Evening journal., 1918-02-11
CONNELLYS COMPLAINT OF
DISCRIMINATION DENIED in
REPORTS TO WATER BOARD


Daniel B. Conner, an employe Of this
department At the time Of delivering
the notice cards, bill for the frac-
tional water rates due on the properties
for the year. 1917, was presented to Mr..
Connolly. but was not paid The water
was shut Off from the property No.
i20 South Broome street. on February
2. The plumber could not get on the
stop at No IA South Broome street
and could therefore. not shut off the
water from that property. Mr. Con
nelly is reported TO have said TO our
plumber who shut Off the water at No.
100 South Broome street. that he. Mr..
Connolly. would again turn on the
water, which statement is confirmed
by the remark made by Mr.. Connolly
before the board at meeting held on
February Z, TO the effect that he had
turned the water on at that property.
The following extract will be found
i'm Section XVI Of The Laws. Rules and
Regulations OF the Water Department,
page 2i:
In all new contracts, TO be granted,
and all vacant houses where water has
been shut Off by the department, the
registrar shall be authorized TO demand
and receive in advance. such water
rents as may become due for the bal
ance of the year"
Your attention is most respectfully
called 10 the fact that In each and
every protest entered by Mr.. Connolly
in his letter Of January ?, so far as the
registrar is concerned. Mr.. Connolly has
violated the rulings OF your board.
The Laws. Rules and Regulations Of
the Water Department. as adopted by
the Board Of Water Commissioners on
September 23rd, 1907, and as changed
from time 10 time, make II mandatory
upon the registrar TO enforce compli-
ance with your regulations.
Respectfully submitted,
Mahlon Belts. Registrar.
5. n. Van Trump, assistant engineer
at the department, who investigated a
previous complaint Of Mr.. Connellys
relative 10 his requests for service not
Geceiving prompt attention, made the
following report on that matter last Oc
tober. his report being sent to City En-
glneer Hopes.
Wilmington, Del, oct &c, 1917.
+. NJ Hopes, Jr, Chief Engineer Water
Department. Wilmington, Del.
Dear Slr-The following is q report
on the investigation Of complaints
made by William NJ. Connolly TO the
Board Of Water Commissioners at their
meeting held Monday morning. October
10, 1917.
Regarding his complaint Of applica
ton for water at Nos 1914 and i0i6
Reed street not receiving prompt stten-
HtH.
made on October 3 at our main office,
that lt received attention at this onlce
Thursday afternoon, and was called TO
my attention for Investigation as to
dummy services at that location. Work
order was written and given TO Mr.. Mar
tin. general foreman, on Monday, Oc-
lober E.
Tuesday. October Q. Mr.. Martin as
signad tho work TO Earl Beauchamp,
plumber who went on the Job and re-
no~ted that he was unable 30 place the
service on account Of building material
being piled at the place Of installation.
lie instructed a stone mason, who was
on the job, that this would have to be
removed.
You brought this order again to my
attention on Thursmday morning, Octo-
Der A., at which time we both made q
personal investigation Thursday af-
iernoon ] sent a man TO place stop
boxes on these services. This work was
completed by o'clock Thursday after
noon.
In interviewing Mr. Martin ] asked
him why the boxes hadn't been put ON
before that time and he stated that he
had given the order to the plumber, and
hnew that there were dummy services
there asked him why he received
The order when The plumber turned It
hack 10 him With the statement that
building material would have TO be re-
moved. lie seemed 20 have forgotten
dummy services were at this i0catlon
although It was plainly noted on the
york order. AS far as I can see, it Is
q case Of Mr. Martin and the plumber
overlooking the notation Of dummy
service. which was on tho order.
Mr. Connelly's statement thar two
men were watching one man dig out
these services Is probably correct. Joe
Morrow was sent on the job with in
siructions TO take a laborer and staS
there until the services were located.
Mr.. Keesey. having some meters 10 be
inspected in the same neighborhood,
sent George Murray out with Joe Nor
row. After Murray finished his orders
he did return TO where Morrow was
/ locating sevices and helped him set the
stop boxes before coming back TO the
shop. Morrow was there about two
| hours. but Murray only a portion Of
| that time.
Mr.. Connelly's complaint about not
/ getting services In promptly at Fifth
and Hawley streets, has also been in
/ vesligated. and ] find that the service
/ application was made by Joseph
: BianchinO, through his plumber Jo-
seph Green We received the office
order for this on May 70, 1911 W. O..
3i3S was written and given attention on
the following day, May i6
AZ this time there was no indication
of any building TO be built; no stakes
whatever were in place. The following
week our plumber again returned and
Istill there was no location indicated. Mr..
Martin made three trips himself TO the
place, and the plumber two trips dur
ing the following three weeks.
Mr.. Martin then tried 90 get the man
who had signed the application on the
phone, but found that ne could not be
reached Ia this way. At a later date
they succeeded in finding out the lOca-
tlon of the house, and the street on
which it was TO face Tie plumber
went on The job and found that there
was building stone piled along the
front, which made 60 impossible 10
place the service. This service was
finally put in on July 81, after the stone
had been removed. ] believe that the