The daily gazette., 1881-06-11
THE RIvER5ROAp.

4
THE RlvERJROAD
THE CLAIMS OF THE SOUTH SIDE
STRONGLY PREsENTED.
Councllman Paynter presents a MI
nOrfty Report I'm Favor OF the
KChrtsslana Avenue Route.
At the meeting Of City Council, last
evening, Mr.. Psynter,the minority men,
Der OF the Committee on Road to the
River, presented his minority report, a.
follows
To the City Council Of Wilmington
beg leave to submit the following
reasons why cannot concur In the ma
j0rity report on road to the river front,
and also some facts which have infuen-
ced me In favor Of the Christiana Ave-
nue., or Southside route.
Certain conditions are necessary to
the successful accomplishment of river
thoroughfare, but these conditions are
dependent more upon the enterprise of
our home industries and people than
upon foreign Influences. What we need,
however, and the principal requirements
for river thoroughfare, are:
lst. The most durable, permanent
way, easy Of access and available at all
times for the business wants of the
city.
I'd. Proper manufacturing and build
Ing facilities contiguous TO the route.
I'D, Adequate teriuInal and wharf ia
cilities to accommodates the prospective
business.
On these points I propose 70 contrast
the advantages of the north and south
routes, Does the proposed Fourth and
Seventh streets route meet these re-
quirements? contend that it does not.
ln the first place, one Is reached by
narrow street Seventh, crossing the p,
w. 81 b. r. r. at very unfavorable
point; street so narrow that 1t can ney-
er be made the artery Of vast trade ex-
cept at an enormous expense for WIDEN
Ing; 2 street that practically has not q
business house In Its whole limit west
OF the railroad, and the opening of which
through the jackson q Sharp Company's
property would not only entail heavy
expense upon the city for damages, but
would lead to endless litigation and de-
lay In Its construction, and If finally &C.
complished would injure one of our
largest aud most important manufactor-
les beyond repsratien. ] know from my
connection with company through
whose property Front street was opened
that the damage in such cases is entirely
out of proportion to the compensation
paid; in fact, there is uo adequate COM
peDsation for it. Again, the route would
not be direct but circuitaus, as it is pro-
posed to continue Seventh street TO q
point 1000 feet from the p, W. Il B. r.
H., (where 1t would intersect Eighth
street ii ever opened) thence diverging
to point where Fourth street ii extend
ed would intersect tho BraHdywine,
thence by bridging that stream, along
the continuation of that street to the
Delaware river. What would be the
character Of the route as regards per-
manent way-marsh all the a1ay, over
which road 100 feet wide would have
to be raised Of least as high as the creek
and river banks, or there would be no
projection from ovsrfiows, and ct times
1t would be impassable,as ,as vas evidenced
by the flood of October, 1873, when the
tracks OF the p, W. & b. r. b., through
the upper portion of this marsh, were
more than three feet under water, and
the force Of the water was 80 great as TO
raise the entire track in places from the
road bed.
What advantages does the south side
route present in this respect 7 An
avenue already opened to the river,
graded the greater part of the way, and
constantly travelled, that runs Only
part way over marsh, and for much of
the distance through high land, with
gravel enough above grade between
the Christiana rolling mill and MIR.
Lucas Alrich's house to bring that por-
ton of the avenue between Mr.. Alrich's
and the Delaware up to grade. Cer-
tainly We have here the most durable,
permanent way, and connected there
with is parallel road that intersects
New Castle avenue just above Eden
Park. Is 1t easy of access and availa-
BILE ut all timesf The greater portion
OF 1t is now, and that portion between
Mr.. Alrich's house and the Delaware
can be made SO with comparatively
slight expense. It is directly connect
ed by Third street bridge and Bridge
street..with Fourth street, our principal
avenue on and between which and the
Christiana creek are located the ma
jority ofour manufacturing Industries,
depots, steamboat landings, freight
houses, etc., and offers to them, and l
may say, nearly the whole business in
terests of our city, with the exception
of the works located on the railrsad
Immediately north Of Fourth street,
the most direct and available route to
the river, as well as accommodating
the industries now in successful opera
tion, and those in contemplation over
Third street bridge.
oeoend. Proper manufacturing and
building facilities contiguous to the
route.
What has the north side to offer in
this respect? Very little, as ! will
show. Granted that to ee available at
all times the avenue would have to be
raised to the heighth of the river and
creek banks, not one acre of this vast
scope of marsh would be available for
or building purposes
until 1t was filled up to the grade of
the avenue. This would entail an
enormous expense and great loss of
time, as there is no filling to be obtain
ed anywhere near this location.
Suppose for the sake of argument, it Is
filled up. No manufactures of imrort-
L. L.-It "A III n