Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-02-24
Was Discussed by the City
: Council Last Week.
EXPLANATIONS BY MR.. ROSSELL
DweIt Chiefly on the Recent
Alterations.


members of Council, with the exception
Of President @. M. Leitch and George
O'Neill. and Daniel W. Taylor. W. d.
Mullen. Jr., and John S. Russell Of the
commission were present. Mayor Henry
G. McLear presided.
Mr.. Rossell acted as expositor Of the
instrument. dwelling particularly upon
those portions which have been altered
since it was last before the Legisll ture,
and passing much of the rest without
comment. Certain of the provisions were
discussed at length. some Of the Council.
men being apparently very DESTROYS TO
prevent any such thing as deadlock
In ary department OF the city govern.
ment. This was specially displayed in
discussing the section under which
Councilmen are elected, when il wac
held that Council might stand to
with the two minority candidates tied
for Council. Discussion also arose over
the mayors appointing power. The
session was more than two and half
hours long. The commission is to fur
nish the city legislative body with a
copy of the instrument as completed,
and further consideration may be given
II later.
In introducing the subject, Mr..
RosBell said that tho comm ission had
considered proposed amendments hut
was still open to suggestions. remark
ing that matter of this kind cannot
be fixed without mutual concessions.
In place Of the former section as to
warda, the new charter proposes in sec
tion TO divide the city into five wards
TO conform with the five legislative dis
tricts. .-
Section gives Council the power 10
annex additional territory upon the
petition of three,fourths OF the free.
holders residing therein and grants
residents in the annexed district the
privilege of appealing to the Superior
Court.
Under section S the city may receive
devises, requests, gifts and donations
and devote them to the use intended,
power which although it may now ex.
ercise 1t, Mr.. Rossell does not know it
to possesa. A new paragraph is inserted
Incorporating special act of tho Legis.
lature allowing the city to lay out
streets to the extent OF one mile from
the city line. Chief Engineer James
Wilson of the City Surveying Depart
ment explained that this would prevent
expense and lack of uniformity in the
long run, when such sections would be
taken into the city.
Mr.. Rossell announced that para-
graph ii of section 5 OF the original
act. which refers to the regulation of
railways in the city had been stricken
out because the ommission did not be-
liere it possible to secure the passage
OF the charter with that provision.
Paragraph 10 Of section 5, relating to
haa alb A.
provide that all franchises granted by
the city shall be for definite period
not longer than 20 years and subject to
repeal.
Paragraph 16 incorporates a legisla.
tive act prohibiting bogus sales of any
kind.
Paragraph II allows Council to
license, tax, register and control auctions
and auctioneers and TO grant licenses
for any lawful purpose. This section
Is to set at rest Councils right to levy
license.
The commission has enlarged some
what on the qualifications for office,
those for mayor being the same as those
for Governor, an age of 30 years, q
citizen Of the State and a resident oil
the city for SIX years. The age limi,
for other officers has been reduced from
20 to "a years. A bribery clause is in
serted. each municipal officer being re-
CURED TO swear or affirm that he has
not given or promised 10 give any re-
ward to anyone for hia election.
Council 10 to consist of 10 members,
three from each of the five wards
which are to conform 10 tho Legislative
districts. Each voter ia to vote for n,
more than two Of the candidates in hi
ward; the three candidates receiving
the highest number OF votes will b.
elected, and the minority Representa-
ton secured. II any party fails to nam
at least two candidates 10 each ward
the Department of Elections is to rejec
all the candidates named by that party
Under this section, Mr.. Robertson
asked what would happen il there wa
tie on the minority candidates in on
ward, and Council Rtuod to T. Rattle
than leave the question of deciding be
tween the candidates to Council, b
thought the charter should meet tina
contingency. Several views were o.
pressed as to way out OF tina dill
Guilty, one plan being to have ne
election for those candidates, and M
other being to have them draw lots fC
the office.
Council is to organize at noon @
July lst after the election. Tho salar
Of Councilmen is placad at $500, {
they will have more work and respol
sibility under the new charter. FL
failure to attend meetings of Council
committees without being excused
fine of 80 for each such meeting ma
be imposed, Section 81 provides tn,
in case of a tie for Mayor, Council sha
decide upon one of tho candidate
Several OF the fIounoilmen objected
leaving this with Council. 1t w
thought by some that the decisic
should be left with tho people.
Mr.. Cannon asked why all thr
Councilmen in each ward should not
elected by the majority. Mr.. Rosst
replied that the effort was to secu
minority representation.
Section DO giving the mayor power
appoint tbs heads Of the five executi
departments, by and with the conse
Of two-thirds of all the members
Council, was also considered. II
mayor iH TO name two of his own 81
three OF the opposite party to the
positions. Again the spectre of dea
lock seemed to appear before some
the city fathers. Mr.. RosselI said th
In case OF q deadlock each head cou
name his own subordinates. Shou
the mayor be removed, the city com
troller will succeed him.
The charter as now drafted proyid
for five executive departments mate
Of four, the additional departing
being that Of water supply, to succe
the present Water Department and
In charge of director. Council won
hx the water tar rate. The water rs
bills would be collectpd nv the citv