Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-01-17
ABOUT CITY LEGISLATION.
A Council Session of More Than
Ordinary interest
Annual Report OF the Board of Health
Tho Park Commission Asks for u Loan

~, LaN Oh dwellings, Cohueulleu ny Sho
building inspector.
The fire and law committees reported
that the law will not permit Council to
grant the additional appropriation OF sou
asked for by Delaware Fire Co., and ex-
planned that the way to obtain said appro-
priation is to get the General Assembly to
amend the law. The report was adopted.
The fire committee recommended that
Washington Fire Company put chemi-
cal engine in the fire department and re-
quested that the city solicitor prepare for
presentation to the General Assembly an
act i'll relation thereto, which report was
also adopted.
The annual report of the city engineer
was presented and the printing committee
was instructed to have $50 copies OF II
printed. During the year the Engineer,
ing and Surveying Department received
fees amounting to l,05l.65 of which
S72i.6j was deposited to the credit of the
Mayor and Council and 1927 to the credit
of the Board of Directors of the Street
and Sewer Department. The report recon-
mended that the departments force and
the salaries of the assistants DO increased.
The city treasurer reported that the
bank balance to the credit of the city's
current expenses amounts to S77,962Bl.
tThe balance reported January llth, 1894
was fllO,Sll.0i.) He also reported the fol-
lowing receipts: From Plumbing lnspec-
tor Kane, So fees last month; from City
Auditor Billany, $3.50, rent of Second
street market house; from Collector
Mitchell; $3.50 city and school taxes for
1888; from Collectors Sayers, S225, similar
taxes for 1894.
The clerk of the municipal court re-
ported that his receipts last month were as
follows: Fines, SlGj.G7; fees 1850; costs;
S53.42.
The building inspector reported that he
granted last month permits for IL build
ings, the estimated valuation of which is
| 90, 500. His fees amounted to s63.aO.
The city auditor certified to the correct
| ness of the accounts of the several officials.
WHAT THE BOARD OF HEALTH ASKS.
The annual report of the president of
the Board of Health was read. He an
nounced that the total number Of deaths
in this city last year was l,16l, which
with a population of 10000, gave q death
rate of 1855 per thousand, the lowest
in the history of the board. A share of
the credit of the improved sanitation, he
stated, is due to the Street and Sewer and
Water Department. Tho crematory had
much to do with decreasing the number
of complaints against nuisances on vacant
lots as well Us Kidding the board of the
/ annoyance of complaints from the bigger
les established near the city line. He gave
| Secretary ColquhCun credit for the inter-
| est he has manifested in the crematory.
He recommended that there be put in the
| crcmatory pulverlZer for grinding the
ash, that the same may be sold to farmers
He called attention to the necessity OF "A
| milk inspector. The number of children
| who die under 2 years of age. he said, is
| appalling. Since milk is the only susten-
ance for most of the children every safe
guard should be made to give them pure
milk. He called attention to the law re-
IattV
| under the control of the Street and Sewer
Department, which has jurisdiction only
between building lines. He claimed that
the greatest need for the plumbing inspec-
| tor is i'll buildings and recommended that
| Council recommend through its legislative
committee that the law be so amended
that the plumbing inspector will be put
under the control of the Board OF Health.
The board, he continued, is frequently
called upon to pave alleys, open drains
and abate other nuisances in which there
are joint owners In many cases the
owner is a nonresident or beyond the
jurisdiction of the board. The work oil
the board in many cases is often hinderec
i'll the prompt abatement of nuisances in
consequence of this and the board is often
called upon to pay the cost of work dont
without any way OF getting the money
back. He recommended that the law BIZ
so amended as to enable the board to entel
liens upon the properties in such cases as
is done by other departments of the city
He also recommended an amendment tC
the city ordinance i'll regard to contagious
diseases. He asked that physicians b,
compelled to report cases OF diphtheria
membraneous Group, scarlet fever and
kindred diseases and that the board be
authorized to designate such houses by
placards and to prevent the children il
said cases from appearing on the street,
and in the public schools. He further
recommended that the report for 1893 be
printed lie commended the diligenci
ind efficiency of the executive officers
The report was referred to the printing
committee. ....z
NOTICE OF AN IMESDMEHT.
Mr.. Ratledge gave notce of the inAFo
dnction of an amendmeat to section o.
the ordinance creating the Department o,
Engineering and Surveying.
A resolution offered by Mr. Tyre, t,
repeal tbs ordinance naming George TIL
man as tho psssen TO witness the killing o
dogs, was defeated by a vote Of to 4
Messrs. Tyre. McNaltty, Meaney. enc
Donaho voted in the affirmative. a few
members argued that since the superin
tendent of the crematory is required Il
keep record of the dogs delivered Their
Tlllman's Witnessing OF tho killing of dog
at the asphyxiater Is not necessary
Others commended that somebody mus
witness the killing of dogs and that tn
,. superintendent Of the crematury canno
; be compelled to perform such work, AM
that, therefore, Tillinan should be retained
A resolution offered by Mr.. Smith, de
manding that the p, w. Il B., the w.
n. and the b. & o. railroad companie
erect q safety gate at the foot OF Madison
street Immediately, the city solicitor t,
bring action against the companies if the
fail to comply, was unanimously adopted
: APPROXIMATION FOR PARKS.
Councils session was followed by an in
formal conference of the memb ers of tina
body and members of the legislative com
/ | mittee of the Board of Park Commission
$ ers. The object Of the conference was /
i consult the members of Councils legislt
: tive committee respecting the act whic
: the Board of Park Commissioners desire
the General Assembly to pass, of whic
Y the following is draft:
+, A further supplement to San act to provid
for public parks Tor tho use OF the citizens
Wilmington and Its vicinity" passed Marc
18Th, 1885. ....z
: he is enacted, De-,
!. See. /. That the mayor and Council of wi
Il mington are hereby enpowered-under a
= ordinance, or ordinances, ol the City COunc
y To bo passed with the concurrence of twt
thirds OF all the mCmpers thereof for the tim
: beiug-to borrow Il sum or suIns, nor eXceet
ing III the aggregate -, which funds sha
be applied aud expended under the charge
the Board OF Park Commissioners Of the sal
city, Tor the improvement Of the public park
SCI. >. That the Mayer and Council of Wi
miugton are hereby empowered, under &
ordinance or ordinances OF the City Couno
to DO passed with the concurrence of two-thirt
OF all the mombers thereof for the time bein
TO borrow Il sum or sums of money not exueet
ing in the aggregate -,
sec. s. That the bonds Of the City of Wi
mingtou authorized 10 DO issued under II
provisions OF this act shall DO issued and On,
Inent made In the manner provided by an a
passed at Dover, February 9th, 1855, entihe
an net 10 provide Il sinking fund for the pa