Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-09-02
COULD NOT ELECT OFFICERS
AFruitless Session Held by City
Council Monday Night.
TWENTY-EIGHT BALLOTS TAKEN
Democrats Refused to Cast a
United Vote.
The City Without a Clerk and BaiiiG Of
Council. u Coal OH Inspector, a Clerk of
the Market, n City Treasurer's Clerk and
City Auditors Clerk.

being the announcement that the mat
ter Of election of city officers was to
come up. 1t came up, but was unpro-
ductivo OF any result. After the regu-
lar business had been disposed Of, Mr..
Oberly moved that Council 90 into the
nomination and election of a clerk of
Council. Mr. tIealey offered an amend
ment that all city officers to be solicited
by Council be included. Messrs.
Robertson and O'Neil thought tho
balloting for clerk Of the market, which
was in progress when the matter was
before the body month ago, should be
resumed. At tho request of President
Leitch, Clerk MORRISON read from the
minutes OF that meeting and decided
that Mr.. Oherly's motion was in order
Mr.. Obery accepted Mr.. Healey's
amendment, to include all city officers,
and the motion prevailed.
Mr.. Oberly nominated Clerk Norris
son to succeed himself us clerk of Coun-
Gil, and Mr. Robertson nominated II.
H. Billany. Messrs Healay and Robert
son were appointed tellers, but Mr..
llealey complained of sore foot and
was excused. Mr.. Cannon being &C.
lected in hia place. Fifteen unsuCcess-
fu ballots we're taken.
Some time WINS spent after the if
bcbubu CudhliuR1 hull ebNcThl
of the Republican members conferred,
after which Mr.. Robertson moved that
the election Of officers be deferred until
the following Wednesday and the present
officers retain their positions until
September 30th.
Mr.. Leary objected, and moved to
Hmond by simply postponing the husi-
ness of electing officers until next the
Monday night.
Mr.. O'Neill said mis- objection to Mr..
Robertaon's q motion was that the COM
mittees would have business to attend
tO on Wednesday night and the meeting
Of Council might interfere. 81 am not
opposed to an adjourned meeting, he
said, and gave the following quotation
from Robert Burns: 1.-The best laid
plans O. men and mice aft gang a. gee. "
Mr.. Robertson said he would accspt
Mr.. Leary's amendment to meet on
Monday night, hut he refused to accept
that portion Of the amendment strik-
ing out the extension of the terms
Of officers. whereupon Mr.. Leary
moved to amend by, striking .nutstbs
portion OF the motion extending the
terms. The amendment and amended
motion were adopted.
There was lively discussion over the
matter OF refunding overpaid taxes,
which was brought on by the report Of
the finance committee, which recon
mended that Alfred Mcdowell be re.
funded 81. 20. overpaid tax for 1897,
ignoring his petition to have a similar
amount refunded for 1896. After the
report had been read Mr.. Oherly moved
that it be adopted and an order drawn
for S2.70.
Mr.. Robertson asked why the com
mittee had ignored the petition for re
funding tho overpaid amount for 1896.
Mr.. Oberly said the committee had
deemed il unwise 10 TefunIl any over
paid amount except for the present
year, aahe knew of some who wanted
money refunded for five or six years
past. He thought there should be some
limit to the time for refundng over
paid taxes.
Mr. Robertson said there was limit,
and il was three years. The tax collec-
tors. he held, had collected the tax un-
Justly and the city was uHing money
which did not belong to it, The nett
tioDer does not live in the city, and the
collectors hRd collected the tax uniustly.
Mr.. O'Neill said the city had made
provision by law wherehy people could
have overpaid taxes refunded. There
was board OF revision, which sat fol
month and they should appear before
the board, which was the place to have
all errors corrected. 1hey had not ap,
peared before the board and now come
TO Council to have the correction made.
lie thought nothing of that character
should come before Council, except
where taxes bad been maid twice.
Mr.. Robertson contended that the pc
titioner had paid his tax thrae month";
after the board of revision had met.
and therefore had no opportunity to ap
pear before the board. He moved thai
this communication be referred back tc
the committee, with instructions tC
recommend payment OF the full amount.
The motion was seconded by Mr.. Fisher.
Mr.. O'Neill thought such a motion
was out of order, as did also Mr.. Leary,
who called attention TO the fact that
IT gave the committee no latitude,
whereupon Mr.. Robertson withdreV
his motion and moved that the amount
recommended in the report be striclser
out and 50. 40 be substituted. Th,
amendment was ssconded by Mr.. Fisher
Ut WAS lost by q vote of 8 TO > agains
it. Mr.. Zebley, member of the finano,
committee, voted in the negative with
had been lost the original motion Il
hdopt the report and refund 50. 10 wal
adopted by the same vote.
The committee reported in favor o
refunding 81. 56, ovsrpaid tax, to thu
estate OF Philip Dougherty. The re
port was adopted and the money ordered
paid.
Mr. oberly presented petition from
Patrick Monaghan, asking that he HI
refunded sld2. 80, overpaid tax on prop
orty between Seventh and Twelfth
streets and Woodlawn and Greenhil
avenues, which had been put on the re
duced tax rate list at the last session
of the Legislature. The petition wa
referred to the finance and law commit
tees, as was also similar communica
tion from George W. Bush, asking tina
he be refunded ss2. 03. paid as tax ol
marsh land 'or the years 1896 and 1897
City Auditor Pyle reported that h
had audited the hooks OF Secretary rel
Weeges Of the Board OF Hoalth ant
found the accounts correct and bal
Rnee OF S35. 80 from last year 8 appro
priation.
The Counoil, polire and mscellaneuu
pay-rolls for August amounting Il
e275, s5, 562. 81 aud s3.O74.7l respec
lively, were approved and checks or