The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1900-02-19
Monday, February 10, 1900.

THE beginning OF the wrongdoing OF
the Street and Sewer Directors for which
they are now being criticised and con-
demned, was their refusal to acknowl-
edge the validity of the Qxy-Hydrogen
Company's charter and grant it the use
of the streets OF this city as provided for
in that charter. In that refusal the d.
rectors became violators OF the laws OF
the State, and during the whole of the
department subsequent history it has
been an object of criticism and suspicion.
By maintaining its erroneous position it
has steadily opposed popular sentiment.
These are facts which ale being ignored
in the discussion nov current. This
should not be. The way to cure an evil,
to repair wrong, is to go to the root OF
the matter. Tell tie truth about It and
begin the cure by destroying tile root Of
which all after growths are offshoots.
It is an open secret that the opposition
to the 0Xy-Hydrogen Company'a appli-
cation for the uae Of the streets centered
in the Wilmington Coal Gas Company.
and the desire Of its officers and stock
holders to maintain monopoly in the
manufacture OF gas; that il was through
and by their influence that the Oxy-
Hydrogen Company's charter vas chal-
lenged, that the Street and Sewer Di-
rectors declined to grant it tie right to
use the streets, and finally put the mat
ter in the courts-thc Street and Sewer
Directors allowed themselves 20 be used
to defend the Wilmington Coal Gus
Company from competition. In doing
this the law department oi tle city be-
came involved; and it. too fell into the
control OF the gas company; and tomake
that control permanent the case court
was taken out Of the hands If the city
solicitor and special counsel employed.
By this trick OF legal practice control Of
the case appears to have passed out Of
the department inatituting it and TO Le
perpetualy tied up in court.
That, broadly, is the story Of the
genesis and development q tae present
Street and Sewer Director middle. Tie
detail OF the development OF this case in-
wolves nearly all the politics history,
and much of the social and business his
tory, OF the State, Tor the last ten years
II has been factor in every municipal
and general election. 1t waa the motive
power that caused the defeat of the Re-
publican party il the campaign Of 1872;
that caused TIL aItei-elec5ion division OF
the party III 1891, causing tie Senatorial
fiasco Of 1865; tLat caused the bolt from
the Republican convention in 1896 and
made possible the political outrages fol-
lowing the election Of that year; put
Kenney i'll the United States senate, ana
prevented the election Of Senator iii
1899 In municipal affairs, nominations
and election Tor the Office Of Mayor Of
this city have turned upon appointments
to the Street and sewer Directors, il
order to control that body and continie
the destructive lued that has produced
more evil results than can be traced to
any similar source during the same
period
The connections Of tile statements We
make here can be traced casts by any
one WHO desires to do 50. The facts aic
not obscure and the lines not difficult.
II is true, and VIC challenge successful
denial Of the assertion, that tile key Of
the political deadlock ii Delaware, since
it began iii s92, has been held ny TIL
Street and Sewer Directors for the Will
mineton Goal Gas Company.
The conditions developed by and
through the course Of the ~.reet and
Street Directors, ana which afe NOW Win
ming for them deserved crisicsnl And
dsapproyal, are tic natural sequence N
tneit first usurpation Of authority in shut
ting out the Oxy-Hy drogen Company.
WHIST it las been fighting tor and villa
the Wilmington Coal tias Company has
been fighting against, las naturally &c
quired a fictitious value Ia the estimation
of the parties WHO have been 50 long The
instruments OF lhe gas company's Sc
tense, and they have planned Is get what
the Oxy-Flydrogen Company was re
fused, hoping lora market boz cen tht
original contestants planned foi
it, and forci iina, action jus when the
people have deciead lie desructi IN d
the power ii the Street and Sewer Di.
rectors.
No discussion Of the matter at issue
in The Street and Sewer Department Mat
does not take inthis history will be com.
plete, and no attempted correction Of the
wrong that department has committed
will be just or effective until the bar
against the Oxy-Hydrogen Company
enjoyment OF its lawful rights are re-
moved,