Evening journal., 1915-01-21
SALARY Bills THE
COURT House TOPIC
Legislation Needed BecaueS
Levy Court Will LOp
Off Many Heads
SOME CLERKS
WANT MORE MONEY

Indications are that the Legislature
will receive many bills affecting the
officials and clerks in the New Castle
county court house. AS stated in /
THE EVENING JOURNAL yesterday
the Levy Court did not endorse any
Of the bills legalizing the number Of
clerks to be employed in the different
Offices.
At the afternoon session of the
court the following resolution was
adopted
Resolved That it is the sense of the
Levy Court of New Castle county that
section 1898 of the Revised Code
should be so amended as to equalize
the salaries Of the various county Of
fcers of New Castle county with the
exception of coroner, the register in
chancery and the clerk of the or
phans' court. which shall remain as
it is at present provided;
! Resolved further, That it Is the
| sense of this court that the salaries
of the clerk of the peace, sheriff. pro-
! thonotary. the recorder of deeds, the
comptroller, the receiver of taxes and
/ county teasurer and register Of Wills
! shall not exceed the sum of $4,000 per
annum.
Resolved further, That the sum OF
10 per cent. Of collections now al
lowed by law to all county officers
in lieu of all fees, costs, allowances
and perquisites and other compen-
sation of every kind for performing
every and all services, acts and duties
of their respective offices, shall be re-
duced to 8 per cent
The only official who gains by this
act would be the comptroller, whose
salary would be raised $500 a year.
he now receiving but S2,500.
From this resolution It can be seen
that the present officials will not be
affected by the law, should it be passed
bv the Legislature. The purpose OF re-
ducing the salaries of the officials is 10
permit of an increase of salary for the
deputies and clerks. So far the clerks
cannot agree on a bill. Some OF them
say they ought to have Sl,OO or $1,000
a year.
Register in Chancery and Clerk OF
the Orphans Court Frank p. Ewing
finds that he is handicapped TO a great
extent by not having n deputy.
. Recorder of Deeds George, attends
personally to endorsing all papers re-
ceived in his office, but should he b'
called ont OF the city or become sick
] there is no deputy in the Office, since
!. Deputy Recorder Wilson became sick.
=. Deputies in the clerk of the peace an
I prothonotary's offices during court, an
court is almost continually in session
have to work during lunch hour an
= after court adjourns. Deputy Nrigh
=, has three dockets to prepare during sue
y times. The Wilmington deputy sheri
is paid only $500, and he has no sinecur
d of position, having TO put in from te
r to eighteen hours a day driving fror
place to place to serve legal papers.
Deputy George Ball and Elwoo
Brown hold important positions, as we
2 as County Engineer Wilson's clerk, an
they naturally feel they deserve recop
/ milton i'm the shake-up of the salary POI
| The clerks in the offices of the severs
/ officials also feel that an increase ough
| TO come their way, while others asseI
L that on account Of the arrangement j
L the new county pullulhS INc COURTS WI
| be held at the same time, there shoul
| be two deputies in the offices Of tn
| clerk of the peace. prothonotary an
| register in chancery. In the latter oiiiC
| if the register be sick no one in IL
office has any authority to act in h
| place.
| Such is the condition of affairs at I'll
| Court House, and should the bill fail
| pass business will be at a standstil
for after February % the Levy Cou
! will not pay salaries of clerks who's
appointment is not authorized by law.