wilmington City Exclusive
Railway Company.
A Plea for Consistency.
"Your paper once stated editorially
thai all the Wilmington City Railway
Company needed to make It hog was
bristles on its back, said New Castle
member TO your correspondent. You
do not know how nearly you came to
telling the truth 1t is question whether
1t needs the bristles Willard Salisbury,
Jr., is pursuing the same suicidal course
this year that he pursued two years ago.
Instead of trying to get through his own
company amendments FIRST and fighting
verything Afterwards, he is fighting
the other companies first and trusting to
Providence and the General Assembly to
grant all his requests for the Wilmington
City Railway Company afterwards. You
remember how that policy worked two
years ago. After Salisbury had mutilated
every electric railway charter that was
brought to Dover and had nullihed them
all by anti grade crossing amendments,
and the plea tAat the original charter of
the Wilmington City Rail way Company
gave 1t exclusive powers Of construction
and operation in the city Of Wilmington,
he began to whisper into the ears Of the
assemblymen what his own company
wanted He was told that he could have
it If he would accept an Rnti-grade
crossing amendment. He refused The
Senate informed him that II must be
consistent, and that If he would not
accept what be had instigated the com
mittees to compel the other companies to
accept he could not have any extension
of rights and privileges. You remember
what be asked for IL was to borrow
$500 900 for the equipment and extension
of the old company's lines, and for the
funding OF payment OF its indebtedness,
and to secure the same by the issue of Its
bonds and by mortgage OF the whole or
any part OF its franchises and property.
It also asked power to increase its capital
stock to about four-ffths Of million
dollars. You will see him coming here
again this time with some such
proposition. sincerely trust that Chair
men Harrington and Jolls will be as con-
sistent as Speaker Watson was when he
was chairman of the Senate Committee
on Private Corporations.
Wants to Tax the Cars.
Representative Fleming is not a selvile
worshiper at tho feet of Willard Sauls-
bury, Jr the vice.president and legisla
tive attorney of the Wilmington City
Railway Company, neither has he an
Of the business done by the Wilmington
Coal and Gas Company, aud that which
ls sought to be done by the Oxy- H Hydrogen
Company. The Mispillion hundred states
man knows that the state needs more
revenue, and he has been casting his eye
about for things to tax TO get it. The
Wilmington City Railway Company
should, he thinks, not only pay a tax or
4kr. IL ~ H.. rft. ~
/ Wilmington, but 3 tax on its cars, the
whole or part of which should 20 to the
state. Representative Spruance made
an effort to bring this about two years
ago for the benefit of the city, but thu
railway lobby was too strong for him
although he was backed by public
sentiment
Mr.. Fleming is also convinced that tn,
/ gas companies pay entirely too little tC
the state for the privileges which they
enjoy.
Representative Pyle will introduce
new bill to allow the "Washy" and Phm
nix fire companies, of Wilmington, eacl
| 81, 900 additional for the maintenance o
their chemical engines. The origins
bill put in amends the wrong set an,
this second act merely rectihes tn
mistake.
Divorce Day In the House.
Yesterday was divorce day in th
House Chairman Moore reported an,
the House passed the following bills
To divorce Anna May and Thomas ]
Roach; Sylvester and Ellen Torbert
Frank c. and Josephine Lee; Mary J
and William j. Daniels, Jr, Annie L
and Ulysses s. Wiley.
Money for p. @. G. and S. p. @. A.
There is number of appropriation
which are allowed without question b
every General Assembly. Among ther
are those OF the Society for the Proven
tion of Cruelty to Children and th
Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty {
Animals. Ever since 1888 the forme
has been on the roll for $500, while sine
1887 the latter has been a state benedci
airy to the extent Of $500 Represents
tive Pyle offered two joint resolutions
that effect yesterday. They were re
ferred to the Committee on Appropril
tions, but will undoubtedly be adopted
The treasurers OF the two organization
are now preparing statements of e.
penditures to be submitted to th
! Legislature.
Moore Sent Il over,