Wilmington daily gazette., 1873-04-17
THE RIVER ROAD.

the RIVER ROAD.
On the evening OF the 9th Of April, a large and
earnest meeting OF the farmers, Proprielors and
others, was held ss the room of TIE aFArmeB
Club Of Brandywine" near Claymont, TO consider
the making Of good road from Wilmington 20
Claymont or the Pennsylvania State line. In the
discussion that took place lt fFas aaid-that, TAX
ing for granted the necessity for neW River
Road between the two places named, aud thae u
Is already determined that good road shali oe
constructed, our maxi move is p select q route
and arrange plans BY which the greatest oomeina-
ton Of advantages may BE- secured at the least
cost The original proposition b to construct
ride levet ornamental, Maoadamised Avenue one
hundred feet in width upon the river edge whero
the fine road and the beautiful landscape and rtV-
scenery will attract travel and induce desira-
BILE population, who are expected by their tm-
Proyements 10 greatly enhance the valua Ct the
land in the viciaity- -.,. ssss.
The distance from Wilmington 10 ClAymont is
about seven miles, and the road will trEvarso .
section noted for its healthlullness, it's natural
beauty and its manifold convenience Tor reaching
the centres Of trade and places o. attraction
Throughout the country. h.s ea y
A turnpike road cs1necting wilmington with
Claymont now runs within An average distAncs Of
= half mile from the river, and between tOrnpiko
and river passes the y. w. & B, r. r. SandWItched
somewhere between these il 70 be the new road
making four GUesasss ot trarel within the limits OF
The opposition, If any, 10 the proposed new
road arises chiefly from the fArmera and iandoWn-
era on the route, on the ground Of disarrangement
OF enclosures expense Of extra fences, the danger
Of livestock straying, inconvGnisnce Of crossing
and Of the increased taxes for making q road col
expensive this must be if constructed according
to the original designs.
a seSde estimate Of oesG is all that can be made
at present. in which land damages wiLlnot enter
as 1t is supposed the hand win be donated IN con-
sideration Of advantages to accure.
The first essential Is that the road shall be mac
adanized or paved. Otherwise 1t will be in bad
condition for seven months OF the year and prac-
ticaly closed for the five winter and spring months
of freezing and thawing. Assuming also thar me
bridge over the BTandywine is already built,
there will be four large streams, mostly naytea-
BILE for sloops at the places Of crapings and some
ten smaller streams to bridge There VII bo
nearly one mile of causeWays in different plaeea
with bitches on either side, aad some, though q
small amount Of grading
The road bed viii probably be macadanizsd one
half the Width--or fifty feet, which II well done,
will require about 1880 porches Of stone 70 the
mile, at q coat Of not less than two dollars per
perch. Add, for fencing not less than forty thou
sand dollars, and we have an aggregate that Will
be regarded BY ala thoughtful people - PsOhieei-
tory Of the enterprize. ~
We now look about for plan by which We nay
accomplish our purpose and obtain satlstaetory
road at less cost. We find it n ths TeconsiructiOa
of the old turnpike which enters directly into the
heart of Wilmington, which occuptea the line
lAost desirable for an avenue which - already
partly bndged, fenced and paved, and may be
graded, widened and made in all respects q frst
class road at one sSrh tie e0st Of making the FlE-
er road Il is located above the sources Of the
smaller streS=.s. il crosses the larger streams
where they are eontraCted between high banks
easy TO bridge; i needh no cAuseWaya z z high,
dry and airy end commands hne outlook over
the Delaware, o wide breadth Of New Jsraay and
far up amongst the hills oIPennsylvania.
This road will accommodate residents on both
sides, where's the "River Road" win be one sided
as to its accommodations, besides leading the
traveller distance Of nearly one mile farther than
the turnpike route from point 70 point
Wilmington 10 interested in the construction ct
good road from the sPenlsylvania State Lane
which vail induce trade from this fich and pcpur
lOus distEict-the trade which has been estranged
on account Of the dficnlty and cost Of TeaOhing
the city, while the cheap and easy means OF reach
ing Philadelphia three times the distance, has
led trade aud travel in that direction.
THIS r04d can be made with grade adapted TO
horse Railroad, At a comparatively oah cost
mngton, and will result IN benefit 70 land-oWnen
in the appreciation Of land ValneA and will, we
doubt not be the means OF creating continuous
villas and gardens along the whole stnStch OF the
beautiful Delaware Highlands.
The following preamble and resolutions were
unanimously adopted;
Whereas, At meeting recently held In Viii
mIngtoa to consider feasible routo for . bread,
level, paved road from Wilmington to Clnymont
or the Pennsylvania State Line, il stated that
the farmers and pEoprietou along the route pre-
feFred TO locate tht road on or near the banks of
the Delaware river. We, the farmers, prOpTie-
tors and others interested in the road, residents o
the northern part Of BrandyWin0 Hundred, have
given the subject our careful attention, and have
examined, through committees, the costs and the
advantages of the proposed line near the river ab
well as the costs and advantages Of the other iine
on or near the present turnpike road now con-
Meeting the places named, aud we have
Res0lped, That q road from Wilmington 10
Claymont on or near the PhilndelphiA and Will
mington turnpike road, will be preferable 10 any
other route for the following reasons: r I
LIST. 1t is the most direct connection hetwesn
the points Nala vnhfirf
%. 1t enters directly into the business part of
Wilmington. erAf a-tri
Sd. It viii accommodate the greater number,
9Th. It can be constuctod at Ioas cost, there bo-
ing fewer and less expensive streams to bridge;
land damages viii be chiefly avoided; some sir
ten miles Of fencing will not be neeasd as on The
EiFsr poad abundance Of st0na Of ths beat quality
fol road bed can be procured ator near thOPlaas
aheFe needed; while the grading necessary fer h
horse railroad can be done at q c0St-aqnal to d
less than the cost Of eonstrnctug eansopIpyu Oh
the low grounds Of the river route. iias = u
Resoired That the DelaWarS river, the p W.
& B. r. r., and the Philadelphia and WiiminRtoh
turnpike, alrsady afford ampla agannas foE trGEet,
and that We need not more Foaqs between H.
horse railroad, Whenever such shall be required bH
'ne neeesslnes q tlAUel.
cmrUt y ! GhkvEri1D.-ihe dhangss Incl
dental 10 the lapse Of time have been recently
and etrkingly illustrated In the widely different