Middletown transcript., 1906-01-06
OUR WORKH0USE

OUR WORkHOUSE
The report Of the Trustees Of
the New Castle County Work
house for the fiscal year ending
November 30tb, 1905 is an inter
esting document. It shows that
the prisoners were boarded atan
average cost of 8.4 cents per day
as against an average cost under
the old system of 30 cents or
more; the an al cost per pris-
oner, includir board, clothing,
maintenance and management
was S134. Al, or a daily cost of a
little less than 81 cents. The
amount received from the con-
tractors for shop work was $12,-
671.07; from quarry products,
81, ,792. .93; from farm products
used, 81 ,953.47. There was paid
the prisoners for working over
time the neat sum of 81 .425 So.
Altogether the financial state
ment is fattering
When considering the statment
of the number Of prisoners, &c.,
we are impressed with two facts,
neither of which is encouraging.
The first and most discouraging,
is that the number of prisoners
has increased during the year
from 225 to 284s or more than 25
per cent. This is not a good
sign, especially when it is re-
membered that the year has been
one of marvellous prosperity.
when every man who wanted to
work could have the opportunity
to do SO. Crime is expected to
increase during times of stress
and to diminish during prosper
ity. There has been no cores
ponding increase in the popula-
tion, and the cause must be
looked for in adifferent.direction.
What it is, we are not prepared
to say, but the fact remains as a
serious question for the body
polite. The other discouraging
fact is the large and increasing
number of convicts sent from the
Municipal Court of the City of
Wilmington. That Court sent
over on sentences, 1, pol; to await
trial, 307; a tetal of 1908. The
magistrates all over the County,
including four in the City, SEN
fenced, 81; remanded to await
trial 81; a total Of 102. Nearly
ga per cent. Of the total commit
ments WereFfatom the city. And
it is fair to presume that the
present population of the work
house is OF about the same pro-
portion. 10 that it is fair to
state that ga per cent. of the ex-
pense of the maintenance of the
Institution il directly chargeable
to the city, which pays approx
mately half of the county taxes.
In thiscornection it may be out
of place I'd call attention to the
complaints that are being made
because they Levy Court has
directed The County Assessors
for the City to assess the real les-
tate in their districts in accor-
dance with the law, at its real
value in money. For years own
ers of real estate in the city have
been paying on what is known as |
the 1 basis. Many Of our farms
in the country are assessed at as
much as the would bring at pub
lie sale. Leaving out of consid-
the matter of equity and
fairness of treating everybody |
alike, we do not see how the Levy
Court could do less than it has
done. Chapter s, Sec. 10, Laws
of Delaware, as appears on page
80, Revised Code of 1893, pro- |
yidel:
"It shall be the special duty of the Levy
Court 30 see that the principle of assessing
property according to its true value, is |
carried out aud executed by the assessors;
and-fo that purpose to correct any assess |
menF; and, il necessary, to require an as
sess& to make reassessment."
We think that the complaints
now being lodged are out of
place. If the assessment of the
city under the recent orders of
the Levy Court should show a
material advance over the nat
ural increase from year to year it
will be taken as good evidence
that for years some property |
owners have been escaping their
just and equitable share of the
burdens of the county. If such
should be the case, it will prob
ably be found, as THE TRAN
pointed out in reference
to other districts, that it is the
very valuable properties that are
under assessed. Now is the
time to give this matter atten-
tion. The assessors are at work.
and the result of their work is to t
be posted for the information and
consideration of the taxables in
five of the most public places of
each election district. The as
sessnent will be returned to the
Levy Court on the first Tuesday
in February. Appeals may be
made to the assessor on the last
Saturday in January; to the Levy
Court any time during the month
Of March.