Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-04-29
A GOOD SHOWING FOR THE YEAR.


middieiown's Light and Water Commits
sion-No Report from the Town Council
for Last Year.
Special correspondenceo Gazette and journal
Middletown, April 90. The yearly
report OF the Light and Water Com.
mission OF Middletown has been 10 the
hands of the Town Council since some
time in March, but for some reason the
taxpayers have not yet been given the
opportunityy.to study the figures and
ascertain for themselves what sort of
iinanciers the Commission is composed
OF. Tbs taxpayers are entitled TO know
something Of the report Of the Com
mission and since the establishment
of the light and water plant and the
organization of Commission to look
after these particular interests the re-
port of said Commission has always
been published ut the same time as the
report of the Town Council. The fact
that DO report CT the Town Council for
the past year has not yet been pub
lished is perhaps the reason why
the report of the Light and
Water Commission has not an.
peared in the local papers as usual.
The Town Council is Obliged by law
to publish an annual statement and the
taxpayers are beginning TO wonder what
has become of it any way. 1t usually
appears about the time Of tho regular
town election in March, but this year
was an exception for the first time in a
long while.
Tho report Of the Light and Water
Commission is probably one of the best
reports which has ever been signed by
a similar commission governing similar
interests town of 1900 people. Out
OF about 81, 900 all of that amount with
the exception Of 81 has been collected,
and in view Of this facr it is not to be
wondered at that the Light and Water
Commission feel a certain amount of
pride in their report and would like
to zee it 60 before the taxpayers. They
had been hoping that it would have
heen published long before this, but
for reasons which tho retiring board Of
Town Commissioners are probably bet.
ter acquainted With than anyone else
it has not been done. Considering the
stringency of the times last year the
report of the Light and Water Com.
mission is certainly remarkable and
the citizens should know that their
interests are in the hands of such a
competent body OF men.
There have been several reasons adj
yanced as to why the retiring Town
Council did not see fit to publish a
statement as has always been the
custom. 1t has been stated that there
we're several thousand dollars in un-
collected taxes and it may he that this
was the real cause of the statement not
being printed. 1t certainly would not
have made a very creditable showing
If placed side by side with the renort
of the Light aud Water Commission.
There is no DOUBT then that the fact
that there was this large amount of
uncollected taxes was the real reason
why the annual town statement which
has heretofore appeared with the regu-
larity of clock work has, not been pub
lisheu this year. Compared with the
work of the Light and Water Com
mission the Town Council surely made
poor showing, TO say the least. 1t
Is to be hoped that the present board
may be able to furnish clear and
satisfactory statement when the proper
time arrives next year and that the
amount Of uncollscted taxes, &C., be
greatly reduced from what it is at the
present time. The new board is
stronger than the old one anu the
taxpayers are anticipating salts
| factory government of the financial
affairs of the town during the term oil
the present Council.