Evening journal., 1902-02-25
TWO DIRECTORS
FOR COMPROMISE
Mr.. Melvin Does Not Favor
This Course
WILL GIVE DECISION FRIDAY
CITY Solicitor Reinhardt Appears Be-
iOrcssthe Beard and Urges The
Members 10 Use Haste

tract Of the Welsbach Gas Lighting
Company or make a compromise, will
be settled this week.
This decision was arrived at al a
Injecting of the directions of the Street
and Sewer Department this morning.
The discussion during the meeting
Showed Mr.. johnson and Mr.. Carter to
be in favor of a compromise Mr. We'll
din was not in favor of such action.
lCity Solicitor Reinhardt said the board
could make a compromise. as it would
mot be making a new contract. He was
not prepared to say whether the con
tract would stand if 10 was tested in
court. AT any rate he said the city
would not be put to the expense of the
litigation
The matter was brought up by Mr.
johnson. He said: This light matter
has been dragging too long. The pub
lie want decision A proposition has
been made for a compromise but we
nave done nothing We should do
something. Personally 1 feel If fair
compromise can be made, it should be
done. l would probably be censured
by the public, but 1 am not willing
for This matter TO be continued"
Mr. Melvin said: "The City Solicitor
has said the contract is invalid. 1 don't
feel as If ! could enter into a compro-
mise. l think the Welsbach Company
should come in and bid over again"
President Carter said: Il think the
board should accept the proposition of
the Welsbach Company. To repudiate
the contract would put the city to ex-
lpensive litigation. j see no reason why
the board should not make a compro-
mise"
At this point City Solicitor Rein
hard said: 81 am willing to do either,
but there ought to be a decision very
soon 1t should not be postponed for
another week"
Welsbach Representatives There
Andrew c. Gray, representing the
lWelsbach Company, said that it was a
lmatter of business with his company
The company he said, had no doubt
lOf the validity of the contract. The
offer Of compromise was made to save
court charges"
Mr.. Gray. in answer to Mr.. Rein
hardt, said he would consider the COM
lprOmise valid
Mr.. Johnson Thought tlle action of
THE board should be unanimous.
Mr.. Melvin said the question was
would a compromise he valid?
Mr.. Reinhardt said if a compromise
? was made it would be within the PROV
I ince of some citizen of Wilmington to
test the validity of the contract under
2 THE compromise. The city would not
? have to pay any money in that event
Il don't believe" he said, THE board
would be censured for trying to make a
? compromise However. ! am willing to
do whatever you desire in the matter.
TO compromise would not be to make
Ia new contract altogether It would
simply be deciding on the terms of the
I IOriginal contract I based part of my
b IOpiniOn on the invalidity of the con-
! tract on the ground that the company
I had not registered Since the company
{ lhas registered"
Mr.. Johnson said he was willing to
lagree on any reasonable terms. Mr..
Melvin favored postponing the action
until meeting can be held further in
, the week.
A motion to that effect was carried.
The meeting will probably be held on
Friday.
Other Business of the Board
The Delmarvia Telephone Company
was granted permission to put in con-
duits in the bed of tine following
streets. provided the work is done un-
der the supervision OF Engineer Hat
ton:
Eleventh and Spruce streets TO the
bridge; King street, from Front to
Sixteenth; Market, from Sixteenth 10
Eighteenth; Orange, Tenth to Four
teenth; Front, from Shipley to Mar
lket; Market, from Front to bridge;
r Sixth. from Van Buren, to Lincoln
2 Sixth from Walnut to Spruce; Lincoln
C from Fourth to Pennsylvania avenue;
Z Pennsylvania avenue, from Lincoln t.
B Rodney; Rodney, from Sixth to Gilpin
[ avenue; Spruce, from Third to Eley-
r enth Third, Spruce to bridge.
I orders were drawn for $749, monthly
J payroll, and S29S.6l, weekly payroll
Hereafter the janitor will receive $40 q
: month salary He was allowed SIG foi
q two months back pay
2 Street Commissioner PiersOn reported
! that ON account of The storm very little
work was done last week. except to
/, clean crossings.
Allen l.. Sharp made application foi
plumbers and drain-layer's license.
A communication was received from
willard Salisbury, representing the
American Lighting Company. of Balti-
o more. asking the Mayor and director.
a of the department to visit Baltimore
l. and inspect the system OF lighting
p there. The company has 5000 lights
There. The communication was noted
The resolution presented after the
'tlmeeting on Tuesday giving the Peoples
L. tiRailway Company permission to us'
elcertain streets. was formerly presented
this morning and read.