Evening journal., 1891-02-06
oLo eRANoYwINe Nil Is.
Portions OF Structures Unearthed IN I'll
Digging for the Interoepting sewer.

Portions OF Structures Unearthed IN the
Digging for the Interoepting sewer.
Newspapers are generally filed with
news OF the present and announcements
Of the future. Infrequently they step
out of this beaten path to publish niat-
ters interesting as historical facts. One
OF the earliest industries of Wilmington
was milling, and the old landmarks now
standing are very interesting as compari.
sons Of the past with the present.
The excavations necessary 20 the build
ing of the lutercepting sewer along the
Brandywine by John Jacoby located mar :
long buried land-marks Old papers and
books in the New Castle County Court
House locate some OF the old mills and
ferries. but the others being several hun
dred years old were not recorded. Amos
o. brinton, who has spent many years in
research on local historical subjects, has
kindly sent to the EVENING JOURNAL a
mass OF interesting information from
which the following article has been pre-
pared.
While digging trenches near Walnut
street the workman unearthed a portion
Of Samuel Hollingsworth's mill. which
was built about the year 1850. The
old foreDay Of Thomas Gibson's mill was
nearby some projecting wall showed
the first mills built by Thomas ShIpley
aud William Candy Under Market
street, the approach to the bridge, is the
arch through which the water came as
far back as ITO to turn the wheel ia
samuel Canby's mill The came water
had doue similar duty several rods up
the stream for Samuel Kirk, whose mill
was operated by him In 1927, ana BY
Oliver Candy and his heirs later. Ia 1865
these heirs built the old mill below the
road. The Kirk structure. was near the
lower side Of Orange street. as shown BY
come bricks and mortar there found.
Few Of the skaters who have elided
over the smooth ice on the second or
barley mill dam have any idea Of the
fund OF historical recollections which
have come down from that locality. The
old barley mill was built in 1857 and was
the FIRST on the Brar dywipe. Just above
where 1t stood are traces OF the road that
led to Cornelius Empson's ferry. which
crossed the creek at Stidham's.
Further up the creek, between Frank
lin and Broome streets, masonry WIS
discovered, about four feet below the
surface. and a pump log nine feet below
the surface. These we're evidences of an
old structure, long since demolished.
which in the olden time was operated by
William Marshall. The pump was In
good condition. but had changed tc a
blue color Its use was to carry the
water from the spring ON tbs side Of the
hill, under the long race. built in l76O.
to the mill on the lower side. The
adjacent land came into the possession OF
William Marshall the elder in 17A aud
it is likely that he bnilt the mill soon
Afterwards. he did not live long, and
the property descended to his heirs.
William, Samuel. James and Joseph
Tatuall became the leading Brandywine
millers in the eighteenth century. Joseph
learned his trade in this old mill and
married sister of Mr. Marshall. He
hsd an interest In the mill in 1862.
lt las been more than one hundred AND
sixty years since Samuel Kirk built his
-FOUR mill on the historic stream, and
still bricks and mortar are found intact
II the primitive work of his time will Sc
long remain. thu much greater improve
ment in methods and materials foretell Z
long usefulness for the interceptina
sewer recently completed.