Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-03
STREET AND SEWER FINANCES.
The Departments Money to be Appor.
toned in Systematic Manner.


toned in Systematic Manner.
In order to utilize the money at its
command during the current gear to
the best possible advantage, the
Directors of the Street and Sewer De-
partment have decided to adopt new
and more systematic plan of meeting
its obligations and making provision
| for carrying on the work which de-
wolves upon 1T.
The directors know what they will
have to pay for lighting the city, the
exact amount that will be required for
salaries and about what the Office OK.
penses will be, but there are certain
matters connected with the department
that have no fixed limit, so far as cost
is concerned. This il where the new
rule will apply.
The statement for last year will be
consulted and 1t can readily be learned
in that manner just what was paid Tor
each class of work and the annual re-
port will tell what was accomplished
as result OF the outlay. Taking last
years figures as basis, the residue Of
the money after the fixed expenditures
have been accounted for, will be appor-
TONED in such manner as will. in the
Is.
the best results. Z
the use of Street Commissioner pierson
and he will be held accountable for the
judicious use thereof. Last year the
cost Of the work in his Department
amounted to S22, 6lS.79, the classifi-
cation of the items being as follows:
Street cleaning, Sl1, 32332; repairs,
The item for snow removal will prob
ably be deducted from his aprortioni
ment, reducing it to S2I, 76O 30, and as
the cost of the removal of snow is an
uncertain quantity the department will
probably be guided by circumstances
in that matter. 1t will also be i'm.
possible to make a close calculation in
the matter of street repairs, but as the
storms last year were of unusual
severity the damage to streets with
macadam and similar surfaces was
greater than usual and the cost of re-.
pairs, exceeded the average outlay in
this direction. Consequently this item
may also be reduced some, with the
idea of making allowance in reserve
fund for any extraordinary expenditure
which may be required for this pur-
pose. - r
President Simmons of the Street and
Sewer Board, in speaking of the pro-
posed Few method OF apportioning the
| departments funds, said the streets
were cleaned in most satisfactory
manner last year and he favors allow
ing the same amount of money for the
current year, and he believes the result
will be the same.
Therefore the cost of caring for the
| streets i'll the present condition will, SO
long as the revenues remain unchanged,
be treated as fixed item and be
olassed among the necessary expendi-
| lures.
After all of the fixed items have
been accounted for the residue of the
| funds will be set aside for paving and
improving streets and building sewers,
and as this balance will be limited the
new street and sewer work will not be
as extensive as the directors would like
to make it. Last year tine board paid
| sl4, 6S2. 04 for paving and improving
streets, but it is hardly likely that
much money can be spared for the
purpose this year. The same calculation
will be made in the matter Of new
sewer work. The board has decided to
build sewers in du Pont street from
Pennsylvanla avenue to -Four tenth
street and in Union street from Fourth
to Fifth, which work will cost about
Sd, 900. Nothing else in the sewer line
has beDn planned and it is hardly likely
any other new work will be started
until this undertaking is completed.
However, the board promises 10 do
whatever is possible with the money at
its command. A
1t will also be necessary to set aside
some money for incidental expenses,
but this item will not be very large. h
The boards fiscal year began on the
LIST of February and what money has
been expended up to the present-time
| will be taken into account in makina
the apportionmhnts for the year. An
appropriation Of 100000 will be re-.
ceived from City Council in August,
as the law requires, and other revenues
will probably swell the Departmental
receipts for the year to $4,000. just
what the additional revenue will
amount to cannot be estimated as some
of the moneys which have been goink
to the department are now claimed by
City Council and the department Il
contesting the claim. How the matter
will terminate cannot be predicted.