Daily Republican., 1882-08-18
PABOHALL's WHARF,
A Letter from she President Of uhe
Wharf Commissioner
For the REPUBLICAN.
WILMINGTON, Dell. Au0. II. !

The article in Tuesdays paper head.
cd "Paschall's Wharf" Is calculated
to prejudice the public against the lar.
gest manufacturing concern in this
city, the first to build iron ships in this
country, and whose success in the fu.
ture depends on the preservation of the
navigation of the Christiana river, and
by Its unwarranted and ERRONEOUS state.
ments to place them in a false position.
For the information of your readers
will state that there have been several
acts passed by our Legislature having
for their object the preservation of the
navigation Of the Christiana river and
regulating the building Of wharves on
said stream. These acts specify the
kind Of wharves which may be built
and the distance to which they may
extend out into the stream.
In the winter of 1869, the owners of
property on the Christiana and Bran.
ywine and others interested in the
prosperity of the city, and mindful of
the great Importance which the Ureser-
walton OF the navigation of said stream
Is to the city Of Wilmington and from
the fact that most OF the stones placed
In the banks on the margin of said
stream, for points to measure from,
could not be found ,and also deeming 1t
important taat there should be further
legislation on the subject, petitioned
tie Legislature, which resulted in the
passage of the following act:
A further supplement to the Act en-.
titled An Act to Regulate the Building
of Wharves in the City of Wilmington,
passed at Dover, February 9th, 1856.
SECTION THAT George G. Lobdell,
William Thatcher, Charles Warner,
George w. Bush and Francis Barry be
commissioners authorized and empow-
cred to review the Christiana and Bran.
dywine creeks within the city of Will.
mington, and between the southern
limits of the city and the railroad
bridge belonging to the Wilmington s.
New Castle railroad company across
the Christiana near DuPont's wharf,
and readjust, alter, fix and determine
the limits and distances to which whar-
yes may be extended out into or along
the margin Of said streams, such limits
to be ascertained by certain fixed dis
tanoes to be computed and measured
from such landmarksa as the saidcommis-
sioners or q majority OF them may for
that purpose adopt, and the said COM
missioners as soon as conveniently may
be after adjusting and determining such
limits as aforesaid, shall make retu IN
of their proceedings and determinations
in the premises, under their hands, or
the hands of q majority of them to the
City Council of Wilmington. The said
return shall be filed and preserved in
the office of the Clerk of the City Coun-
Gil. The said clerk shall also leave the
said return to be recorded in the Office
for recording deeds in and for New
Castle county, and the original return
and plot, together with the return made
in pursuance of this act shall be taken
together and deemed and considered
one return, and the record of the same
or duly ratisaed copy thereof shall be
competent evidence in all Courts OF
Law and Equity in this State.
SECTION ALI the provisions of the
act to which this is further supple.
ment as already amended, not inconsis
tent herewith, shall extend to and be a
part Of this act.
Passed at Dover April 9, 1869.
The commissioners employed an ex-
perienced engineer who was highly
recommended to them-a graduate of
West Point and after due deliberation
and consultation with owners of pro-
perty on said rivers, captains Of vessels,
and a Government officer who had been
fer many years employed on the Della
ware and its tributaries, fixed the
lines on both sides of the Chrietiana
river, from point above Walton,
Whann g Co.'S to point near its
mouth, to which wharves might OK.
tend out into said stream also on both
sides of the Brandywine from Market
street to point near Bowers, Dure &
Co. 3. Charts were made Of these streams
showing the wharf lines, which charts
were duly recorded according to the
law, in the Recorders office in and for
New Castle Go.
When Mr.. Paschall ascertained that
the wharf line as fixed by the COM
would not allow him to
build out into said stream, he made
application to the commissioner 8. 70
alter the lines, and allow him to extend
his wharf out into the river beyond the
lines so fixed by them.
They informed him that they had
not the power to grant his request, that
the lines had been fixed and a record
made of them, and that if they had the
power they woHld not consent to q
wharf being extended beyond the lines
fixed BY the commissioners, believing
;hat great injury would result, not
only to owners Of property on the op-
Dosite side, but to the navigation Of the
streams.
Notwithstanding this, Mr.. Paschall
made contract with parties for the
building of-a wharf which was to ex-
end out into the stream far beyond the
ines fixed by the commissioners, which
would be in direct violation of
he laws OF the State. Hence the me-
,essity OF some one applying for an in
unction restraining him from so doing
md fortunately for all interested in the
OF the river, the Harlan
3 Hollinsworth Co. made such appli'
,ation. Before publishing such unwar-
anted and uncalled for insinuations in
with the Harlan & H0llings-
worth Co. your reporter shonld have
the facUs in the case.
If every little concern thai owns land
N these rivers, wishing to rent 1t for a
and or coal wharfis permitted to build
mt into the stream without limit, what
will become of the business of building
ron ships, rs well as many other inter.
,sts depending on the preservation of
he navigation OF those streams?
The wharvesof the Harlan 81 Hollings-
worth Co., at no point, are out into the
Jhristiana River, beyond tho lines fix
ID by the wharf commissioners.
Yours Respect'y,
GEO. G.. LoBDELL,
Chairman Wharf Com.
Quarrel among Ladies'
--.s.u NJ, TohD Nouon 4 or