Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-08-19
Wilmington, Thursday, Aug. 10, 1880
build Wilmington 10 the River.

The National Dredging Company, at
least, sees the opportunity which opens
before those who shall prepare the way
for Wilmingtons growth to the Delaware
river, and in addition 10 all it has been
doing along the Christiana, it is now
about to begin filling up along the river
bank itself. 1t will begin operations on
the land 1t has purchased north of
the Christiana, and, as the whole
river front on both sides that stream
Is valuable. we are glad to see that opera
tons in improving it are thus to begin in
more than one place. Meanwhile the city
should insist on obedience 10 the order
that the ashes gathered shall be used IN
filling up Christiana avenue to the grade
SO that the most advanced effort yet made
toward the extension of street TO the
river shall be accomplished this year.
1t seems to US that the success at Edge
Moor has demonstrated that whsrves can
be built directly on the river. But,
whether Or not this is true, no one doubts
that docks can be made along the river
front, and it yet remains to be seen what
can be done in the way of wharves
and piers. A recent proposition to
have piers built just south of the
mouth of the Christiana YVES opposed
on the ground that it would tend tc
fill up the mouth of that stream. VI
course this must not be permitted, but 8
survey has been ordered which will SETTLE
Just what can safely be done there, ane
when this is once ascertained there should
be no avoidable delay in getting at Least
one wharf on the river, if only to give
Wilmington access to the river steamers.
A great deal of trade that ought Il
come here is carried by these steamer
past our very doors. The interest
of wharf owners on the Christiana mus
not be allowed to present any serious oh
stacle to the accomplishment of this, whie
is but the beginning. Make Wilmingto
such city as it is capable of becoming
and the wharf properties along the Ohri:
tisna river, running throughits very centel
will be vastly more valuable than the
now are.
The great thing is to have the mars
land between the present built-up porto
fthe City and the Delaware river, built W
Organized effort on the part of our bus
ness men will assist in this, and it is quit
likely that it would be well to have la
passed exemptipg it for a term of yea
from any increase in assessed value becau'
of improvements. This will not depri'
the city of any revenue it now has, an
it will add to the prosperity of the city
awhole by establishing new manufacture
in its limits and, in course of time, brir
it a rich return in increased revenue. "
do not believe much in this syste
case like this, where city
cut off from great natural highway
lands on which some special inducemen
are needed to cause people to build, al
where the advantage to it from havil
such lands built up is SO great as to We
rant an appropriation for that purpose
the city could afford lit, we can see no har
in aiding the enterprise in an indirect W
which takes no revenue from the city al
probably does not cat it off from al
revenue it would otherwise receive, sine
without some inducement, it is quite pro
able that the greater part of the land W
only be liable to assessment
farming land for ten Or twenty yea
We do not know that such propositi
will be made at the coming meeting of /
Legislature; but if it is, the matter
worthy of careful and favorable conside
ton. .-