Evening journal., 1919-05-09
COUNCIL TO PAY
FLU BILLS OUT
OF CITY FUNDS
Continued From First Page.

fh0nk God for what nc I'D, and /
thank him now" Mr.. Mearns added.
Mr.. Mearns said that he did not think
That The bills were handled in busl-
ness-like or msn-fashion manner
The action Of Council in deciding TO
pay the bills. which amount 10 ap-
proximately about $4,000. caused little
surprise. il being evident from tho be-
ginning that the city would have the
bills TO pay as all other towns in the
state took caro- Of thcig own patients
during the outbreak ana paid their own
bills. The report OF the special COM
mittee to confer with Mr.. dupont was
as follows:
Wilmington, DEL. May s, 1919
TO The President and Members Of The
Council Of Wilmington.
Gentlemen: We, your committee ap-
pointed TO confer with Mr.. Alfred I. du-
Pont. relative 10 his Communication Of
April Path. 1919, beg leave to report that
we conferred with Mr.. dupont on Mon
day evening, May 9th, 1919, on the.sub-
lect matter OF his communication.
Your committee is OF the opinion
hat the very generous offer contained
IN The communication Of Mr.. dupont
SHOULD not be accepted, but that The
Council pay the bills authorized by mn
state Council OF Defense. through the
chairman OF its Health Committee. in
ilshting the Spanish influenza epidemic
IN this city in 1918
Respectfully.
JAMES W. ROBERTSON,
CHARLES FORWOsD.
JOHN Y. McDONOUGH.
Committee 80
-he resolution adopted authorizing
the payment Of the bills by the city was
as follows:
Whereas, II hps come 10 The Coun-
Z cil, by communication, that certain
philosophical citizen has offered TO pay
the bills contracted in subduing the
Spanish Influenza, and
Whereas, The Council appreciates
the offer thus made and believes that
: 10 comes with a pure and unselflsh mo-
= tive. and
Whereas, The Council feels that il
viii not be proper TO accept from any
person or persons any assistance i'm the
payment or the bills thus contracted:
Therefore be IL
Resolved, That the Council respect
fully declines 10 accept any aid from
any person or persons whatsoever, and
that The Council refuses 20 entertain
!, any further communications that have
for 'hcir object the discussion OF this
matter: and be Il further
Resolved, That it is the sense Of The
Council that all those having just bills
cCdtracted by those engaged In the pub
lie suppression Of said Spanish Influ-
enra in this city. during the autumn
lf 1918, present the same. itemized. TO
the committee Of The Council at their
earliest convenience for payment
Following the adoption OF this reso-
tion a letter was read from Mrs. Rose
Feeley OF No. 5is East Sixth street.
who asked that she be granted $500 to-
wards the expenses incurred in burying
hor son. James Feeley. who died at the
Country Club last October. and whose
dfiih. she alleges, was due TO neglect
Ms. Feeley said I'm her letter that while
size paid $3.50 for her sons board for
a week at the Delaware Hospital. that
De was kept there but a few hours and
then removed 10 the emergency hos
pitaL where he died.
Nirs. Feeley said that unles sshe was
erented $500 she would take the mat
tc- before the grand jury. The letter
MS referred 10 the Council as a com
miiiee OF the whole.
The Central Body handed this state
ment 10 Council:
rrhe Central Labor Union which il
The direct representative Of over $1,000
workers OF Wilmington, has what
might be termed a matter-Of-fact opin-
ion regarding the payment OF bills con-
irscted 10 nght the influenza epidemic. /
We do not believe that charity should
prevail so far as the payment OF these
bils is concerned We believe the bills
were contracted fairly and squarely-
ftat they are now past due-and that |
Clty Council as the peoples representa-
t.rr should pay these bills. To US, IT |
looks like a burning shame TO permit /
sny citizen TO pay these bills, contract |
ed by the community. for the commun-
iiv. ana which should there be paid for /
bv tho community.
.Tbe Union has investigated THE
whole matter and has ascertained not !
only that the bills were contracted in /
good faith, but that they were con- ]
i-acted in an honest manner Acton /
was necessary at the time OF the terri |
hle endemic. The Country Clubs or
ranizaiion which was taken over intact /
i'm order 10 start immediate treatment |
~ patients and this organization /
hnndled the purchasing Of the necessary /
s,,nplies No matter what the cost, this /
terrible endemic must be stopped was /
i,ie motto. and that 10 was so effectively /
fought is IA no small measure due 10 /
line splendid handling Of the situation I
bv those who were in charge. Now the /
bills are 10 be paid-ihey should be paio /
Immediately by City Council. not by /
any citizen on any basis OF charity OF I
eTen community support. IheS-are
lust. they are legitimate, and the Cen
tcal Labor Union desires 10 have them
paid and any controversy that may
exist stopped before it goes any iur-
ther.
"The Union makes this plea because
10 believes In citizenship that allows an
the people to participate in paying the
bills for government. The bills were
contracted as a city government ex-
pense-sO they should so be considered
when they are being paid. Arguments
galore have been offered as TO The re-
sponsibility for the bills-so many that
the general public Is becoming dis
gusted. Wilmington is not bankrupt
II wants to discharge its obligations
honorably. Therefore, the Central Labor
Union desires to impress upon the City
Council as strongly as possible the fact
that the workers want the influenza
epidemic bills paid at once-and paid
ous Of public funds by City Council.
"The published reports have been
read and reviewed by our committee
We are not at all interested in any con-
trover.v We are Interested in The pub i,