Daily Republican., 1886-12-21

Tho Postoface Site.
A correspondent In our local columns
gives his views not exactly by the
new postoffice building should be To-
GATED at Ninth and Shipley streets, bat
rather why IL should not be located on
Market street. preferr,ng almost any
other site than on Market street, aud
Is Ninth and Shipley has been selected
he would let the selection DO final.
His arguments In favor OF the site Sc
lecsed or any other of Market street,
are principally that wherever 1t Is To-
Gated and built 1t will draw improve
ments and new enterprises In that di.
rection-in fact that IL will literally
build mp great centre OF trade around
IL, and further that the idea OF large
city like ours, with only one business
street running through 1t, upon which
all business must crowd, 10 inimical to
the prosperity and growth OF our city.
This Is one way Of looking ct the mat.
ter and We cheerfully give our CORES
pondent's views, but they will hardly
convince the two-thirds ct least Of our
people who favor Market street To-
cation not higher up than Eighth
street, that Ninth and Shipley streets Ia
preferable.
One very Questionable thing In the
selection OF the site is that 1t is the
action OF one man and he not q citizen
of WILMINGTON. The Board OF Trade
would have been q proper body with
which to have consulted. 1t is sup.
posed to have the business interests O.
Wilmington at heart quite as mu,h as
one citizen Of another State residing
temporarily at Washington. Nobody
whatever or whoever seems TO have
been consulted In regard to the loca-
ton. That there Is o number who
approve Of the present selected site Ia
not denied. Had IL been located ct
Ninth and Church streets or at Front
and Madison, all the properly holders
in the neighborhood OF those localities
would have favored the location. In
about the same spirit is the Ninth and
Shipley streets site favored.
The postofhce differs very much
from local business or man ufacturipp
establishment The first 10 for the con-
venience and benefit Of the whole PEG.
pie OF the city, the latter for @ single
individual or firm. While the latter
would naturally seek the outskirts of
the city, the postoffice that 10 for the
every day benefit OF every man, woman
and child in the city should seek the
centre OF population and trade. Sixth
street, 1t is well known, has been a
recognized dividing line between the
centre OF population from east to west,
es much IS Market street has been
recognized as the dividing line from
east to west. AT Sixth and Market,
then, is the centre Of population, and
right there, either where the City Hall
now stands or on the other corner
where the National Bank OF Delaware
stands 10 where, In our estimation, the
new postoffice building should be lc5
lated. While this IL the centre Tof
population, the prepon derancs OF bosi.
ness establishments who patronize the
postoffice every mail that arrives, is
below Sixth street. Yes, but says
some one, the city is gfo wing very fast
westward and the nek postoffice should
go 10 that direction. 1t seems to be
forgotten that our city lie growing in
other directions as we'll. Look over
the Brandywine In the direction OF the
Pullman Car Works. Buildings are
multiplying more rapidly there than
in the Forty Acres. Look what long
line OF manufactures are spreading
themselves down Christiana avenue
towards the Delaware river. 1t need
surprise no one that lives that long 70
see the whole Of Cherry Island Marsh
covered with pufing manufactures in
atty years from now. Lock away out
in . southwest direction sld see en-
arm OF the city reaching out as II to
grasp In Newport. Sllverbrook to the
northwest, destined TO be q leading
m snuiacturing arm Of the city, would
be better accommodated with postoffice
facilities ct Sixth and Market streets
than from any other point. Up the
Brandy wine the growing need Of mail
facilities has been anticipated by the
estAb 'isbment Of q postoffice at Kent.
mere. Philadelphia, In the selection of
q site for her new postoffice, recognized
Broad and Market streets rs the centre
OF both population and business and
there 1t has been built regardless of ex.
pense. However plausible theories
may look on paper, IL is extremely
doubtful II ever Ninth and Shipley
streets will become the centre of bust.
ness and population In this city. II
the city grows rapidly out towards
Rlvervlew, 1t will grow jus: as rapidly
towards Newport II 1t grows rapidly
towards the Highlands and Silver brook
1t Is growing as fast to wards the Della
ware The pivotal equilibrium Of the
city will still remain about Sixth and
Market streets, and there Is where the
new postoffice should be located.