Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-07

on appropriation of 90, SAC, $50. 60; in
lS0u there was handful of constables
paid out of an appropriation of s18, 600
for lighting and Watching the city and
another Of sl66, for ''patrolling streets
on the Sabbath day.
In 1887 there were 81 fire engines, IL
hooks and ladders, % hose carts. manned
by 736 firemen in charge of l chief, 9
assistant chiefs and 81 foremen, and
the appropriation for tho whole bureau
amounted to s999, 35l. 20; in 1900 The
city was dependent ON volunteer fire
companies OF limited usefulness. In
1897 the sum OF S76l, 4s9. 80 was appro-
priated for electric lighting and $3.50, :
a97 for gasoline lighting and 81, 931 gas
lamps were lighted by the city gas
works in 1900, Sls,o0 sufliced for
watching and lighting" the city.
The extent of public improvements
in 1897 may be gathered from an ex-
animation of the appropriations to the
bureau OF Surveys; 100000 for i'm
proving the channel of the Delaware
River, now made fine, navigable
stream, with the cooperation OF the
United States government; 81, 800, 600
for widening Delaware avenue which
has been transformed into magnificent
water front; S3, s2l, 1863. 81 for abolish
ing grade crossings on Pennsylvania
avenue by submereing the tracks
531, 800. 10 for new bridges; S95, 480. SO
for the construction of main sewers
S27l, COB. 66 for the removal of shoal
places and other improvements IN the
Scbuylkill River; $4,000 for the
erection of n new bridge at Gray's
Ferry; for branch sewers and inlets
S25l, 800. 60; there arc no corresponding
appropriations in the budget OF 1900
In 1897 The Bureau of Health required
S2a0, 0S9. SO and maintained quaran-
tine station and municipal hospital
for contagious diseases; in 1900, the
sum Of S11.250 was set aside "for
cleansing the city"
After alludIng to the importance and
extent OF Philadelphia Electrical
Bureau, a function undreamed of in
1900, Mr.. Woodruff said:
Search We ever so carefully we can
find nothing in the budget or reports
of 1900 or for those of many years later
which In any wise approach or approxi-
mate this work-for the simplest OF
reasons that electricity had not as yet
been harnessed to bring the distant
near and to eliminate space. Fancy
the constable of 1900 communicating
every hour with his headquarters with
out leaving his beat, or Of having an
alarm Of fire sounded simultaneously in
every section of tine city, no matter
how remote! Imagine the look Of in
credulity, which would descend upon a
citizen who was told that he could be
placed in communication with city
official in less than a minute and with
out leaving his office! But why multiply
instances. Our municipalities have
grown and have developed along ex-
tensive lines to an unexpected degree
and the same factors that have been at
work In our national development in
the same direction have been at work
in our municipal development and the
same observation will apply the next
century's development in our cities will
be along intensive lines. Already we
see the tide setting In this direction.
Take for instance the growing demand
for charter reform. During the expan-
siye period of a city, everything is
sacrificed to size and numbers; the
form and methods of government are
looked on as of secondary Importance.
When this period is passed there comes
time when the necessity for con
scous adjustment of the form Of
government to the new conditions and
environments becomes essential; then
follows the demand for new charter
and charter amendments and charter
conventions are the order of the day.
Recognizing that we had reached this
stage Of our development the National
Municipal League at It's Louisville
meeting held In 1897 adopted the fol
lowing resolutions:
"Resolveo, That the executive con-.
mittee appoint committee of ten tc
report on the feasibility of a municipal
programme which will embody the
essential principles that must underlie
successful municipal government and
which shall also set forth a working
plan or system, consistent with Ameri-
can Industrial and political conditions,
for putting such principles into practi.
cal operation and such committee, il
! it finds such municipal programme tc
he feasible, is instructed to report the
same, with the reasons therefor, tc
| the League for consideration.
The committee thus authorized Ere
sented its preliminary report at the
indianapolis Conference for Good City
Government in 1898 and will make its
| final report in 1899 at the Columbus
| Conference. While it is fully aware
that its recommendation do not con
stitute the last word on the subject,
nevertheless the fact that body OF
men OF widely divergent training, o.
strong personal convictions and who
approached the matter in hand from
essentially different points Of views
| could and did come to unanimous
agreement that Municipal Pro
gramme' was feasible and practicable
and by fair and full comparison o.
opinion were able to embody the result
| OF their agreement in definite PROPOSE
lions is hopeful augury This com
mittee realized that "good government
| is not to be achieved ct stroke, mol
do we exaggerate the Importance OF the
form OF governmental organization as {
factor oontributory to this end. Civic
| advance in general and municipal
efficiency in particular are the result o
a combination of forces, of which
higher standards of public opinion ant
lofty civic ideals are the most i'm
portant,"
Another sign of the times is thu
formation of organizations like thu
League of American Municipalities
tho State Leagues of municipalities
the American Society Of Municipal I'm
proyements, the International Societ,
Of Municipal Electricians, the various
societies of fire and police and othe
municipal officials. These indicate
that those who are actually and directl,
responsible for the administration o
municipal government are awakenin!
to their responsibilities. to the need o
conference 10 advance the Interest,"
committed to their care. The time wa