Evening journal., 1907-01-19
BIG CONVENTION
COMES TO CLOSE
municipalities OF the State
Will Hold Annual Meetings
Hereafter
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS

The Convention of municipalities closed
It's session last evening after deciding TO
hold Its sessions annually. Resolutions
were adopted commencing the work Of
the Delaware NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Society,
urging the Legislature to provide for
emergency hospitals for Kent and sus-
sex counties and ordering committee ap-
pointed for the purpose OF considering the
matter OF taxing an public service corpor-
atons.
In opening the afternoon session OF the
convention Mayor Wilson called upon
Samuel H. Baynard chairman of the
Board Of Trade Charter Committee who
interestingly told Of the great labor spent
during the past ten years on preparing a
charter which would permit Wilmington
citizons to govern themselves.
Papers and discussions on the needs
Of wilmington occupied the remainder OF
the afternoon session, Chief Engineer
Theodore A. Leisen opening the session
with a comprehensive paper on 'rne
Water Department" In part he said:
city's Water Supply.
''rhe city gets its water supply from
the Brandywine. particularly Liable 80
contamination in It's Pennsylvania source
and have no means TO prevent emptylng
OF Coatesviile, West Chester and Down
ingtown sewage into It. Therefore we are
drinking a certain percentage Of sewage
Yet water here u as good as in many
other cities.
I'VE are trying to purify the supply and
all should take warning by the epidemics
raging in Pennsylvania towns, and are
now engaged in that work.
Daily consumption OF water Is about
100000 gallons, almost up TO the capaory
OF the water works. Hence the necessity
OF a new water works. The supply is ann
PIE, the Brandywine giving as much as
york
"For the past three years the question
Of hltration has been under consideration,
active work in this direction having been
begun several years ago"
Mr. Leisen also gave many interesting
statistScs concerning the work being don,
on the liter system and the reservoir or
the weldin farm. He deDlored the lacl
Of funds which mad hampered the worl
and spoke Of THE necessity Of slow sanS
filters. He also stated that the old no
tlon that water would purify itself wa
a failacx.
1--WE will have" continued tho speaker
when the present contracts are finished
a plant which viii have total capaoit.
of 4O.ooo.Ooo gallons Of perfectly pur
water"
"At the present time wilmington own
one-half Of the water coming down tn
Brandywine. the other half belonging y
the Lea Milling Company. and 1 conside
it imperative that the city get absolut
control Of that property, not only for tn
water supply. but would benefit other dc
nartments."
IF the city owned these rights W
could pump our entire water supply b.
the horsepower developed there wlthou
buying a pound OF coal Therefore an ac
has been prepared by the Water Boar
and sent to Dover authorizing loan O
, ssoO,OOO part to pay for these rights AM
the balance to complete other work nov
under way"
Streets and Sewers.
The next speaker introduced was A. I
I johnson, president Of the Street an
Sewer Department. who spoke at lengt
on the work OF that branch OF the cit
government. saying. in part, as follows
q "a great deal Of work comes TO this dc
partment the city at the present tim
having ninety-ive miles OF streets. sixt
: OF which are paved with a variety {
A paving from cobbles to asphalt. this d
versity Of material making repairs AFT
cult. Some streets are worn out on
+ others full Of holes. The department al.
makes a pretty fair street with n
ashes It collects and also have sever
streets paved with mud, which new
/. wears out
Mr.. johnson also spoke OF the mad
quate appropriations made for the III
Of the department 'srhe present sum
100000 on which we must try to do si5
o00 worth Of work. is very discouragir
thing to do" said he.
Besides this. the street cleaning Ia
year cost $1,000 and repairs $4,000; sew
cleaning, 5000. extending through abo
so miles Of sewers. Removal Of ashes co
$1,000 annually, all these expenses il
creasing annually. Street lighting cos
s42. 900. salaries $4,000 per year. sprinklir
costs much and sewer repairs also. A
these expenses have increased with Il
city, while the appropriations have r
mained as they were years ago. a
therefore glad that within a few weeks
can step out OF office and retire 10 priva
life"
The Trials Of Council
City Council was then taken up al
Joseph +. McCanerty was introduced. I
spoke OF the trials experienced by tn
body in providing means for the city cor
missions. and Of his disappointment
Dover when he learned he was a ''butt
in" and not wanted. and expressed
fear that politics" in the Legislatu
would prevent all the relief asked for
the city, although he hoped for at les
partial results.
II consider the Water Board propositi
10 be one Of the best business propositio
IN years" said ne. There is only o
remedy for our present trouble. and n
Is an equalization Of taxes. This mi
come. and that shortly"
Councilman William p. White, cha
man OF the finance committee Of Coun
then spoke at some length defining Cor
ell as distributing agency for tn
funds which the Legislature saw ht
give. He said that the new charter wou
n granted. be a panacea for existing eI
and said that If Council had the oo'
to tax corporations that the annual def