Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-21
BRIDGE LICENSE DEMANDED.
The Board of Port Wardens Send an I'm
portant Missive to the Delaware Con
struction Company.

Ihe BOard oil FOrt Whruens senu hh ihi-
portant Missive to the Delaware Con-
struction Company.
There is no question of insurmounta-
BILE difficulty existing between the Della
ware Construction Company and the
Board of Port Wardens in regard to the
new bridge being built above the mouth
of the Brandywine. 1t is simply ques-
tion of jurisdiction.
The following letter has been received
by the company from the Board of Port
Wardens:
BOARD OF PoRT WARDEEs, WILMINGTON,
DEL, January 9th, 1S92-IHe Delaware
Construction Company, Wilmington, Del-
Board of Port Wardens held on the
sth inst. ! was directed to ask. you
to promptly inform the board by
what authority you are beginning the
construction of a bridge across Brandy
wine river just above its mouth. Further
to call your attention to the fact that you
did not apply to the board for a license for
said work and to notify you to present to
the board your application for license
accompanied by the usual plans and speci-
fications to Immediately suspend work
there and not to resume it until thelicense
shall have been obtained from the board.
Respectfully for the board,
FREDERIC II. robinson, Secretary.
In asking that the Delaware Con-
struction Company get license from
the Board of Port Wardens the COM
pany considers that the board oversteps
its rights.
In speaking upon the matter on
Thursday the president of the company
said to q representative of THE GA
zETTE: "We have to 60 to the United
States governments and to the State
Legislature to span the river. In other
words the limits of the jurisdiction of
the Board of Port Wardens is to the
wharf lines only.
"We did not locate the bridge nor the
wharf lines. This has been done by
the local United States government en-
gineer.
"The plans have been accepted by the
Secretary of War and here Exhibiting
the document) is the certificate author
izing us to go ahead on these plans. We
are adhering closely to them.
"The bridge construction plans
adopted are considered the best and
most suitable for the purpose and loca-
tion. And the company will not ask its
acceptance unless the bridge is all right.
The company will guarantee to keep the
bridge in good working order for ten
years without expense to any one.
I'VE have started the bridge and we
propose to pursue the work to the river
front under our rights Notwithstanding
the opposition of any one.
"The Levy Court has not been asked
and is not compelled by law to con-
tribute penny towards the bridge ex-
penses.
"In regard to the style of bridge
known as 'gallows' bridge the Penn
sylvania railroad has an exact dupli.
cate Of it over the Rancocas creek on
the West Jersey railroad between Phila.
delphia and New York, and another, an
iron one, across the Christiana between
this city and New Castle. Both are OF
the 'gallows' type with draw swings
from one side only. The United States
government is building one of this type
at Fenwick's Island, below Ocean City
Maryland"
Section s of the act establishing the
Board of Port Wardens states that any
,person erecting wharves, piers or bulk.
heads without having first obtained O
license from the board is guilty of O
misdemeanor.
| IL Is uHutIstoDu lndt lhe letler VI tnt
board to the company is based on the
above section. twas ascertained at the
office of the city surveyor on Thursday
that he had not given the lines for the
bridge.
Some time ago, when the Pennsyl
vania railroad was erecting the "cut-off'
bridge over the Christiana, the Port
Wardens intervened for some purpose
and caused alterations to be made GOV
ering about S400.