Evening journal., 1913-02-20
BUILDING
BILLS UP TO
The GOVERNOR
House, With Only Few Dis
Senting Votes, Makes Great
Civic Improvement
Possible
HOLCOMB VOTES
AGAINST TIE BILL

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
STATE HOUSE, DOVER. Del, Feb.
2O-With but one dissenting vote,
that of Speaker Hclcomb. on the City
/ Loan bill and with Speaker Holcomb
I and Representative Mccormick voting |
against the County loan, the House
/ this morning passed the bills of SEN
ators Reinhardt, Gormley and David |
to provide for the Sl.5OO,O0O joint city |
and county building in Wilmington.
The measures now go to Governor |
Miller for his signature. he being in !
hearty accord with the measures, and |
the greatest civic Improvement VIII |
mington and New Castle county ever
has Contemplated
After Representative Mooney had
called up the bills for final reading
he asked Senator Gormley TO speak
in behalf Of his measure to allow
Wilmington TO borrow 100000.
This bill provides for a bond iss"
to pay for Wilmingion's share of the
Joint city and county buildings" said
Senator Gormley
"The subject has been fully dis
cussed and the campaign has covered
quite a period at which there was
some opposition at first. but it has
disappeared. The people of VIII
mington are heartily in favor of it..
Il is not often that the Wilmington
members come here united on such
bills, but the Wilmington members
are united on this project Whining
ton has an antique City Hall and we
think this is a step in the right direc-
ton. ! ask for a unanimous vote
as the citizens OF Wilmington are
about unanimous. I'm this case the
opposition has almost entirely disap-
peared.
Senator Reinhardt said the senti-
ments expressed by Senator Gormley
covered The ground thoroughly.
Certain things have been said 10
me in connection With this bill that
think ] should answer at the be-
ginning, sid Senator Reinhardt
Some members Of the House have
complained to me that their bills are
not going through the Senate fast
enough. | want TO say that we had
been unable 10 get the committee on
municipal corporations together for a
while. but I am happy TO say that
after a long session OF the committee
I am ready to report all House bills
in my committee either faYorabiy, un-
favorably or on their merits
Taking up the joint building bill
Senator Renhardt continued; This
bill is demanded by the citizens OF
Wilmington. The city has progressed
greatly in five years. i'm fact so great
ly we must have more adequate quar-
ters to carry on business. The City
Hall is an admirable old building
more than century old but it is not
adequate. When the fire alarm
struck last night the whole building
trembled IL must be strengthened
il used. The downstairs is unsani-
tary, disgusting. filthy, which really
was the beginning Of this project. I
have talked with men prominent in
business and with few exceptions all
are favorable. We have had town
meetings and while there was some
opposition it has practically disap-
peared
This is a large project not for to-
day but for enduring time. We ask
your support. just as we leave it ia
Kent or to Sussex to say what they
WANT
Representative Grantland said: 1--WE
feel we are on the threshold of great
lNNf1AOHhANht III a MAuNn7
ing experience, one in which we will
throw off tn clothes Of the village oI
town If you please, and put on the
clothes of the metropolis This build
ing is TO be link in the chain of ouI
development and we ask for the Leg
islature's hearty approval"
Representatives Mooney, Cooper
and King all concurred in what has
been said by the Wilmington senators
Holcomb Votes No.
Just as the vote was TO be taker
Speaker Holcomb said: Explaining
my vote under the rules. I wish TO sa,
= I propose to vote No. When speakers
say il affects Wilmington alone tha
is not a fact, for il concerns New Gas
tie county as we'll. When they statl
II is unanimous. that it not true al
the chair is opposed to it, lie wal
the only member to vote against th'
bill.
When the Senator David bill, au
thorizing the Levy Court to borrow
$4,000 for its share of the building
and the Senator Reinhardt bill au
thorizing Wilmington to borrow 800
90 for purchase Of the present Cour
House by the city and the conversion
of the site into park, were called NJ
/ Representative Mccormick joine
with Speaker Holcomb in votin
/ against the bills.
! John j. Raskob, an official of tn
/ dupont Powder Company, who ha
/ been the moving spirit in the join
building project, occupied a seat be
side Representative Mooney when tn
bills were passed today
Democrats 10 Force Contest
That it is the inteption of the Dem,
cratic members of the House to 2
/ ahead with the contest of the seat
/ Representative Elias T. Bennett, il
/ Republican, of the First district
\ Sussex. by John c. Dickerson. defea
\ cd Democrat. was evident when 70
4 lowing 2 Democratic conference. Rel
Continued on Second Page.