Evening journal., 1899-02-23
IN rHIE IAsT plrCH.

News are unfortunate In having no ar
gnment which they can advance in
support of the present iniquitous sys-
tenn OF disposing OF the money paid to
the water Department by the water
consumers OF the city OF Wilmington.
With Washington Hastings coaching
the Morning News and William n. Por-
ter coaching the Every Evening, and
the Daily Republican coaching Itself,
they should be able 10 set up some
kind Of an argument in excuse OF ex-
isting conditions, but the conditions
are so rotten that there is no earthly
excuse for them; hence the desperate
situation CT the three apologists for the
Board OF Water Commissioners. We
have met and overcome every propo-
sltion which has been advanced In be-
half OF the maintenance Of the present
schedule cf rates. It was not a difficult
thing to do. because all such PROPOSE
ttonswere necessarily without anything
back OF them. When it was brought
home to the water consumers that the
revenue OF the department fer 1898 was
$3.50, 900; the real expenses see, 900. and
the real surplus $9S,OOO, they saw at
once how they had been feeced year
after year by a department which
should have afforded-them protection
When It was brought home to them
that this surplus was turned over to
City Council for general purposes and
TO relieve the burden Of taxation Of the
non-consumer OF water under the gem
eral levy, they saw at once how dis
honestly they were being dealt with.
When they realized that they not cn.y
maintained the water system. paid
their fair share under the general levy,
but $50, 900 besides in the shape OF
surplus, they decided that It was time
for the outrage to stop. and for the
General Assembly TO act. When they
looked over the statement CT the bend
ed indebtedness OF the city and found
that OF the s677 900 worth OF water
bonds there were 1854 900 outstanding
and unpaid, although enough surplus
had been paid by the water consumers
Cls99 included) to redeem ar but sS4 r
600 OF the entire Indebtedness, they
were shocked that such a maldlversion
Of water consumers money had been
going on under their very eyes, and
with the fun knowledge and consent
OF the men who were supposed to pro
tect their interests. They realized fully
that they had paid to the general fund
in the shape OF eurplus over $6OO,O0l
more than their share under the gen.
eral levy, and that 1t had been spen.
to keep down the taxes CT non-con.
sumers OF water and the owners Of va
cant lots. who are holding their grount
for fancy prices and asking the watel
consumers to pay the taxes en- it. Wher
It WAS pointed out to the water con
sumers that they were not only doin.
this, but that they were maintaining
Cool Spring Park for the common
Oenedit; supplying the city buildings
Fire Department, public schools an,
State Armory with free water; sprinlS
ling the streets for the non-consumers
and furnishing them with protection
against fire, filth and pestilence. the.
saw to what great lengths tho Bcarl
OF Water Commissionens had gone II
their operations against the real inter
ests Of the water consumers. who's
sworn representatives they were.
From line to line these Water Com
missioners have been driven, and nov
they are in the last ditch. and cryrina
to be left alone. We take pleasure il
calling the attention Of the water con
sumers and Of the members OF the Gen
eral Assembly TO the following editor
ial which emlbodies an expression O
opinion by the Daily Republican an
aratihcation Of such opinion by the OF
gan Of Samuel Bancroft, Jr., and Wate
Commissioner William T. Porterwhic,
organ is the Every Evening
The Daily Republican prints a per
tinent and practical editorial with ref
erence 10 the insane proposition OF
legislative enactment TO compel IN
Wilmington Water Commission TO re
duce arbitrarily the rates now charge
TO water consumers in this city.
AS payers Of water tax are prop
erty holders" says the Republican
I'VE should like to know how the
have been injured by the surplus fun
being paid over to the city treasurer
by whom Il is paid out to meet the cur
rent expenses OF the city. thus keep
ing down the city tax rate. AS w
have said several times, if the waite
tax should be reduced so as to have n
surplus, the property holders will fin
the amount added to their tax bills 81
July. Then why should we comp.ai
OF the water tax and wish it reduced
For cur part, we would sooner hav
the water tax raised and the propert
tax reduced. as money is gen
orally more easily raised in Januar
than In July"
Az fact. the present management
Of the Wilmingaon Water Departmen