The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-24
Let the jail be ENLARGED II Ono.

Lst the jail be Enlarged ut Once.
Levy Court OF New Castle short
$l37,47367. What amount will be
realized from the large sums app
pearlng to be due the county cannot
be safely estimated, but it is eason.
able to say, in view OF the shrink.
age OF the count'ys accounts receiv.
able in the past, that the losses will
be very great-Every Evening,
July 10, 1907
Mr.. Editor:-What does it mean
that 1887, 473.67 in county taxes are
unsolicited; is it true or not, and
how are we to arrive at the truth?
l will suggest that the name OF every
person who has not paid be publish
ed in the newspapers, the year and
the amount unpaid. This is what
did in 1878 when l was Clerk of
Council. The so-called lien book
showed some $4,000 of uncollected
liens. The Finance Committee in
structed Inc to publish the names of
the delinquents; | did so, and oh,
what a stir it made. Men came
from all quarters, with receipts
showing payment. Now who was
to blame;S certainly not the clerk,
but the City Council. was APP
pointed by the Finance Committee
to compare the lien book with the
Auditors book and it took about 6
months to complete the job. When
done l made report which showed
that about $50, 900 was collected and
the balance $4,000 lost and here
say that not more than 4 of the
$40, 200 was collected or even less
than one-third: and why? The then
City Solicitor laid the matter quiet
ly before the late Chancellor Sauls-
bury. and what did he say? This
was his opinion, viz: The paving or
repairing of the bed OF streets owned
by the city. could not be collected
from an individual for paving and
work done in front of his property,
but must be paid out of the general
fund, so further collections stopped.
The trustees of the Baptist Church
Fourth and French, paid 500 and
my property paid $l37, and many
others paid. All who paid lost what
they paid, as it could not be collect
ed from the city by law. BY an act
of the Legislature, as clerk of City
CouncilI was authorized and instruc-
ter to satisfy all the liens OH the lien
books. satisfied 499 accounts or
liens, and l was allowed the enor.
nous sum of $125. Now, in fact,
the city lost about $35, 900 or $40, 900.
This amount could have been COL
lected, but was not, because of the
ignorant city fathers and their Off
Gals l will just state here that
the contract or agreement made be-
tween the city and the p, W. & b.
II. II. Company, for the widening of
Water street could not be found,
therefore some 100000 we're lost to
the city. This transaction took
place before September 1878. The
bonded debt is over S2.000,000 and
the assessment unequal, and the tax
rate too high. Now is Wilmington
well-governed city. and the coun-
ty of New Castle finances honestly
taken care of and accounted for.
Now, who are the persons who
owe the county S337,475. 81? DO
these people own real estate? Why =
certainly they do. Can it be collect
ed by law? Why certainly. Then
why not proceed by law to collect
the back taxes, as they are called?
Is there any back water rent due
the Water Department? No, no.
If person don't pay in certain
given time, he is not let alone, but
the water is shut off Now why not
collect all county taxes: is it because
some OF these delinquents are Demo-
Gratis and some Republicans, and
the Levy Courtmen's hearts are too
soft to push their friends and take
bread out of their families mouths.
But what about those who always
pay; should they remain contcnted
and eXcause of the Levy Court and
their tax collectors neglecting to- do
their duty and refusing to enforce
the law? No. no. Suppose we all
stop paying county taxes. .. I do not
pay mine and my neighbor does not
pay HIS. oIC llidll 10 dS Soou DIS
another, and if large number of
tax payers don't pay and Will not
pay, they appear to be excused.
Why not excuse all. No, no, this
whole subject should be sifted down
to the foundation; first, who has not
paid; publish him, then sell the
property for taxes, it is the first lien
and there is no shrinkagc. If the
law is void and the collectors negli-
gent or incompetent, let us know it,
and don't go on from year to year,
and collect enough to pay your sal-
aries and build houses and other
city property to speculate in, so
that you fare sumptuously every day
while those who pay, are burdened
to make up the s337,475.6Z Let
there be settling up or resign your =,
Offices and say it cant be collected.
E. b. FRAZER.