The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-27
CITY CHARTER
AT LAST KILLED
Senate Votes Almost IMAM
imOuslytO Indefinitely
Postpone Measure.

Dover, Del, May 26-It Is likely tina,
the General Assembly will adjourn sine
die at p. III. tomorrow, the Senate having
concurret today in the House adjournment
resolution.
In the Senate the Commit tee on Cities
and Towns reported the Wilmington city
charter without recommendation. Sena.
tor Pyle, who reported the BILL said the
committee could not agree upon it. But
little Of the charter had been read when
Senator Pierce moved that further consid.
Grafton be indefinitely postponed.
Senator Pyle spoke in favor of the char
| ter. He said the people of Wilmington
| believed that they had outgrown their
| present charter, 1t was granted In 1882,
| but has been amended from time to time
until 1t is mere patchwork. Under the
provisions of tho pendng bill the mayo r
appoints the six heads OF departments. 1t
Is said to be wholly non-partisan char
ter, for the heads of the departments are to
be divided Mayor McLear, the present
mayor, thinks that this is fair and equit-
uble measure, and is in accord with II. In
the past the custom has heen to grant
charters to towns when they asked them
Many abuses Lave grown up in Whining
ton, and many irresponsible men have re-
ceived offices. The city is supposed to Le
governed by some kind Of law and order
of the Senate.
Mr.. Pierce said he had moved to indefl-
nitely postpone the bill becuuse at the
last session, 1t was referred back to tho
municipal commission with instructions
to report at the next Legislature. Despite
that order it was brought back at this
time.
Senator Stewart said he was opposed to
the charter because 1t was not what the
people wanted. This charter has been
made to please the people now in Office,
and after this was done those interested
made places to fit themselves.
The bill was indefinitely postponed by a
vote Of to q Senators Pyle and Feni-
moro voted against tho indefinite postpone
ment This disposes of tho city charter at
this session. An attempt may DO made to
pass 1t at the next session
The Senate passed tho House bill to al
low the treasurer of New Castle county IA
per centum of tho moneys collected in his
county under tho Adams tax law for re-
ceiving and disbursing the money. 1t is
not known how much County Treasurer
Rettew will receive under the bill but he
will also be compelled to give an addition
al bond which will make his expenses con-
siderably greater.
The following bills were passed by tho
Senate: Providing for q State Board of
Agriculture, with nm annual appropriation
of $1,000 to the State Fair Association al
lowing appeals 10 be taken where demurr-
ers have boon filed; and regulating tho
compensation OF officers of the General
Assembly.
The House passed q bill to authorize the
State Treasurer to borrow $4,000 to pay
extraordinary expenses. Subsequently the
bill WAS held to be unconstitutional, and
the vote was recOnsidered.
The following bills were passed by the
House: Crenting n general election law;
amending tho New Castle County pawn
broker law, and allowing house surgeants
at the Wilmington police station to issue
warrants
representative Cheairs introduced bill |
to extend the lime for recording private
acts. |
The House passed the Senate bill in
creaslnS the appropriation of the Phoenix
Fire Company, of Wilmington, to 5000, |
and an unsuccessful effort was made to
pass the corporation bill