Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-29
ABOUT THE NEW PESTHOUSE

From Every Evening, Aug. 9th.
I Editor Every Evening: With your
! permission would like to answer sume
parts Of the letter which appeared in
/ your valuable paper Thursday evening,
from the pen OF Joseph q. Parker. 1
Will endeavor to give u true statement
OF facts as | understand them, and |
assure you they will not compare very
favorably with what Mr.. Parker has
felt his duty to lay before the taxpayers
of New Castle county.
| As q member of the Board of Trustees
OF the Poor | have been strong advo.
cate for q new pesthouse for the county,
as the old building was unsuitable in
every way. In my absence during a
meeting of the board | was placed on
the committee, which was composed of
five members, with full mower 10 act.
After Mr.. Rice had given US plans and
specifications, we advertised for bids.
The lowest biG was 81, 800 for the build.
ing alone. We awarded the contract,
hut after submitting our action to the
full board. objections were made mot
10 the price, but TO having the bui.d-
ing of frame, and 1t was then decided,
by the board, to change it to brick, If
the Levy Court would furnish the diff
ference, which would be 81, AGO. The
beard then, by resolution, sent this
same committee TO the Levy Court to
make the above statement and ask for
$1,000, together with what was avail
able, about 50, 100, to build the house
OF brick. The Levy Court members
answered the request by stating they
would meet the Trustees of tine Poor
at Farnhurst and decide upon what was
best, which they did, and on last Tues.
day awarded US $1,000. The resolution
was offered by Mr. Chandler and Just
here would say that upon the grounds
Of economy trust this Levy Court will
see the necessity of the pesthouse and
give the Trustees of the Poor enough
to finish the building as it should be,
II it should cost $4,000; but it will
not cost over 81, 500, which includes
heating, plumbing, furnishing and
ventilation. Anyone who passed through
last winters epidemic of smallpox GER
tainly saw the great necessity for
New CASTLE county pesthouse.
Referring to the statement made by
Mr.. Parker that the committee first
decide upon frame building for the
pesthouee in making their report to the
Trustees OF the Poor, | would state that
building, and by almost unanimous
vote of the board it was decided to
change IL to brick, the extra cost being
81, 400, il the Levy Court would appro.
PIRATE that additional amount.
The general presumption Is that the
builder on the committee, to whom Mr..
Parker refers 10 his letter, is Mr.. Fabsy.
desire to say that SO far as | know
Mr.. f ahey had nothing to do with
changing the building plans, or brought
any influences to bear in the matter.
This was done by the board and not
by the committee.
One member of the Levy Court did |
say at the joint meeting that the trus-
tees had already exceeded their annual |
appropriation by s., COO, but Mr.. Parker |
was wrong when he informed the Levy |
Court OF the amount-the true amount |
Is about SO, 300. Our piopristion for
this year IS s35, 600, out OF which we |
have Just paid the first quarters bills,
to something over $1,000.
In explanation why the old house |
was destroyed, will state Las Air.
Parker should have known that the |
site selected for the new house was in |
the position of the old, and the only |
way to disiufect it aud get rid of it |
was to burn it down; but later it was
decided for good reasons which MIR.
Parker can gIvel to change the location.
Mr.. Parker, for some reason, did not
attend the meeting in Wilmington on
last Tuesday, when it was very i'm
portant to have every member present
and have his views; but he did spare
the time ESQ am reliably informed)
10 write to Mr.. Lynn, president of the
Levy Court, asking him not to allow
any amount for building the pesthouse,
out TO postpone all action for few
months; that ne thought it would be
better for the Republican party. This
s the first Intimation that have had
hat politics entered into the matter. l
VA not versed in politics., therefore will
make no comment. Frank Belville.
Delaware City, August 23d, 1901.