Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-07-21

harbor project would cause industrial
development.
Mayor Harvey aaid the Central
Labor Union had indorsed the pro-
grams OF the city departments.
Robert W. Kramer. Representative
in the General Assembly and presi-
dent of the Central Labor Union, nd.
vised going ahead and letting future
city improvements. Pave all the
streets. develop the harbor, give the
city departments all the money We
pioyed, he suggested.
Mayor Harvey thought the cost OF
proposed improvements would fall
heavily on laboring men.
Henry A. Candy favored providing
work for the unemployed and stated
schools and Fairgrounds need atten-
tion. He requested that the benefits
likely to result from the expenditure
OF $2,50o,00 for harbor development
be put IN concrete form.
William II. Heald, former Represen-
tative in Congress-, said he did not be-
lieve any of us will live long enough
to see the bonded debt reduced; IL we
start to reduce It We will do something
no other city is doing. Wilmington
has paid off $4,000 per year since
1916, in addition to the sinking fund.
The city has committed itself to har-
Dor Improvement; the referendum in
1918 is the only concrete example of
public opinion. City Council did not
make a mistake in 1919 when it auth
orized harbor Improvement The
money TO be spent on the harbor viii
be productive. Don't cut down on
things that will benefit Wilmington.
Mayor Harvey remarked that each
project is SPLENDID; embarrassment is
caused by alt coming at once.
George A. Elliott believed the people
OF wilmington want the harbor project
completed. He stated it will bring
manufacturers and house builders
here and provide work.
Weller f. Slower, president of the
city Board of Assessment, said real
estate values will probably decrease 10
per cent and the assessment drop
from s114,ooo.o0o to $if1.o0o,000 next
year. New building operations have
small value. The referendum in 1913
was not on spending s2,5oo,ooo for
harbor development but on acquiring
river front land. Although their prop
erty has increased in value. marsh
owners are not paving one cent of tax
thereon. Many citizens who are pay
ing increased taxes live on streets that
are not paved. IL is easy to borrow
money, but a day of reckoning viii
come. He would not serve as chair
man of City Councils finance COM
mittee eight or ten years hence for
$4,000 per year.
Andrew l.. Johnson. president of the
Board of Directors of the Street and
Sewer Department. asked how and
when would returns come from har-
Dor improvement. He stated Whining
ton is going rapidly to the limit of its
borrowing capacity. The tract be-
tween Thirty-sixth street and She'll
pot Creek needs a large trunk line
sewer. IL harbor development viii add
materially to the prosperity of Will
mington let us have it. Take up first
the projects that will give the largest
number of men employment. Thou
sands of men are seeking work, and
the Street and Sewer Department can
not provide il.
A. d. Warner. Jr., president of the
Chamber of Commerce, indorsed the
progressive programs and hoped all
win be completed. He said they mean
much for Wilmington's future and
viii relieve unemployment. Have
courage, everything will turn out all
right, he exclaimed.
Citing Seventeenth street west Of
Union, recently vacant lots. but now
/ delightful street for residence. 9eorg~
W. Sparks, a former director of the