Evening journal., 1899-01-23
MONDAY. JAN. %, 1879
nd OuR AssEMBLYMEN.

we desire TO submit to them the fol-
lowing facns and figures, which we do
not believe that even the Board OF
Water Commissioners Will deny OF
attempt to deny.
First-That the Board of Water
Commissioners was created by an act
OF the General Assembly, and that It's
powers and duties were defined in the
act OF creation and in subsequent acts.
seebnd-That the Board Of Water
Commissioners consists Of three men,
two Republicans and one Democrat.
Third-That they are appointed by
the mayor.
Fourth--That they have no private
interest in the water plant Of the city
farther than such interest is in keep
ing with simple citizenship.
Fioth-That the water plant is own
ed by the people OF Wilmington.
Sixth-That the three commission
ers are simply servants OF the people.
seventh-rhat the expenses Of
maintaining the department in all par
ticulars during the fiscal year 1895
we're. in round figures, $4,000.
Eighth-That OF this $4,000 the
sum OF $4,000 was spent for pipe which
cannot be used during the year 1899 be-
cause it will not be needed; the pre-.
tense FOR making the purchase being
low market, although the cost or|
hauling the pipe from the wharf to
Ninth streeg basin could not have
been less than $3.50 a ton. not to men
zion that sl9C0o Is lying there on the
ground accumulating nothing bun
rust.
Ninth-That the presumable pur-
pose Of this purchase was to reduce
the surplus by that amount
Tenth-That deducting THE $4,000
from the $4,000 makes tn real run
ming expenses Of the department S62.-
600. no needed thing being denied.
Eleventh-That by means OF the
schedule OF water rates then and now
in force the commissioner coMe,te0
from the water consumers OF Will
mington the sum of 100000, in round
fgures.
Tweifth-That they declared a sur.
plus OF $4,000. or $4,000 more than
as much again as the running ex.
penses OF the department for the year.
She item OF $4,000 for the pipe now
on storage being considered not as a
running expense, for Il was not used
during the year 1898. nor will 1t be
used during the current year.
Thirteenth That with this surplus
free water could have been given the
consumers during 1899 and during
January, February March and part OF
April 1900,
Fouueenth-That instead OF ho.dins
and applying that surplus Of $50 1000
Tor the benefit Of the water consumers
who paid it. the Board Of Water Com
missioners turned 1t over 10 CITY
Council Ter general uses.
Fifteenth That such app.icatlon was
wrong to the water consumers in
that their money was applied to meet
expenses which should have been
borne equally By consumers OF water
ana by non-consumerB of water.
Sixteenth-That the rates Of the
Water Department should be so ar.
ranged that they will bring In sniff
eient revenue TO run the Affairs Of the
department literally, and to leave 8
surplus CT from $4,000 to $4,000 10
meet extraordinary expenses.
seventeenth-That this surnra,s
when not required, should be retalnea
Tor the use and benefit Of the con.
sumeTs Of wateR and that, wheneve'
It's accumulation justifes il, the rate.
should be stsA further reduced 10 kee,
the revenue requisite to all reason.
able and proper demands Of the de-
partment and nothing more.
Eighteenth-That for general use,
City Council should lay a tax SUM
cient.y high 10 meet the requirement,
Of the city government. without In
Guiding in its estimate of receipts an,
moneys from the Water Department
which is, a separate and distinct thina
supported by class Of or citizens.
Nineteenth-That il the presen
water rates are permitted to remai
during 1893 what they we're in 1895
and II more pipe is not bought and pu
on storage. the surplus IL December
1893. WIFI be s9s.oOO instead Of ss6 900
that being made manifest by addin.
the $4,000 pipe item to the SSG. 90
surplus actually declared in 1898.
Twentieth-Thas the Water Depart
ment could 80 down its schedule G
rates for 1859 and cut them from 5
10 60 Der cent. and stiil derive fror
she consumers every dollar needed
without decreasing in any particula
any q its ordinary expenditures.
These are the proportions which "