Smyrna times., 1913-02-19
TOWN COUNCIL CLOSING
ANOTHER MUNICIPAL YEAR
FINAL MEETING WILL SHOW ALL
BILLS PAID AND So. 500 ON HAND

Councilman Lloyd Calls Attention to
Dangerous Wires and Attorney
Hughes Renders Valuable Opinion
Smyrna Town Council held its last
regular session of the municipal year
Friday evening with President Rey-
nolds and all present. Unable to
transact all the business incident
upon the closing of their administra-
tiOn. they adjourned to meet next Fri
day evening to close up accounts.
The town election will be held Mon
day when an entire new Board will be
elected. An incident which made
their closing meeting pleasant was
the thorough and complete renovation
of the Alderman's Office and Council
Chamber, which under the decorative
brush and taste of John c. Manner
ing, had been made an almost entire
ly new place. This LEGACY" which
will be handed to the new administra-
tion, has been much needed and des-
pite the fact that the work had been
authorized months ago, Chairman
Wright of the Opera House Com
mittee, seemed unable to get the
work done before now. The room
has been repapered, all the wood
work, safe, desks and Office furniture
renewed, and even the old delapida-
ted furnace was painted. After dis
cussing and praising the work done.
some additinal Improvements We're or
dered and Council settled down to
business. The statement of finances
showd that Council will close the year
with about all bills paid and 81, 500
or more in the treasury most salts
facotry showing. The auditing Com
mittee will make their report at the
adjourned meeting to be held next
Friday.
Alderman has Justice of Peace Power
Attorney for Council, James Il.
Hughes Esq. of Dover, submitted a
written report in answer to Council /
inquiry as to the power of Alderma I
Crow TO commit prisoners "a Dover
Jail under the towns charter rights.
Mr.. Hughes contended that NJ. Grow
as alderman, had all the powers of
the justice of the peace within tn,
corporate limits of Smyrna, that h,
could commit on all bailable cases tn,
same as a Justice of the Peace, ans
in default prisoners could be sent I,
Dover. In cases of drunkenness. how
ever, Smyrna has a Lookup whicl
can be used to carry out the sen
tences of the Alderman. The repor
of Attorney Hughes is far reaching
in that it gives Alderman Crow an,
Smyrna's New Chief Of Police a bet
ter opportunity to enforce the laws
Protection From Electric Light Wire
; Councilman Lloyd pointed out t
Council the dangerous condition o
electric light wires over town. wher
in many cases the insulation ha
worn off and swagging wires were i
such condition that if unlOosened q
{ blown down, might cause the electro
r eution or serious injury TO pedestrian
He thought it too dangerous a cond
tiOn to trifle with or go unnoticed an
t on his motion, Secretary Grieves wa
authorized to secure bids on rewirin
e the town, the preesnt wire to be tai
9 en- Off the towns hands and allowe
e for what it was worth.
LeewaY to Raise Taxes If Necessar,
On motion Of Councilman Hudso
and second of Councilman Fortnei
q President Reynolds, who is ais
= Smyrna's representative in the lowe
house Of the Delaware Legislature
was authorized to have presented
g bill giving Smyrna the right to il
crease the amount to be raised f.
taxes from $4,000 to S5OOO Und,
\ the present system council has ofte
\ been handicapped in keeping with
bounds and the increase is only
give Council mere authority shou
= il ever be necessary. There is J
intention at the present time TO i
crease the tax rate, but Council wa
- L. ...-s4sa.. -. 4 90. .