Evening journal., 1915-01-27
HOME rule BILL
FAVORED BY council
Body Wants City to Have
Authority TO Make
Bond Issues
SCHOOL BOARD
BILL NOT APPROVED

tOmlnllitt OF the WNOlt AT oNtNiAl
session last night. Some of the pro-
posed measures were approved while
others were rejected or laid on the /
table for further consideration One |
OF the most important measures ap- /
proved was that giving the city prac-
tiCally home rule in the matter OF /
borrowing money for any and all |
improvements. This bill will be /
drawn as soon as possible and sent |
to Dover so that IL can be introduced /
before February 1. Approval Of this |
measure followed a discussion on the
bill presented by the Board of Water
Commissioners asking Councils APP
proval OF a request for a bond issue
OF S350.000 the money TO be used In
building a new reservoir end other
improvements. Councilman Kane
declared that he did not think it
necessary TO send this bill to Dover,
as he thought the city should have
the authority to borrow the money
for the work. The bill proposed by
Mr. Kane provides that Council can
borrow any amount OF money up TO
10 per cent of the assessment for
public Improvements.
Council withheld its approval of
tho measure presented by the Alumni
Association of the Wilmington High
School providing for a change of the
Board of Public Education from
thirteen 10 seven members. Council
was addressed by Armon ID. Chaylor.
Jr.. on the subject, who explained in
/ detail the meaning of the bill and
| how Il differs from the present act
now creating the Board of Education.
! Harry C.. Mahaiiy gave statistics from
/ numerous cities to show the tendency
Is now TO get away from large bodies
/ and TO have smaller ones and that
the average number of members i'm
Boards Of Education in all the big
cities OF the country is seven. He
quoted from some OF the greatest and
best known educational authorities In
support of the smaller board and
the manner of their selection as pro-
vided for In the proposed act
Mr.. Mahaffy said the Alumni Is
seeking only the best school system
for the city. that Il has been generally
admitted there should be a change,
and II there Is to be one the best
system obtainable should be adopted
here He said they earnestly desired
p bill they have compiled. Mr. ChaytOr
spoke again about the results in
vestigations in other cities have
] shown as to the system of govern
. ing the schools and all of them prac-
tically show the same results, that {.
!, tendency to come down 20 tn'
smaller boards.
r Councilman Haney did not thinl
IL. t..N. h..
system, but he said IL does and al
ways Will Instead of selecting The
proposed seven members at large. h'
thought there should be some sort o
city division so that all sections o
the town would be represented on
the board.
Councilman Stovor said Il Is appar
ont some kind of a change is neces
> sary and he favored this act becaus
he said IL could hardly bring condi
tlons worse than those now existing
He declared the action of the BoarC
Of Education Monday night at theil
. meeting showed that there Is some
b thing wrong there. for Council wa.
never asked If the change suggeste;
by the board would be acceptable &,
Council.
: Councilman Draper. who Is Coun
ellis agent in Dover to watch all leg
islation pertaining to this city. sale
the men there seem much intereste,
in this question of the Board of Edu
e cation, and he believes they will sup
port whatever Council approves. Mos
Of them he said. agree a change o
some kind should be made
Council approved an act to ameni
an act relating TO the paying of sal
aries of city officials This amend
ment Is necessary TO eliminate an ap
3 parent conflict in the present statute.
b The bill presented by the Board o
- Water Commissioners whereby the
. will be permitted to retain for thei
u own use go per cent. of all revenue
from water rents and allowing then
e to retain all moneys received from tn
e sales Of old material. etc, was approx
II ed by Council with one amendment
l. The original bill provided that tn
e board retain the so per cent. perpet
i ually. Council agreed to il on condi
d ton that they retain the 60 per cent
3 only for two years. With this chang
il will be sent to Dover with Council
n endorsement.
o Another measure presented by tn
d Water Board related to the abolition O
the minimum rate for water rents. Ao
tion was deferred, however, until tn
plans of the Water Board are mad
d known to Council and a request TO
n this information was made. Counc
@ approved the measure of the Street an
e Sewer Department, which allows tina
body to construct sewers beyond tn
II city limits. providing the work doe
y not extend more than a mile heyon
+ the limits.
g Another bill offered by the Sire,
d and Sewar Department relates to tn
s placing of grass plots along the side
u walks This is not permitted nov
but is done contrary to law. The pro
n posed bill makes il legal. Council al
, proved the act.
e Councilman Stover offered for cor
e sideration an act creating the offic
OF fire marshal and one deputy fc
this city. He explained that it wa
only a fire prevention measure and
s. no wise pertained to the fire depart
J. ment. He said IL has been approve
r by the National Underwriters and IN
E. National Fire Marshals' Associations.
y. Councilman Kane said IL was a goo
d, thing, but he thought there should b
le steps taken TO have the insurance com
g. panies nav at least a part OF the fir