Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-18
RICHARDSON PARKS
HATS IN THE RING
Citizens Put Up Real Money to
See How They Can Control
Utilities After Incor-
pOration.
Gentlemen, the pot is open"

YOU think So Listen to all of it, as hand
ed out, time, last night; place, bill"
Tinsman's hall at Richardson Park;
the speaker, Chairman Sam" Caufman,
in charge of meeting of Richardson
Parkers dealing with the question OF
that suburbs water:
F'Gentlemen, the pot is open. Come
up and drop your dollar in, so we can get
lawyer to tell us what's what.
And now, stephen and Stephanle'
you've got it. Richardson Park, with
the exception Of the few more or less
conscientious directors you'll find IN
everv community this side of the pcariy
rates land there, TOO, maybe, considering
the muleheadesiness of mani Is done
with fooling about water and water rates,
and how much control il will have over
is streets II il Incorporates In particular
In other words, it's down TO brass taeks,
Tor when YOU get men coming across with
esrtwheeIs of silver and green things
That look like tobacco coupons but am
.be atmosphere surrounding is strictly
business.
THE PARK WANTS ACTION.
All this comes about through the Park
having it's water rent raised on it about
three weeks AGO, the water company
announcing q general boost OF S. year.
from $40 to $40 Those who make the
Mace their home naturally let ont a NOISE
like a community yelling Murder
and there was an Indignation meeting IN
Bill" Tinsman's hall that handled the
situation and the water company with
bare knucklcs. love taps barred and
anvbody in the ring that wanted to be
there And then, after the safety valve
of good Delawaresc words had sind back
into place a committee was appointed TO
get busy and see what could be done,
because the Park wants action.
asst night was the time appointed Tor
another meeting al which tins committee
should make report and the clans assem-
bled on the bell Of $50 Samuel II. Caut-
man was chosen chairman Earl ! erger
secretary and Bill Tinsnan pitched
the first ball by making q report for the
committee in which Bill nalvely adj
mitted that speaking for himself he had
not done much IN the way Of commit
teeing
''Bill' opined that the Park was up
against pretty stiff proposition which
looked like paying what the water COM
panv demands or going without, although
be thought something might be done IN
the way of a compromise with the water
company on a Sl5 basis. Turning the
Park into an incorporated borough looked
as good to "'Bill' as drawing q third ace
TO aces uD. 1t made a mighty good hand
10 plav with. because Incorporation
would enable the Park TO dictate something
like its own terms TO water, gas. telephone
and lighting companies using its streets
Propertv-holders deeds. he SAID, gave
ownership from the middle Of the street
and tins being true they certainly must
nave some nights and ought TO be able -
say what utility companies should pay
for the use of them Bill. therefore,
was strong for Incorporation and taking
in the neighboring communities.
Albert Blackwell another member OF
the original committee, was IN similar
thought and Frank Grub, the third
member. said he would like TO see another
committee named to 90 into the whole
propOsition SO the old committee was
discharged and the chair named q new
one. consisting OF B. " Housed, chairman.
Charles Griswold, John NJ Timer, and,
the meeting insisting, the chairman Of
the meeting himself.
INTO THE HEART OF THINGS.
Had it not been for Finley Ash wanting
to know more about this matter OF in
corporation the meeting would have adj
iourned then and there and the big
business of the evening wouldn't have
come of. The motion had been made
when Mr.. Ash got up and asked for
enlightenment Julian Walker who was
present. was asked TO shed some legal
light on the situation, whereupOn he
proceeded to inform the meeting that there
would have 10 be a bill put through
The legislature, as they doubtless knew,
and that the proposed new borough
might be made 10 include a good deal of
the territory adjacent TO the Park proper.
incorporation would give an elected
town council control Of the streets and
1t could build water plant or grant =
franchise 10 outsiders Tor one, a II might
deem advisable. He considered the pro
ject a good one and Il was his opinion
that no private corporation had the right
even as things stood, TO lay water pipes
In the streets of Richardson Park without
the consent OF the property owners and
IN this respect believed that an honest
mistake had been made when the water
pipes were laid
There were other things TO be consider
ed too--lights. upkeep Of streets, and
town taxes. There would Of course be
some obiectors, as there always are,
particularly to the small increase IN
taxes that might be necessary The
sanitary problem would also come up and
could best be settled By incorporating.
but of course the property-Owners were
the ones to be consulted befye ANYTHING
was done because they would have to
pay the bills.
As 10 the present raise in rates. Mr.
Walker said, no one among those present
knew whether the water company was
paving big money or running Ut q loss
whether the new rate had been imposed
because the opportunity was ripe or the
company really needed the money for
running expenses.
Then John Timer preached a most
important phase OF the matter rising tc
ask what exactly were the rights Of the
water company and the property-owners
in the streets because deeds read differ
entity, some giving the property-owneI
control TO the middle of the street and
some winding up this control at the curt
line One or two of those present knew
OF deeds in each class and this made
everybody want to know just where the
property -holders stood, for they didn I
want 10 incorporate and handle the water
situation themselves and find the waite
ompany blocking them with prior right
iIoIn the original owner.
HUNTING A COMMITTEE.
This precipitated discussion of many