Evening journal., 1919-02-13
flu EPIDEMIC
Ellis NOT YET
PAID BY COUNCIL
tcontInued from page one.l


Continued from page one.l
the flnsnce committee of the State
Council of Defense.
The matter was gone over thoroughly
at that conference and members OF the
Defense Council left with the under
standing that City Council would pay
the bills. they basing that understand
Ing on statements made by President
of Council Lyon and Councilman Rob-
ertson In response 10 a request for a
statement regarding Representative
Francis bill for the State 10 pay the
Wilmlngton epidemic expenses, Gov
ernor Townsend. as chairman OF the
State Council OF Defense. gave out that
portion OF the report ef Charles Topkis,
as chairman OF the health committee, Of
the State Council, dealing with tho In
fluenza epidemic. and also steno-
graphic report Of the discussion that
took place at the conference OF Presi
dent Lyon and Councilman Robertson,
with the State Council of Defense.
In the course OF that conference,
Secretary OF State Johnson announced
that no bills had been paid for any
town In the State incurred during the
epidemic. and said the only bills re-
ceived had been from Wilmington. This
caused Councilman, Robertson to re-
mark:
fIf the expense had been paid by the
different communities Wilmington VIII
paw hers And the ofllcial Council OF
Wlmington never has taken any other
stand"
Later on John ]. Raskob asked OF
President Of Council Lyon:
DO ] understand Mr. Lyon. that you
viii agree with Mr.. Robertson that
those bills ought TO have been paid
by the city councll7"
Mr.. Lyon replied: "As the governor
said, think we ought to take care OF
them
Governor Townsend then remarked
-'As the Defense Council we haven't
paid a dollar for any part Of the State |
am mighty glad 10 hesi YOU state that
II would not be the States duty as
long as we are not paying them In any |
other part OF the State"
:. Governor Townsend stated that the /
bills are "rieht there for the public
70 see always"
'Fhe upshot Of the discussion was
that Councilman Robertson submitted
a rough draft OF a resolution, for which
Governor Townsend drew a substitute,
setting forth that the bills contracted
in flghting the epidemic In Wilmington
did not come within The jurisdiction Of
the Council Of Defense. and also stat
ing that The cost Of handling the cpl
demic In other communities has not
been borne by the Council Of Defense,
but by those communities and provid-
ing that the bills be transmitted to
City Council for their disposition.
Councilman Robertson said the reso-
luton was satisfactory, and 1t was
adopted unanimously Since then, how-
ever, City Council has failed TO pay the /
epidemic bills. and the outcome Of the
Situation is awaited with much inter
est
In the course Of his report dealing
with the influenza epidemic. Charles
4oBkis as chairman Of the Health Com
miiiee Of The State Council Of Defense
said:
'At the close OF the epidemic, the
bills contracted for Wilmington were
presented to the City Council Of VIII ,
with the request that they ex- ;
,rcise their legitimate responsibility h
md powers 10 meet the same
IN. response TO a letter from Mayori n
.awson. stating that Council had ex- 4
'ected the State Council OF Defense 10 r
,ay for the bills. a meeting OF thei :.
Executive and finance committees OF the !,
Defense Council was called by Governor y
Townsend TO which the Mayor and any =,
Of City Council ofjWilmingtonl -
whom he might wish to ask, were in ~
vited u
Mayor Lawson was unable 20 bel y
present, and the City Council OF VIII y
mlngton, was represented by Mr.. James q
W Robertson, chairman Of the flnancel
committee, and Mr. George T. Lyon. D
president OF City Council. II
The State Defense Council placed e
before the representatives Of the City o
Council Of Wilmington, the following o
facts The meeting Of the emergency t
in this city was city responsibility .
primarily; all other towns and commu- c
mites In The State had borne their own
expenses for fighting influenza; the
City Council of Wilmington had the
power to secure the money.
"The representatives Of City COun-
ell stated that in their opinion the
city Of Wilmington should pay such
bills as had been contracted In connec-i
lion With the handling Of the epidemicl
10 Wilmington il the Council OF Del
tense. was not meeting payment oil
similar expenses In other portions OF
he STATE. provided, of course. that such
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