Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-10

Reported Purchase of the Francis Barry
Property on Water Street.-The Prop
erty No. 3 East Water Street Bought by
the company's Agent.
II is reported that the large double build.
ing Nos. and II East Water street, owned
by the estate of Francis Barry and recently
occupied by George w. Stone g. Company
has been sold TO the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company. The sale, If it has been
contaminated, isnoit yet of record and as the
parties interested decline to give out any
information, it is impossible to say now
whether the rumor is true or false.
1t is known for u fact. however, that the
railroad company has purchased the build
ing No. 5 " Water street, running back
to and including the premises No. 2 u.
Front street. This sale is on record at the
city Registry Bureau, as having been
made by Hugh Sweeney of Chester Pa,
to John c. Wilson of Philadelphia. John
g Wilson is the purchasing agent of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The
Water street property is at present occu-
pied as a cheap lodging house.
These purchases. it is believed, are part
Of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company's
intention to obtain possession of all the
property bounded by Water and Front
Market. 1t is notorious that the COM
pany's present station falls far short of
offording adequate accommodations for
the demands made upon it, and the only
way to extend is by moving towards
Market street. The Wilmington & North
ern Company some time ago purchased the
United States Hotel property, at Water
and French streets, and there is an inn
preston that the two companies may unite
in purchasing the balance of the property,
and make the new station answer the uses
OF both roads.
Real estate men declared that the rail
road company has been gazing with long
ing eyes for years on the two blocks
bounded by Water, Front, Market and
French streets, and some Of those who
have the handling of real estate there ex-
pressed willingness to sell. From an
owner of property in both blocks it was
ascertained that about two months ago the
railroad company made q survey along
Water street and made inquiry regarding
the value of real estate there. Another
survey was said to have been made last
week. 1t was also stated that the VIII
mington & Northern Railroad Company,
as well as the Pennsylvania. has been sur
veying and pricing property.
A railroad man ridiculed the idea Of q
union station. Another said union sta
ton was tried some years ago, when the
w. Il N. used the p, w. & u. ss.ation, but
ON account of the insutliciency of tracks
the plan did not work. The gentleman
acknowledged that the Pennsylvania wants
better station facilities, but declared that
is not the main reason why the company
is buying property Just before its merg-
ing with the Pennsylvania, he asserted, the
r., w. d. II. Railroad Company contem-
plated erecting here S1250o0 station and
had the drawings prepared. After the
consolidation, he continued, the Pennsyl-
vania decided to build \ 5000 station, but
-t.,l- OK
decided the cost of erection was raised
| to S65,000. The waiting room accommo-
dations of this station he added, are sutii-
cient but the train shed is too small. In
proof of the latter assertion he cited the
fact that all north-hound through trains
have to stop outside the shed, which loca-
ton Of trains is very unpleasant in stormy
weather for passengers going to or coming
from them. What the Pennsylvania is
after principally he confidently asserted,
is more track space. The company realizes
the fact that it soon must have four tracks
from this city to Philadelphia and every
| now and then it is buying property along
| the line of Its road. The company has
four tracks between Philadelphia and New
York and it is exerting itself to widen the
road below Philadelphia. 1t has three
tracks from Gray's Ferry to Moore's and
| four tracks from Gray's Ferry to Donna
fon. Below Moores the road is double
| tracked.
An officer of real estate company
which has the renting of the building
Nos. II and 10 East Water street stated on
| Tuesday that he understood the property
has been sold, and when asked who the
purchaser is, referred the interviewer to q
gentleman who could not be found.
Il. I. Warner, a director of the Pennsyl-
vana Railroad Company, was asked at
noon whether OF not the railroad company
has bought the building and in reply he
said, 1T has not been before the b:ard."
He made similar reply to the query
what does the company intend to do with
the building No. 5 East Water street which
has been sold to the company's real estate
agent. In answer to the question whether
Or not the Barry property has been sold
he said he knew nothing more than what
has been published.