CHAPTER 579.
OF CORPORATIONS.
AN ACT to incorporate the Associated Charities of Wilmington, Delaware.
WHEREAS an organization has been effected in the City Of Wilmington, Delaware, having for its purpose the establishment of a centre of inter-communication between the various charitable agencies and church organizations for the relief of the poor of said, said city; therefore
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware in General Assembly met (two-thirds of each branch concurring):
SECTION I. That Alfred D. Warner, John H. Adams, Daniel W. Taylor, James Bradford, Peter N. Brennan, John T. Gause and Edward Betts, and all such other persons as now are members of an association in the City of Wilmington called "Associated Charities of Wilmington, Delaware," and all other persons, who may become members of the corporation, are hereby constituted a body corporate by the name of "Associated Charities of Wilmington, Delaware," with power to have and use a common seal, and to alter the same at pleasure, and to sue and be sued, to take and hold, by grant, purchase and devise, real and personal property to an amount not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) in value, for the purposes of said corporation, and to sell, convey, lease and mortgage the same, or any part thereof, subject, however, to the laws of the State of Delaware in relation to devises.
SECTION 2. The purposes and objects of this corporation shall be:
Article I. To be a centre of inter-communication between the various charitable agencies and church organizations in the city; to foster harmonious co-operation between them, and to check the evils growing, out of duplicating relief.
Article II. To investigate thoroughly the cases of all applicants for relief which are referred to the association for inquiry, and provide the persons having a legitimate interest in such cases with full reports of the results of such investigation.
Article III. To provide visitors who shall personally attend cases needing counsel, advice and assistance.
Article IV. To obtain from the proper charities and charitable individuals funds and supplies for the relief of the deserving cases.
Article V To procure work for poor persons who are capable of being wholly or partially self-supporting.
Article VI. To repress mendicancy by the above means, and by the prosecution of impostors.
Article VII. To promote the general welfare of the poor by social and sanitary reforms, and by the inculcation of habits of providence and self-dependence.
SECTION 3. Said corporation shall have power to make and adopt a constitution, by-laws, rules and regulations for the admission and suspension of its members and their government, the collection of funds the number and election of its officers, and to define their duties, and for the safe keeping of its property, and from time to time to alter, modify or change such .constitution, by-laws, rules and regulations. Until an election shall be held pursuant to such constitution, by-laws, rules and regulations, the officers for the time being of the association mentioned in the first section of this act shall be the officers of the corporation hereby created.
SECTION 4. That the Levy Court of New Castle County Levy Court be and is hereby authorized and empowered, at its discretion, from time to time, to make appropriations out of the funds of the said county, for the use and disposal of the officers of this association in the pursuance of its charitable purposes, and to that end the said court may draw orders upon the treasurer of said county, which orders shall be paid by the treasurer in like manner as are other orders and allowances of the Levy Court made pursuant to existing laws.
SECTION 5. That owing to the public and charitable character of the work of this corporation, and its ability thereby to lessen the burden of taxation, any and all property now held, or that may hereafter be acquired in any manner by the said corporation, together with any and all gifts, devises, bequests or legacies to it in any manner heretofore or hereafter given, are and shall be exempt from all taxes, assessment or abatement whatsoever, for state, county or municipal or other purposes, so long as the same is held or used for charitable purposes.
SECTION 6. That the president of said corporation shall have power to direct the Overseer of the Almshouse in and for New Castle County, to receive persons into said almshouse, provided said persons live within the corporate limits of the City of Wilmington; and provided further, that in so directing said overseer to receive said persons, the president aforesaid shall be governed by the same laws as govern the members of the Trustees of the Poor of New Castle County in performing like duties, and the persons so received into the said almshouse shall be subject to the same rules, regulations and laws as govern persons received into said almshouse upon the order of the members of the Trustees of the Poor of New Castle County.
SECTION 7. That said corporation shall have the power, and is hereby authorized, to establish a wayfarer's lodge, or place where homeless and destitute persons can be fed, and sheltered during the night, and any person or persons receiving shelter and food, or either, in such lodge may be required to perform work for a space not exceeding four hours in return for such shelter or food; provided such person or persons shall have been notified before their admission to said lodge that they will be required to work therefor. And in case the person so receiving shelter, or food, or both, shall refuse to perform work, and shall be physically able to work, the superintendent, or any other officer of such lodge is hereby authorized either to arrest such person or persons himself or themselves, or to call upon any conservator of the peace to arrest such person or persons, and take him or them before the City Judge of the City of Wilmington, and upon proof before him that such person or persons have received shelter and food, or either, in such lodge, and have refused to perform work for a space of four hours in return therefor, and are physically able to perform the work demanded, his or their refusal shall be evidence of vagrancy, and said city judge may commit such person or persons to the county jail as vagrants for a period not exceeding thirty days.
SECTION 8. This act shall be deemed and taken to be a public act.
Passed at Dover, March 19, 1885.