Daily Republican., 1884-04-21
SPECIAL MEETING.
THE WORK DONE By CITY COUN
GIL ON LAsTsATURDAY
AFTERNOON.

GIL ON LAST
AFTERNOON.
A special meeting of City Council wa
held last Saturday afternoon at Foul
teenth and Scott streets, to inspect tn
place where 1t is proposed to change tn
grade In accordance with the wishes G
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com
pany.
When the Company first obtained tn
right of way through this city, it
plans provided for depression OF fiv'
feet in the grade of Scott street, which
would make the railroad cross at an Gle
walton Of twelve fest above the bed o.
tie street.
After the construction of the road
was commenced, the contractors, for
the furtherance Of the work, filled the
street up, aud the Company now desire
to have an ordinance, which has al
ready been introduced, pass Council
raising Scott street seven feet, which
will 'al ow the. Company to cross tha,
sire ct at grade.
Some of the property holders in the
vicinity are violently opposed to this
and wish the Company to be held to
its original plans, while others in the
ward are in favor of the passage of the
ordinance. to change The grade. This
ordinance was introduced several weeks
since by Mr.. Smith of the Ninth ward,
and afer passing a second reading
referred to the Law Committee.
Amcng those present at the meeting
last Saturday was Levi G. Bird, Esq.,
The attorney for the Company, Captain
Smith, right Of way agent, engineer
Richardson ofthe B. & o. Company, and
L. G.. Vandegrift, Esq, who appeared
on behalf of, the property owners in the
vicinity opposed 10 the change Of grade,
As soon as the meeting was called to
order by President Conrad, Levi G..
Bird, Es1., presented plot of Scott and
Fourteenth streets, and explaine l
what the Company would like to have
granted. He also read the following
letter from W. +. Douglas of the Phil
adelphia branch.
BALTIMORE, April 1S.-Levi G.
Bird, Esq, Dear Sir Finding that
my engagements will prevent me from
meeting the Council of the city of Will
mington, on tomorrow, l enclose you
plans showing the proposed crossings
of Scott and Fourteenth streets, and
beg to submit the following statement
of my views of the effect of the two
modes Of crossing-" grade y or "un-
dergnade." r a
The first profile shows the proposed
grade crossing Of Scott street. The ap-
proaches are easy, and by adopting
this crossing, th1 property along Scott
street. Is made accessible from Scott at
al points, and the asst possible injury
Y done TO property. The crossing OF
Fourteenth street at grade Is an improve
lnent not only to the street, by raising
II from the bed of Rattlesnake Run.
(where it will be placed by depressed
and rendered inaccessible to
property on both sides of it, and, In my
Judgment, be practically closely but,
with the grade crossing, in a very short
time the improvement to the property
along Fourteenth street will be demon
,trated BY rendering this pro perty acces-
'ible to the street, and practically bring
ng the property north oftEe street, at
! short distance from SGoso street, to
Ievel wind tue street.
The lots on thu south 81 ,e of Four
'eenth street are already Guch below
tbe present grade of Scott street, and
would be enhanced in value, could they
Do filled up.
The second profile shows The proposed
plan of "undergrade," or depressed /
,rossing of Scott and Fourteenth streets, !
By this plan the road way Of Scot; street I
s to be cut down, leaving the side !
walks as they now are. By this depres-
ed way the drainage of Scott street
will be rendered difficult, aid q con-
lection between Fourteenth and Scott
treets, without cutting down the side
walk OF Scott street, Is impracticable.
I the sidewalk of Scott street is cut
lown at the intersection of Fourteenth
treet, you would then have for pedes-
rians awkward and troublesome steps
rom both sides of Fourteenth street.
eading from the sidewalks OF Scott
treet. These would not only be in.
but dangerous, especially at
ignt. |!
The property east and west of Scott
nd Fourteenth streets would be shut
ut from the roadway of these streets,
nd could only be reached by any vehi-
le from Ford street, and passing down
rest or back Of the buildings frontingl
n Scott street, and be closed as to
ourteeuth
l, moreover, state as fact, which
ill be substantiated by any one having
kperience in such matters, that both
teams and pedestrians, q grade
rossing with safety gates and watch
len Is, and must be, safer than any
her form Of crossing. 1t not only
Ives warning to travellers, tuG has .vei
hyaical presence of watchmen 70
revent accident.
The fact that in all large cities, and
'nspicuGusly in those Of Baltimore
Philadelphia, New York, Cincinnati r
I'd Chicago, as we'll as in the cities Of
'ilmington and Chester, grade cross
g. are used, many OF them without
ther safety gates or watchmen, with.
i serious Inconvenience to the public,
ID without accident, is Of itself an
lswer to objections on this score.
Rut q further and important reason
asking this privilege of the city of
'ilminRton is that our depot for ex-
ess matter will be located between
ott street and Delaware avenue.
le means OF access to such depot by
agons is important, as we'll to the
lblic as to the Railroad Company. You
aware that we cross Delaware ave-
10 above grade, and that we are above
Q grade of DUPONT. Fourteenth and
OFT streets, and therefore our grade
rel and express depot would be mac
'sible from those streets.
In raising Scott street you afford the
,ans of reaching this depot, which
IL be very great and Important con-
nience to the public in time to come,
d would be one the public would de,
md at no distant day. We vou d
ask the city Of Wilmington, or the
ners OF property contiguous to this
'posed change, to do ought which
'rltices public or private interests for
: benefit, but we prcpOs6 to meet.