Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-01-14
BRIDGE AT FOURTH STREET
An Important Question Now
Under Discussion.
WHO SHOULD BEAR THE COST
Two City Departments Make
the First Move.
City Council and the Street and Sewer
Department Confer Upon the Subject OF
q Bridge Over the Railroad at Fourth
Street--They Think tho Railroad Com
pany Should Bear the Cost.

| Nlly OOuuCli anu the DOhlQ VI lttiVc-
tors Of the Street and Sewer Depdft-
ment met in joint session Wedne:Way
| for the purpose of discussing the qLes-
| ton of erecting an overhead bridgelat
| either Fourth or Third street and the
| p, w. g. b. railroad The conference
was In response to request of the latter
| Der. Council was represented by MessrB.
Benson, Fagan, McVay, Cotton, Dannea-
| berg, McKelyey, Perkins, Kirby, Mur-
ray, White and Ratledge, and the board
| by Messrs. Gawthrop and Chambers.
City Solicitor Curtis was also in attend>
ance. Mr.. Gawthrop stated that Mr..
Carpenter could not be present because
Of illness in his family. f
Mr.. Benson, who presided, read the
call for the meeting and the petition
asking for the bridge. He also inquired
what the board proposes to do and what
it desires Council to do.
Mr.. Gawthrop said the board has not
decided what to do and expressed the
opinion that the cost of erecting the
bridge should be borne by the railroad
company.
Mr.. Benson asked whether the board
would have power to build the bridge
if the railroad company would pay the
cost orwhether Council would have to
pass an ordinance giving the board such
authority.
Mr.. Gawthrop said he did not know;
an opinion would have to be obtained
from the city solicitor. He did not
know whether the railroad company
would pay the cost of the bridge. 1t
was his opinion that it should be de-
termined first whether the bridge should
be built, next where, and later what
kind of bridge.
Mr.. Chambers thought Council and
the board should send memorial to
the railroad company.
MIR. Gawthrop suggested that joint
committee wait on the company.
Mr.. Benson said he did not know
what the individual opinion of the
members of Council might be. If Coun-
Gil favored the erection of bridge the
best plan would be to have a joint COM
mlttee.
Mr.. Perkins agreed with Mr.. Benson.
Mr.. Benson remarked tnat it would
be a good thing for the railroad com
pany to have bridge at Fourth street.
The company has three safety gates
there and u bridge would save the ex-
pense of gatemen.
Mr.. Murray said it would be good
thing for Fourth street, but other streets
need overhead bridges. He favored
elevating the railroad from one end of
the city to the other.
Mr.. Benson declared Fourth street to
be the most dangerous crossing and Mr.,
Murray agreed with him.
Mr.. Pagan spoke of the danger at
Fourth street.
Speaking of the cost Of gatemen, Mr..
McVay and others said there are five
gates at Fourth street.
Mr. Cotton said the proposed bridge
would be good thing for the steam
boats stopping at Fourth street wharf
and a good thing for street cars over
Third street bridge.
MIR. Gawthrop said bridge one-half
the width of Fourth street would do and
an approach from Church street could
connect with it, A heavy bridge would
not be required and there are bridges in
other cities that could be patterned
after. Nine-tenths of the travel would
pass over the bridge. Even if the
bridge were not the full width of
Fourth street the railroad company
would not have to continue safety gates
there. People might cross at grade but
they would do so at their own risk.
Mr. Cotton said if we get bridge at
Fourth street there will be q cry for one
at Market street next The dangerous
Fourth street crossing has been - draw
back to property over Third street
bridge and bridge at the place sug-
gested would benefit property in South
Wilmington
Mr.. Gawthrop declared Bridge street is
the next mos dangerous place. He
understood tine Diamond State Iron
Company's tracks are to enter its yard
from another direction and thought that
in consequence the tracks would soon
be removed from Bridge street.
Mr.. Chambers liked Mr. Murray'5
idea Of an elevated railroad through the
city but he thought it would be some
time before we will see an elevated rail-
road here.
Mi. Cotton asserted that in coming
from Philadelphia to this city in SO
minutes trains cannot pass through Will
mington slowly.
Instead Of trains passing through
town at the rate Of 12 miles an hour.
Mr. Benson thought they pass through
at the rate of 80 miles.
On behalf Of the electric railway COM
pany Mr.. Cotton stated it would extend
its line over Third street bridge immedi-
atcly after the erection of an overhead
bridge ut Fourth street.
Messrs. Gawthrop and Chambers de-
parting Council met in committee of tho
whole, when the following recommended
tions were UNANIMOUSLY made: That an
overhead bridge be erected at either
Fourth or Third street and the p, w.
d B. railroad; that the bridge be put at
Fourth street; that the president of Coun-
Gil appoint on Thursday committee of
three, including himself, to act with
committee from the Board of Directors
of the Street and Sewer Department in
waiting on the railroad company in re-
gard to the matter considered at the con-
terence.
The result of the conference held on
Wednesday evening in regard to erect
ing an overhead bridge at either Fourth
or Third street and the r., w. s. b
railroad was announced, accepted AMI.
ordered spread on the minutes and a
committee composed of President Benz
son and Messrs Cotton, Griffin and
Murray was appointed to wait, with
committee from the Board of Directors
Of the Street and Sewer Department, on
the railroad company, at the regular
meeting of Council Thursday evening.
The Pusey {; Jones Company shipped a
heavy punching machine to Wellsyille,
N. T., yesterday week,