The semi-weekly messenger., 1901-08-09
births go. of which 16 were white and
% colored.
THE SEWERAGE QUESTION.

age system and requesting the board TO
call an election to vote on the question
of issuing $1,000 in bonds for the con-
struction of a sewerage system.
Alderman Parker moved that an cleo
ton be called in accordance with the
request of the petitioners.
The motion was seconded by Alder
man Won Claim
Alderman Johnson produced a type
written resolution which he offered as
substitute for Aldedman Parker's
motion. 1t was as follows:
Whereas, By an Act of the general
assembly, entitled AN Act to author
ize the City Of Wilmington TO establish
sewer and for other purposes" ratified
the 9Th day of March, 1891, the board Of
aldermen are authorized to lay, make
and maintain common sewers when
ever they shall adjudge the same to
be necessary; and
Whereas, For the purpose of carry
ing out the provisions of the Act, the
said board were authorized to hold an
election in the month of March, 1891,
submitting the question OF the issue OF
bonds for sewerage" and bonds for
street Improvements. leach in the sum
of one hundred thousand dollars; and,
Whereas, At the time, an election was
held and the proposed issue of bonds
| was then defeated and,
Whereas, In the 18th section of the
said act it is declared that IF the re-
suit of said election shall be against
the issuing of either of the said bonds,
| the board of aldermen of the said city
may at any time or times afterwards
again submit TO the qualified voters of
said city the question of issuing said
bonds:
Therefore Be it enacted that the
| laying and maintaining of a public sys-
| tenn of sewerage in the. City of Will
| mington has become imperatively nee
| esssary for the public convenience and
the public health: and, for the purpose
of raising the money to build, construct
| and lay a public system of sewerage,
| that there be issued, with the consent
and approval of the board of audit and
| finance of this city, coupon bonds to
| the amount of one hundred thousand
dollars, bearing interest payable semi
annually at the rate Of rot exceeding
per cent. per annum, the same to be
sold at not less than par, in the denom-
| ination of five hundred dollars, and said
bonds shall be payable thirty years
after the date of issue at the office Of
the clerk and treasurer of the said city,
by the chairman of said board of audit
| or elsewhere, as may be hereafter de-
termined, and shall be signed by the
mayor of said city and countersigned
by the chairman of said board of audit
| and finance and the clerk of the board
| of aldermen shall attest the same; pro-
vided that at the election hereinafter
| called a majority of the qualified voters
| of this city shall approve and vote to
| issue the said bonds.
Be it Further Enacted: That, pur-
| suant to the aforesaid Act of the gen.
| eral assembly, authorizing the submis-
| sion to the qualified voters of this city
| Of the question of issuing bonds for
| public sewerage that an election Of the
| qualified voters of this city be and is
| hereby called, and said election shall
| be held on the 1st Thursday of Septem-
| Der. a. D., 1901, being the 5th day Of
| that month, at which said election
| shall be submitted the question of is
| suing bonds for sewerage in the sum of
| one hundred thousand dollars, as pro-
| posed in this ordinance. The said cleo
| ton to be neld at the usual places and
| in the same manner as other munich
| pal elections are held.
BE it Further Enacted; That the
mayor be directed to publish a formal
| notice of such election in each of the
| daily newspapers of this city for at
/ leas a period of fifteen days before the
| time of holding the said election.
| Resolved Further: That there shall
be annually a sewerage tax levied
and collected for sewerage con-
| nections, which tax shall amount to at
least. the amount of interest on the
| 100000 sewerage bonds, and which
| amount shall be carried in the treas
| ury Of the city of Wilmington, to be
| on said bonds, and all surplus money
used alone for the payment of interest
arising from said sewer tax to be placed
| in a sinking fund for the purpose of re-
| tiring said bonds.
BE it Resolved, That the board OF
aldermen appropriate $500 for the pur-
| pose of carrying out this ordinance -
| The introduction of the above ordi-
| nance brought on considerable discus
| sion. Alderman Harriss said he fav-
ored the municipal ownership of sewer.
| age, but from what he could gather, he
| doubted the validity of an election un-
| der the act of 1891 and he was not in
| favor of burdening the city with the
| expense Of holding an election if the &C;
was not good law.
The board took recess of ten min
utes and again assembled at $40 p. m
| Mayor Wadden stated that the
| special committee which had been ap-
pointed to confer with sewerage COM
panies with regard to making a con-
tract TO furnish the city with systems
of sewerage. He asked if the boarC
like to hear the committees report.
It was decided to go on with the con-
sideration of Alderman Johnson's sub
stitute.
Alderman Mann said he favored mu.
nicipal ownership but he would have tc
be assured that his constituents in the
Fifth ward would get the benefit Of the
tax to be issued in behalf of sewerage
He called attention to the cost of the
| waterwOrks system and cited that tC
show that while the Fifth ward has
paid its taxes for twenty-one years II
gets no benefit from waterworks He
| did not want his ward to pay a sewer
| age tax and get no sewer.
| Alderman Johnson explained the
purpose of his ordinance to Alderman
Mann, saying that the proposition wa:
| that only the consumer or taker o.
| sewerage should pay the tax.
| Mayor Waddell said it was not his
right to vote on the matter, except or
a tie. but he would call the attention
Of the board to the fact that if the
bonds are issued no one class Of citi
zens would pay the tax but it must fal
upon all citizens alike, whether the!
| could get sewerage or not.
Alderman Harriss requested an opin
ion from City Attorney William j
Bellamy as to the legality of holding al
election in September under the act: