Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-29
From Every Evening. August a2a.

From Every Evening, August 22d.
Editor Every Evening: When see
such reports as appeared in Every
Evening Of Tuesday, that the Levy
Court Comm issioners have voted 81, 600
to build brick pesthouse, and SO ON,
cannot help wonder what the reporters
are for. any way. will alsu say that
| saw something in the Morning News
of last week about the same thing, after
the meeting of the special meeting at
Farnhurst last Tuesday.
/ thought | would give you the facts,
as l understand them, and allow you
to uae them as you see fit, as | think
every thing possible should be done to
call a halt on the extravaeanoes Of the
Levy Court, and the Trustees OF the
Poor as we'll. That they exist no one
will question that is Watching the trend
Of the public affairs of this county. 4
Last March the Trustees of the Poor
decided to build new pesthouse at
Farnhufst, and appointed committee
to have plans drawn and estimates
made with instructions to keep the cost
within S3,C0l. The COMMITTEE consists
of three Democrats and two Republic
cans; the report with plans was made
to the trustees at the April meeting,
and the plans called for a building to
cost SO, 800. They were authorized to
go ahead ard ask for bids. There Is a
practical builder on tho committee, one
who understands all about public
buildings, but nothing was said about
the necessity of brick, and at the May
meeting the contract was awarded 10 a
builder in Wilmington, fer So, 800. At
the June meeting site was selected
ana building commenced; at the July
meeting the. matter was held UP, as the
committee thought it best to, have q
brick building some OF the trustees
thought from the first il was to have
been of brick, and others did not know
what it was to be, except that 1t was
not to cost over $500. l
A committee was appointed to wait
upon the Levy Court and ask for 81, 600
to help build brick building, instead
of one Of frame the committee exceeded
its authority by asking for g. 1000, be-
cause the architect stated that ID would
require about that much additional
The Levy Court met at Farrhurst with
the Trustees of the Poor to consider the
matter. and some were opposed to going
into the matter as mapped out, because
the contract was already awarded and
building commenced, with competition
shut out, and we 10 leave the matter
entirely with the architect and Builder
TO say what We should pay for the
changes. A member pointed out the
fact that the trustees had already ex.
ceeded their annual appropriation when
the bills for the last quarter were paid,
by about 5000, and to build the rest,
house at the then estimated cost Of
! SD, 800, without furniture. meant by the
time the building was completed al
least 81, zoo to the Taxpayers of the
county. and that the finances did moi
warrant that amount of expense at this
time. The trustees have about ~, 10(
in hand and may get S700 from thu
Board of Health of Wilmington, whict
would make $500. t~
You see now, that the estimated cos
of the pesthouse is Eot $1,000, but tina
it ia nearly double that amount, ant
what the exact Gust will be no on'
! knows yet
If we go as far behind IN theex
penses Of the inside and outside relie
this present year as we appear to hay'
gone the last, we will ows at the end o
this fiscal year SIG, 900, and what VI
may require to build the pssthouse vii
make that much more.
Different reporters we're in attendance
at the meetings and have heard all thi
discussed openly. and what have sale
is not secret, though of course d
not wish to get mixed up in news
paper discussion, but what here sa.
are facts. 9. utrG 81
I'll 1 understand that the contractor 70
the pesthouse is practically one Of tn
. committee, through another party this
however, do not know, as am no
we'll enough acquainted with the people
l will say, however, that the builde
. on the committee is the most aggressiv
one for a pesthouse, aud brick one a
! that. This of itself speaks volumes t
most people. n.
The old building was burned down q
; soon as the committee decided to build
: they did not wait until they had some
thing in which to house the unlol
Inmates, but down she went, and mo-
we must have pesthouse no matte
what is said. Joseph @. Parker.
Middletown, August 2lst, 1901.