Daily Republican., 1881-06-11
RIVER FRONT IN COUNCIL
HOW THE SOUTH SIDEMEN LOST
THEIR CHANCE LAST NIGHT.
The Subject Goes Over to Another
Meetins-Other business
New Police Law.

Y postponed. When the matter was taker
V up it looked as if the South Side route
Q would 90 through with Il boom, but a
t lucky move STAYED of action and gave
{, Mr.. Rodney and his followers more
$ time to bolster up their sinking cause
$ with argument.
, When the special committee on River
, front was called Mr.. Paynter presented
n minority report, signed by himself,
and the clerk was proceeding to read it
when Mr. Rodney brought the Chris
t tiana avenue advu; ;ate up with u short
turn by calling attention to rule 33
which provided that minority reports
shall be introduced "immed:arly AFTER
the report of tho majority. In this case
the report to which the minority OBJ
jected had been in Council u week.
, Mr. Rodney stated that he had no de
sire to be unfair and therefore moved
the suspension of the rules which if
allowed to stand would cut the gentle
man ont altogether. The rule was suS-
pended.
Mr.. Paynter then introduced his re-
port which is as follows;
THE MINORITY KrrrRr.
In his report Mr. Payntcr gives at
length his reasons for not conCuring in
the majority report, and also some facts
which nave influenced him in favor of
the Christana avenue or South Side
route. In his 2inion the principal re-
quirementS for a river thoroughtare are:
First; The most durable, permanent
way. easy of access and available at all
times for the business route of the city;
second, proper manutaCturinga and build
ing facilities contiguous to the route:
third, adequate terminal and whalf t,~
cilties to accommodate the prospective
business.
The advantages possessed by the
South Side route are given by Mr.. Payn-
ter report as follows: An avenue al
ready 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 roll
ing mills and Lucas AlrichS' house to
bring that portion of the avenue be-
tween Mr.. \. S and the Delaware up to
grade. Connected with this way is
parallel road that intersects New Castle
avenue just above Eden park. IL is
easy of access and available at ali
times, The greater portion is now, and
that portion between Mr. Alrichs
house and the Delaware can be graded
with little expense. 1t is indirectly
connected by Third street bridge and
Bridge street, with Fourth street, be-
tween which and the Christiana creek
are located all our manufacturing i'll
dustries, depotS, steamboat Landings,
| freight houses, &c, and offers to them
and nearly the whole business interests
of the city, the more direct and avail
able route to the river, as well as ac-
comlnodating the industries now in sue
ceSstul operation and those in cOntem-
pation over Third street bridge.
The second advantage in the proper
manufacturing and building facilities
contiguous to the route, very few OF
which the other route possesses, because
of the large scope of marsh on either
side of the proposed avenue. = \ y
Third. What terminal and wharf IA
cilitics do the North Side offer? In
order to provide proper facilities for the
prospective business induced by the |
wharf and railroad accommodations
should be provided, and anything less
than solid piled wharf one hundred
feet front, extending out into the river
to n depth, of water eighteen feet at
least. would fail to accomplish our oh
iect, and to do this we would have to
build out eighteen feet from the bank,
as the chart prepared by the United
States coast survey will show. Said !
wharf should also have railroad counec-
ticns, and if possible connection with
more than one road. To provide this
would require such an outlay tor a road
bed across this marsh that any railroad
would hesitate about building iC until
the business was there to warrant il.
The expense attending all this, with
the cost OF u permanent bridge at the
Brandywiue | forbear commenting on,
leaving it to you, gentlemen, to figure
up at your leasurC.
Does the south Side offer better ter
mnat and wharf facilities! | say it
does, and at much less expense, and
without placing any additional Obstruc-
tiOns to navigabc streams. Let us see
what il offers in this respect First, the
city now owns in fee simple block Of
land at the terminus OF ChriStiana ave
nue. 200 feet front by 800 feet deep, ac-
cepted from Mr.. Lucas Alrichs, as well
as the right Of way through his prop
erty, and with the understanding that (
the city would build u wharf there, ,and
open and grade ChuStiana avenue. BY
reference to the chart again you will
see that TO obtain eighteen feet Of water
ii will be necessary to wharf out 1,G4O
feet, or 100 feet less than on the north
side at Fourth street: again, the charac
ter of the fiat, outside the bank is such,
being much higher than on the north
side, that less filling is required, either
for city wharf or those that may be
buit by private parties Christiana {
avenue is skirted nearly its whole =,
length by that portion of the ChriStiana
river that carries bold enough water on |
its south side to float as large q vessel as {
is proposed to provide facilities for by d 4
wharf on the Delaware; and also by ,
that portion Of the Christiana that pro- {
vidcs the only harbor in all this section S
in cases Of severe storms.
Immediately following this Mr.. Bal
ley sent to the Clerks desk and had read I
q protest from the jackson 81 Sharp /
Company against the road going through |
5her works, which was also signed by f
jhe Harlan " Hollingsworth Co., the s
Pusey ~ Jones Co., the Mccullough
Iron Co., the Diamond State Iron Co.,
Jharles Warner & Co., the Lobdell Car Il
Wheel Co., John G. Baker, Washing
on Hastings, Hilles u Jones and O
others r
Mr.. Paynter now arose and moved n
hat Council adjourn fifteen minutes n
or the purpose Of examing maps of the p
asst soundings OF the United States t,
Coast Survey, which would show that
here was more water on the south o
,ide. il
Before this motion was put Mr. Rod Il
ley asked permission to introduce a tt
which would enlighten r