The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-24
HOUSE PASSES
CITY CHARTER
Only Three Votes POlled
Against the Measure.

Dover, DEL, May 2s.-The Legislature
started in with rush on the last week OF
the session. The Sena'e passed the fol-
lowing bills: House bills, making valid
the title to certain properly formerly OF Il
estate Of Sallie G. Gordy; authorizing the
publication of the decisions Of the Sta'e
Courts from February /, 1893, to June 10,
1897; authorizing the Supreme Court to
make rules and orders in relation to writs
of certiorari out Of the Supreme Court; in
relation to the return of process issuing
ont OF the Supreme Court; amending the
ci o Ter OF the town of Townsend; Senate
hill In relat alton to recognizances in the
Orphans Court.
Senator Stewart gave notice Of a bill
amending the New Castle County pawn
broker law by giving the Court more lee
way In the matter of fines for violation.
A bill regulating the settlement of per-
sonal estates was introduced in the Sen.
ate.
In,h House Representative Thompson
gave notice of bill regulating mercantile
business in the State.
Tho House reconsidered the vote by
which it had killed the bill allowing all
appeal after demurrer has been hied.
Speaker Riggin offered joint resolu-
tioii 10 adjourn sine die next Wednesday
aftsrnoon, which was made the special
order for tomorrow.
Representative Dempsey introduced
general ballot bill.
The House al passed tho bill prohibit
ing political clubs from assessing office
holders.
The Senate pissed the billH providing
for general election law, providing for
Court sUenographers and regulating the
weight of bread.
Representative johnson introduced o
bill providing for treatment of inebriates
Representative Cheairs called up for
final consideration the bill to provide a
new chart er for the city of Wilmington.
Speaker Riggin said that the matter had
been referred to u committee on confer
ence, 1t was found that while commit
tee of conference had been appointed 10
decision had ever been reached and that
the bill in the Senate had been with
drawn. This left nothing on which to
confer and but one bill was left for consid-
Grafton. Representative Dempsey, who
was one of tho committee, reported thaS
nothing had been dono and the bill was
placed on its flpal passage.
NJ. Cheairs said the members UNDER
stood The bill. 1t was drawn by the NUM-
cipal Commission appointed for tho pur-
pose and it has the approval of the people
Of Wilmington.
Mr.. Dempsey reviewed the history of
the bill and said that If q new charter was
needed when this commission was appoint
ed there Is still need. He believed that
Wilmington could bo better governed than
1t is.
Mr.. HAZEL said tho people of Whining
ton had asked for local self-government
and this bill gave it,
Mr.. Short asked for an explanati on Of
tho bill from Mr. Hazell.
Mr.. HAZEL declined to enter into an ex-
planation rs Mr. Short had had ample
time to study the matter.
Mr.. Short then asked Mr.. Dempsey to
explain.
Mr.. Dempsey said that under the new
charter tho number of o1ficer-holders
would be reduced. In addition, every Of
fcer Is accountable to some one for his
ac:s. 1t also provides non-partisan gov.
ernment The mayor and council arc given
additional powers.
Mr.. Choairs read tho statement Of the
Municipal Commission as to what the
charter would DO. He also alluded to the
fact that City Council now had but little
to do except to levy taxes.
The bill was passed by the following
vote: Yeas-Messrs. Cheairs, Davis, Demp
sey, Dukes, Huzell, J. H. Hopkins, L. S.
Hopkins, johnson, Martin. Mccoy, Nc
Cullough, Smith, Short, Taylor, Thomp-
son, Whitney, Wilson. Speaker Riggin-lS.
Absent-Messrs. Alrichs, Donaldson and
Eliason-3. The bill will now bo sent to
the Senate, where its fate will be decided.