Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-23
An Influential Delegation Waits
Upon Governor Tunnel,
at Dover.
CONVINCING FACTS AND FIGURES
Showing How the Proposed
Reduction of Water Rates
Would Result in an In
crease of the Total
Property and Wa
ter Tax.

Do.er. harcn l''-A ueieehlloh VI
Whining tonians, composed of f. 7.
George Q. Capelle, W. A. LaMotte, J.
Newlin Gawthrop, William 4. Porter,
Alexander Mcleod, George Messick,
G. N. Trump, Samuel X. Smith,
George w. Bush, +. l.. Gilpin, Enoch
Moore and Patrick Neary, came here
yesterday, for the purpose of comforting
with Gov. Tunnel respecting the re-
cently-enacted Senate bill reducing
water rates in the city of Wilmington.
Mr.. Porter represented the Board of
Water Commissioners, of which he is
president; Mr.. Smyth, the Diamond
State Iron Co. Mr.. Warner, the
Charles Warner Co. Mr.. Mcleod, the
Lobdell Car Wheel Co. Mr.. Messick,
the Pusey & Jones Co. Mr.. Smith,
the Harlan a. Hollingsworth Co. Mr..
Trump, Trump Bros. Mr.. Gawthrop,
Gawthrop & Co. Mr.. Bush, the George
W. Bush u Sons Co., and Mr.. Moore,
the Enoch Moore & Sons 60.
The conference was held in the
Executive Department, and continued
| nearly two hours. Mr.. Neary urged
the governor to sign the bill, and the
Others requested him to withhold his
decision.
1
opponents of the bill were as follows:
We consider it vital point that the
| Water Commission should have large
surplus in hand by the first of Feb
ruary of each year, in order to enable
it to make good promptly any extra
ordinary repairs that might be required
| through the washing out of dams,
| races or breaking or renewal of ma
chinery.
/ Water rents are paid annually in ad-
vance during the month of January.
This places large sum of money in
the hands of the Water Commissioners,
to be spent as they may deem adj
visable during the year On the first
day of January, however, all accumu-
lations of surplus above expenses in
managing the department for year
are turned into the city to be appro-
priated for the payment of interest on
water bonds first, and after that for
the redemption of any city bonds.
| The fact that water rents are paid in
advance makes it binding contract
on the city to deliver to the consumers
water in such quantities as they may
demand. This, of course, applies to
small renters.
The large consumers, supplied and
charged by metre, make their pay
ments quarterly after the water has
been consumed.
As the Water Department is de-
barred from making any loan. and as
the city is also debarred from making
any loan on account of the Water De-
partment without authority from the
Legislature, you can readily see the
great Importance of having $50, 600 to
800, 600 constantly on hand, in order
to enable the commissioners to contract
, Immediately for extraordinary repairs.
such as referred to in one of the above
paragraphs.
1t is possible the city would be held
for damages in the event of not being
able to supply water under its contracts,
and, again, the danger from fire in
case of the water supply being cut of
from any source, would be of such
moment that the damage would be
/ | incalculable.
! All these points are worthy of moS
t careful consideration.
, 1t is estimated by those who favor {
. reduction in water rates, that it viii
Q increase the taxes on other property il
! the city generally 10 to 20 per cen
: over the present charges. 1t has beef
: shown that under the old City Council
committee system, the cost of operating
' Cold Spring reservoir was 1856 per cen
Q greater than it is today under TIL
: management of the Water Commits
q sioners, and the operation OF the cit,
: mill was 80 per cent over the presen
cost, making general average of be
n tween 46 and AZ per cent on the tota
g expense of operating the department
!, under City Council, and the presen
d Water Commission, it being 46 pc
II cent more under City Council com
q mittee than under the present manage
e ment.
It Should the bill become a law, j
= opens the probability of placing tn
n Water Department under an inferio
r management, which would necessaril
" increase expenses, and tend to wip
l. out all of the present so.called surplus
A. The annual receipts OF the depart
=, ment are about $50, 600. About one
d eighth Of this is paid by 16 industrie
in of this city that oppose Senate Bi
No. ~ for the reduction of water rents
b The same 16 industries employ abou
re 25, 600 men, women and children
10 | which is more than one-third of th
le whole population Of the city. We fe,
that so large interests as these shout
ne be protected by the laws of Delawal
is in every possible way.
Herewith we hand you a classifie
table showing how the bill under di
ne cussion would affect all classes
On property holders.
There are 14,344 houses in the Gil
- owned by 6,732 persons, so that 70
, will notice number Of persons woul
\ have their taxes increased while IL
occupiers of their houses would ha,
I their water rents diminished. TIL
would make it very severe upon tn;
J class of property owners. In detail
\ There are 361 houses that pay a
annual water tax of 81 or less; 4,83
I So or less; 2,595, $40 or less; 2,02
s12 or less; 1874, $15 or less; So
over SIS.
On property valued at $1,000
| less, the water tax is now S. per yea
city and school tax, SIS; total, 80
the possible rates under the pendil
bill would be; Water, So; city al
] school tax, SIS; total, s2l; increase,
} per cent.
] $1,000 or less-Water tax, So; ci
I and school, S43. 20; total, S4S. 20. Pc
sible rates: Water, So; city and schoC
( s5l.s4; total, s54. "a; increase, 1877 p
4 cent.
! $4,000 or less-Water tax, $40; ci
) and school, S57. GO; total, $780, Pc
J sible rates: Water, SO; city and scho'
I $50. II; total, S75. IL; increase, IL. l 7
cent.
5000 or less-Water tax, SO; ci
I and school, S72; total, $50. Fossil
! rates; Water, So; city and scho'
} SS6. 40; total, 500. 40; increase, l: