Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-03
some COuNcILlIEN OBJECT
Do Not Take Kindly to Water
Boards Purchase.
THE CITY AUDITOR is ENJOlNED
Instructed Not to Sign Checks
for the Land.
Council Adopts a Resolution Directing the
Finance Committee to Ascertain the Lee
galits of the Acquiring of New Reser-
yoir Tract.

special meeting Thursday afternoon made an
agreement with Thomas Y, Weldin and VIE
for the purchase of his farm of 80 acres IN
Brnndywine hundred, Just outside the city
limo, for the purpose of building large
reservoir. The pr,ce to be paid is S42, OO0, |
| Those present at the meeting were Presi.
dent Alfred Retts, DIR. Joseph L. Pyle ana
James r. Jones of the Water Commission
and Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas II. Weldin. The
| Water Commission had tho legal advice of
| City Solicitor David j. Reinhardt in the
examination of the title to the property, aid
| he reported that 1t Is entirely clenr.
| Possession will be granted the department
March 25th, next. by that time. plans may
| have been made for the construction OF the
| immense reservoir, which Is to be erected.
1t may. however, be two years at least
before 1t is ready for use.
| The property is higher than the present
| Rodney street hnsiu md the new reservoir
is to supply the district now supplied by the
| Rodney street basin. This district is con-
stHutly growing. and the department is look
ing ahead to the time when means to supply
the water will be needed. 4E
This authoritative statement was given
out after the meeting;
"For a long time il has been the feeling of
the board that additional storage capacity
for water should be provided for the Rodney
street reservoir level, aud as the ground at
that point was small and Inadequate for the
construction of a reservoir nf the necessary
capacity for the daily increased consump-
tion from that level, we have been searching
for ground of suitable elevation for the pur--
pose. After several visits in the vicinity of
Elliott's hill, in Brandywine hurdred, we
have selected . site that we consiuer in
every way suitable for our needs, and have
made an arrangement with Thomns /.
Weldin, the owner of the property, for the
purchase of the snme.
The capacity of the reservoir is to be
200, COO, 00O gallons.
The land lie, along the Concord turnpike
about hnlf mile from the city line. 1t is
on McKee's hill, and starts just beyond the
clump of lucusts which Is on property of e.
Tatnall Warner, and lies between it and the
Faulk road. A portion of the property Is
occupied by W. N. Potter, tho trucker and
florist.
Some of the members OF City Council
object TO the action of the Board Of
Water Comm issioners in purchasing the
Brandywine hundred tract for reservoir
purposes, and at Thursdays meeting
Of Council the following was offered by
Mr.. Kane, the chairman of the finance
! committee, and adopted:
Whereas. 1t has come to the knowledge Of
! this Council that the Board of Water Com
missoners are negotiating for the purchase
Of piece of land adjacent to the city
therefore, be it ne
Resolved, That the City Council in regular
| ulttbtHk uSStt,iDltu HUDuiut lub uuunCd COul-
mittee as committees for the purpose of
ascertnining the legality of the transaction.
: After the preamble and resolution
4 had been adopted Mr. Kane moved that
City Auditor Boughman be instructed
TO withhold his signature from the
!. checks drawn for the payment of the
9 land until the committee has completed
its investigation.
y HAS the Water Department been to
!. the auditor?" Mr.. Stewart asked
YES" Mr.. Kane replied. "They
10 held a meeting quietly this afternoon
}, and took the action, then wanted the
y checks approved. Mr.. Kane's motion
Y, y was then adopted and no Dissenting
! voices were heard.
o After the meeting Mr.. Kane informed
70 reporter CT The Gazette that the
u committee would begin Its Investigation
70 at once. Asked what course the com
s. mittee would pursue, he declined te
IA answer. City Solicitor Reinhardt was
,e at the meeting on other business, ant
xt the committee conferred with him re-
a. lative to the matter and will get hin
to look up the law and make report
The act of the General Assembly
reating the Board Of Water Commits
sionerh, which was passed on April
18th, 1888, gives the board authority Il
Ss take, convey into and throughout sale
city, the water of the Brandywinl
70 River, from any point on said river, O
~ other wholesome water, and may ais
4, acquire and hold lands, real estate o
" personal property. necessary for con
structing aqueduots, laying pipes, con
structing reservoirs, erecting building
al and machinery proper for said works
IN and for purifying, conducting, STORM
q and distributing such water, and Il
in purchase, take and hold lands and waite
ad rights for supplying the citizens wit
ca good and wholesome water"
an 1t III the general opinion among thos
v. familiar with the matter, with the OK
M oeption of two or three members O
"a City Council, that the Water Depart
ment has acted entirely within Its legs
rights and that any movement to fruf
trate its plans will be unayailing. Afts
+ the department agreed with Mr.. an
+. Mrs. Thomas +. Weldin to buy til
M property Thursday afternoon chec
i'm for $40, 900 was drawn in their favor
ID. the agreement being that that amour
OF. was to be paid at once and the r.
on mainder on ior before December 24t
f an next. The check was tsksn to Auditt
be Boughman by John s. Grohe, the d,
partment registrar, for Mr.. Boughman
M signature, Dut De ueciubQ 10 WlbnnOl
81 his signature for the time being, i
lor order to satisfy himself as to u
les legality OF the action. The check WI
zee left with him. Under the law, he mu
ny return the check to the department /
sx. the next meeting Of the commissioner
either with or without his approva
,lly IL he falls TO approve it he must gi,
ty, his reasons, and should the Water Con
the mission decide unanimously to pay Il
lib check, it will be incumbent on ii
ers auditor to approve it, such action r
Vi lieying the auditor Of all responsibility
"a AS the Water Commissioners ha
m acted unanimously ia the matter, it
Dn. liKely that they will pass the che,
over the auditors head, if the board
- not enjoined by the courts, and Il
impression is that an injunction wou
not be granted. Therefore, it seer
altogether likely that the deal for d
lana will go through, as it is said tn
- City Solicitor ReinhHrdt has foul
Ill nothing In the law to prevent 1t.
re- When the Water Department &c
- possession of the land next March
n will have surveys made and plans dra,
/, for reservoir and the work OF buildi
s 1t will be hegun come time next yes
;s 1t will probably be two years befo
10 the work is completed. The new rest
1S voir will enable the department to ste
a supply of water that will last the oi
OF for 30 days. When the reservoir
=. completed the Rodney street reserv,
10 will be abandoned and the site "
nrnhahlv he aold and nm account NJ