Evening journal., 1899-01-28
rTNlANC1AL ROrTENNEss.


the question OF whether or not the
water Commissioners Of the city OF
Wilmington shall reduce the water
rates. beneath the onerous burden OF
which the consumers are laboring, We
propose to call to their attention
every salient facy obtainaIble.. We
have already proved to their complete
satisfaction that in 1888 the revenue
derived from the existing rates WAS
100000 while the expenses OF the de-
partment were but $62 900; the surplus
Deing S9S.00O, an unnecessary expendf-
ture OF $4,000 nor pipe for use IN
1900 being included in that amount.
we have shown that the actual sur
plus turned over to City Council was
$4,000, or $4,000 more tban the total
expenses OF the department for the
year, and we have also proved that
that $4,000 OF the taxpayers money
was given TO City Council without
stipulation or reservation, and that II
is being used for general purposes,
thereby relieving non-consumers OF
water Of their proportionate share OF
$4,000 which should be raised under
the general levy to meet general ana
current expenses
Being unable to refute these declar-
atoms, theBoard ofWaeer Commission,
ers. through the Morning Newp and
Every Evening. raised the cry that the
water works system Of the city was not
yet compete. and that the present
revenue was needed for improvements
anti extensions. We disposed OF that
line OF argument by asking why. If the
department needed that $4,000 fol
improvements and extensions, IL turn.
ed IL over to City Council for general
purposes instead OF retaining 1t for the
Oesterment Of the water plant. This
question could not be rnswered, ana
then. driven from that position. the
three Water Commissioners. William
7, Porter. Washington Hastings and
ALFRED Betts. fell back on the bonded
indebtedness Of the city and advo.
tated, through their TWO organs. the
application Of the water surplus to the
liquidation Of such bonded indebted.
NESS, without regard as to whether OF
not such bonds were issued for water
purposes. We Immediately met this
argument by the declaration that the
expense OF paying of the bonded in.
dehtedness of the clty should be borne
equally BY beth consumers and non.
consumers Of wNter, proposition
which must appeal to the sense OF ins
flee OF every rlght-thinking man. i
MAS proposition which was simpl,
unanswerable. AS a last resort the,
Tell bark en- the water bonds. and de-
ciared that they at least should M
uauidaEed before making a reducticr
IN the rates. It Is this propositlol
with which ve now propose to dea
tn a systematic manner. Some dav
ago Senator Pyle, who is interest
cd in this matter and deslrous OF do
ing what is righa as between m
Water Department and the water con
sumers and those who do not couslm
water. wrote to City Treasurer Curr
Tor an itemized statement OF the bond
ed Indebtedness Of the city. He 20
ceived it yesterday and we are unde
obligations to him for placing It a
our disposal. We know that figure
are dry reading. hut the bol,owin
statement Of the bonded indebtedness
OF the city We propose to irrigate wit
EomebhLnE more potent than cit
water before We are through with 4
and to Il we invite the careful after
tion Of both legislators and consumer
OF water.
The bonded indebtedness OF the cit
July l. 1888. consisted Of loan No. i
funding floating debt. s25 .OOOl No. /
schools, 5000; No. 70, water, 81 .OOl
No 13. water. $4,000; No. IA. street
$4,000; No. Is. water. $4,000. No. /
schools. ss0OCS. No. Il, water, sll 90,
No. Is. water $4,000; No. 10. waite
$4,000; No. 20, streets. 100000; No. 2
funding floating debt and openir
streets. 100000; No. %. city hospils
s17.5O0; No. %. streets, $4,000; n
"a. schools. $4,000; No. 25. wate
$122, 900; No. 26. water $50 600: No. 2
water, sl50,OO0; No. 2S. schools, s5l
600; No. 2s. funding floating del
$4,000; No. 30. schools. $4,000; n
81. water. 100000: No. 80, water. SCI
600; No. SS, parks, sl5O.OOO; sinl1ii
nlnd loan, sl26.6OO. Total bonded (
debtednees. July 1, 1855, 81. .465. 100.
During the period Of ten years fro
July /, 1883. to June 80. 1898, loa
Nos. 10. II, p. 13, Il, Is. l6, II,
19. 20. 21. % 2s "a. 27 and part OF n
2s, amounting in all to S6so5OO, We
refunded through the sinking fund.
The bonded Indebtedness was
CREASED By the issuance Of part thi