Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-01-22
nUAvAKISs AND ENoISEEnISe.
Recommendation and Remarks by
Chter EpsiReer Robinson.


In the fourteenth annual repor: Of the
oity surveying aud engineering depart
ment, submitted to City Council last
night, Chief Engineer Frederic d. Robin
son said five men were employ cd in ths
department during the past year. The
fsss received and paid into the city
treasury amounted to 81, 1887, 80.
During the year deeds we're received
for parts OF the bsd OF ADohorsgs, Brown,
Colman aud DuuoHu streets, Trenton
place ard Filth, Sixth, Seventh Aud
Eighth avenues, and the city had CON
dsmned for use as public street the
land included In tine extension Of Cedar
street from Brown street to the Whining
ton & Northern railroad.
The cost Of grading streets during the
past year was &6,294 10, 90 against
e8. .OOl 80 the year previous. At the
present Tins the grading ofssverAl streets
10 under contract. During the year
822, l62 lineSl feet Of curb lines were
marked, and during the year previous
there were l7,674.5 One hundred street
crossings were laid last year, 28 more
than during the year 1888. The oost Of
paving streets last year wSs $26 s03 IL
Mr. Robinson recommends Lpat the
paving Of Maryland avenue be completed
as epesdly IS possible, aud that on i'm
portant and much Travelled streets there
b. used q pavement better than the
1ubble stone pavement, DOW SO generally
USED. He thinks Market sad Front
streets, aud Gilpin avenue will soon need
rspaving, aud calls attention to ths
necessity OF more Intelligent bidding for
the oontiact work Of grading ctr, cts ard |
the more rigid enforcement Of the terms |
4 c9Araota
Il suggssts that there BE- strict super
zion VI tbs work nader the dirsuticn Of |
av street dopa. 'm.nt, that no ourbiDg.
tpR. No be accepted until after II has |
-ss.d rigid ipePt oiiom by competent
epeoIor. aud that the street oOmmis- |
, nsr make annual reports.
In order that Gilpin avenue may be
peued, he recommends the cOnstru uotion
Il RattlesnRke run sewer at he point
Rbere the fuu crosses the avenue.
Speaking OF public parks, the engineer
ssye the park at Eighth and Broome
streets osuld be improved by placing q
low curb mt the building line, and the
BrAndywine valley property, he thinks,
should be set apart for park purposes
before the desirable portions are Injured
by the growth Of the city. II is his
opinion that to delay will render it diff
cult to secure this property. Another
desirable possession is the two ,qusree
bounded by MSple, Beech, Broome and
streets.
Lines have bsen marked as follows
Year 1871 for 423 buildings 1872, Ais
1873, 436 1874, 2l0: 1875, 1877 1876
l62; 1877, 249 1878, 1872 1879 1859
1880, 491 ; 1881, 604 1882, 622 1883,
500 1884, 1913 total, 8, 1853. The lines
drawn last year were tor 246 dwelling
houses, IL additions to DIV llings, two
hotels, one high school, two churches, ,one
addition to church, one studio, one club
house, one skating rink, Is stables, one
addition to stable, one carriage house,
i've offices, seven stores, one addition 10
tore, two ice houses, one addition to
slaughter house, one oosl shed, two
blacksmith shops, three machine shops,
'our carpenter shops, one sash factory,
'ne carpet factory, ,one addition 10 factory,
me leather colofiDg works, two breweries,
'wo store houses aud two warehouses
In order that data may be compiled,
which in the future will prove valuable
o the city, Mr.. Robinson requests that
he department be supplied with q
'Arometer, hygrometer, rain gauge
Iud Thermometer.
The establishment Of wharf on the
liver front by the Wilmington & North
rn Railroad Company, aud the oommu-
licAiion thus opened by rail, ia some.
hing, the engineer thinks, which should
xcite more than passing interest.
Referring to railroads, Mr.. Robinson
eprecases grade crossings, and says
ailrohd companies can get high rates Of
peed with elevated or depressed roads
10 conclusion, the engineer thanks the
'arious city officials for their kindness
nd courtesy to him.