Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-04-07

The property owners OF the Twelfth
vsrd held another massmeeting last night
IN take action in regard to an effort to
nave an improvement made in the condi-
tion Of the streets in that section Of the
citv After some discussion the meeting
,dopted the following:
oWhereas, The conditions Of the streets
and highways in the Twelfth ward are in
swretched condition; and
aWhereas. Appeals to the Street and
sewer Department have been met with /
The response that no funds are avalhblei
and
Whereas. In many places in the
Twelfth ward sidewalks are in a deplor-
.ble condition, rendering them almost
jmpassable in damp weather, and abso-
htely impossible in wet weather; vacant /
lots where the sidewalks are only paved /
4 few feet from the curb line are allowed
10 remain above grade to the building |
line causing inconvenience and annoy |
spce to the travelling public; the street |
railway companies, which under the law |
and their charters are compelled to pave /
between their tracks and three feet on |
each side OF the same, in some instances /
have not paved at all, and in many in
stances the repairs have been neglected /
until the paving has become nuisance; /
and
Whereas, The expense Of making these |
repairs would be notax on the city tTea-
Erv. and must be borne by those owning
sbutting property, and the railway COM
panies We therefore recommend that
ihe Street and Sewer Department see
that the railway companies live up to
their agreements and charters, and that
ordinance regarding paving sideyalks,
passed September 5th, 1899, be enforced,
which ordinance reads as follows:
Here is inserted the law which makes
It obligatory upon property owners to
keep their sidewalks in repair, with heavy
penalty for failure to comply with the
orders Of the Street and Sewer Depart
ment).
"And further we recommend that as
soon as practicable the Street and Sewer
Department will take up the matter of
putting in good condition two streets
within the limits Of this ward, one running
east and west, and the other running
north and south. We would suggest as
the streets most available for these inn
provements Fourth street from Searles
street TO Woodlawn avenue, and Scott
street from Lancaster avenue to Sixth
street. We suggest these streets because
they are more centrally located, and are
the main thoroughfares leading to the
built up and business portions of the city
and the city line.
with other citizens Of all sections, we
regret the wretched financial condition
Of the city, which cause our growing and
otherwise progressive municipality to
stand still in the matter of public improve
ments, and we would therefore recon-
mend that City Council would make an
effort to find other means of raising
revenue. In this connection, we would
suggest that the public service corpora
tions be compelled to bear a more equit-
able share of the burdens of taxation"
Major Simon p. Doherty opened the
meeting. in the absence of Chairman Hor-
ace Bradley who was detained until later.
Major Doherty is chairman Of the COM
mittee of 10 appointed TO look into the
condition of the streets and make recon-
nendations as to proposed action, and
the above resolutions we're drafted by
this committee, as a result Of its investi-
CATION. After the resolutions had been
adopted It was decided to send a copy
10 the Street and Sewer Department.
The following, addressed to City Coun.
cil was also adopted and a copy ordered
sent to Council
The President and Members Of City
Council-Gentlemen Through common
knowledge and the investigation of {
committee appointed at a meeting Of th'
citizens of the Twelfth ward, we are ad
vised that the present tax rate and assess
ment on property within the city limit
are not sufficient to defray the necessar,
and legitimate expenses of this city.
There seems to us no escape from tn
conclusion that such current expense
incident TO healthy and progressive cit,
must be incurred and paid for.
This can only be legitimately done b,
one Of two methods: either by increasing
the tax rate, or by so adjusting the assess
ment that it will bear equitably an
fairly upon every class of benefciares @
our city government.
A little investigation we think will con
vince you, as it has us, that large amour
Of profit earning capital is invested in thi
city which either largely OF entirely escap
ITS share of taxation, and therefore th
bulk Of such expense of supporting OF
municipal government is placed upo
real estate, and this falls in a large mes
sure upon the home owners and rer
payers Of the city who are least able
hear il, while the more profitable publ
~-NAAnIo ANAa " NoifiNoAt1to NNtNANtN %
city and State escape with little or I
contribution to the conditions whiC
make their franchises valuable.
In discussing the financial conditic
OF the city, John Hamilton said he hs
looked up history and found that in 1877
with a population of 10000, the city ha
an assessment of S27, 900 900 and a "a
rate of 81 on the 500, whereas now, wit
population three times as large q
assessment is only S47 10000 and at
Tax rate of S1.50 on the 500 the peop
are paying so cents per capita less tbs
IN 1872. lie thought there must
something wrong. "lf there was an equi
able assessment in 1877" he said, SIS
reasonable to think there is an equitah
assessment now / am in favor of /
creasing the tax rate. We cannot go
this way. No prudent business m,
would do the way the city is doing"
City Councilman Richard c. McMulli
spoke of Councils deficit Of $4,000, I
ported yesterday He said if every mi
was assessed 100 cents on the dollar q
conditions would be different.
Ex-Gty Councilman Charles NJ. Zebl
said about 10000 a year now has to
paid IN interest on loans and he is oppos
10 borrowing money. He favored ser