Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-09-28

DDVbIluS INC ClObeSt scrutiny OF Olty
Council during large part of the year
1886.
The discussions, which were very
protracted ones in City Council chamber
over this question, were reported in de-
tail at the time in EVERY EVENING.
In connection with the indirect
charges made against those conducting
these transactions covering, In regard TO
the Brandywine Park lands aud some
minor ones Of about $4,000, the public
report Of City Councils committee,
taken from the files Of EVERY EVENING,
read in the Council chamber March
11th, 1885, and finally adopted, Thurs
day, May 27th, will be found valuable
contribution at this moment.
1t may be added that vote of thanks
was passed TO the committee OF which
Mr.. Mention was a member. Inciden-
tally II should be stated before accepts
ing the report the whole of the members
of City Council visited the purchase loca-
tons in Brandywine Park and closely
scrutinized each boundary line. 1t was
not until after month Of close discus.
sion of the subject that the report was
adopted.
CITY COUNCILS REPORT.
To The President and Members of Council
GENTLEMEN; Your committee appointed
June 25th. 1885, to act in conjunction with
committee selected by the Board OF Park
Commissioners, most respectfully beg
leave TO submit the following report:
Your committee Immediately after its
appointment met the committee appointed
by the Park Commissioners and arranged
for joint meeting on the grounds sug-
gested as suitable for park. In the early
part Of July the joint committees visited
The grounds bounded by Broome, Frank.
lin, Maple and Sycamore streets, and also
the Brandywine. The lands suggested by
the Park Commission were thoroughly
examined on both the north and south
sides of the Brandywine creek. The COM
mittee at this meeting determined to have
the grounds surveyed and the chief engi-
neer OF the Surveying Department was de-
tailed to perform this service. The work
was completed on October Sd, 1885. A
meeting Of the joint committee was
,eld at the engineers Office few
lays subsequent TO the completion Of
he survey. The plans were sub.
nitted at this meeting and examined
BY the committees of Council and Park
Commission, after which they appointed
Dennis J. Mention and William NJ. Candy
q committee to ascertain from the owners
the prices asked for the land embraced in
This committee personally visited the prop.
erty owners and ascertained that for the
four squares in the Eleventh ward, the
price asked for the land amounted in the
aggregate to SIT, 1866. and for the prop
erty on both sides OF the Brandywine, in
Guiding the Law estate, 10 $239, l40, max
ing a total cost for the land desired of
S256, SS666. Another meeting of the COM
mttees was held on the 10Th of October.
The committee to ascertain the prices at
which the land could be purchased sub
mitted their report.
The report was duly considered, and the
committee arrived az the conclusion that
the, prices asked by the owners of the
lands, were entirely too high. The COM
lnittee have also taken into consideration.
ana fully appreciate the generous offer CT
William L. Bancroft to donate AZ acres OF
land for park purposes, but the condition
upon which Mr.. Bancroft will make the
5ift-the purchase of the Law property
enders il impossible To recommend its
acceptance at present, because OF the enor-
nous price asked for The Law property.
Messrs. Mention and Candy were requested
to make careful estimate OF the value of
the lands and report the result to the joint
committee. This task was performed by
Messrs. Mention and Candy, and the re-
suits reached were reported to subsequent
meeting of the joint committee. At the
D.
were authorized to visit personally the
owners of the lands, aud ascertain what
deduction, il any, they would make, on
the prices named by them previously. In
the performance OF this duty, these gem
tenien labored arduously, aud the results
were OF the most gratifying character. The
four squares in the Eleventh ward, for
which Tho owners asked prices aggregating
ST., 1866, the committees secured reduc-
lions which reduced the amount to SILL
9iY.98, or reduction of So, 1868.
The property on the north side of the
Brandywine. lying between Washington
street, Eighteenth street, Snuff Mill lane,
and thence TO the bed OF the Baltimore g.
Philadelphia Railroad Company, the prices
asked aggregated SlOi, 57s. The committees
secured reductions which reduced the total
amount required to purchase the lands on
that side of the Brandywine TO S63, 54s.
The property on the south side of the
Brandywine, from Van buren street, along
Lowering avenue to Rattlesnake run,
thence BY said run to Wawaset street, along
Wawaset street to Scott street, and thence
TO Crooked run, the prices asked aggre,
gated Sl37, 5000. The committee secured
reductions which reduced the total amount
required to purchase the lands on the
south side to S4S,375.
In the estimate Of prices agreed upon,
your committee omitted seven properties.
high. The amount asked for said proper
ties aggregated $3.50.
REcAPiTLUArIos,
Amount asked by owners;
North side OF Brandywlne. .,.........Sl0 615,0'
South 81 Q of Brendywine. ........... l37,b62. 0
Four squares in Eleventh ward,...... l77d6.6
s25o,ss6 .
Amount agreed upon:
North side OF BrandYwlne. B8,b4B,0
en1nah ALI IA n a. b.0I
-Four squares in Eleventh ward....,.. 1890
$iss,S12.s
Aggregate amount of reduction over the
amount asked by the owners, Sl3S, Ol3.6S
We estimate chat the cost OF the lane
necessary TO be secured by condemnation
of a commission, will be in the aggregate
about $33, 10000, making the actual cost o
the land necessary for park purposes
Sl57,g72.98. This embraces all the land
recommended by the Park Commissioner
for park purposes. On the property it Il
proposed TO purchase, there are % house
erected, from which moderate revenue
will be derived, which can be employed b!
the Park Commissioners in fencing tn
premises, &c. These houses can remain oil
the lands until such time as the Parl
Commissioners deem their removal adYis
able.
Your committee would recommend tn,
purchase of the following lands for parl
purposes. 49,
The property known as the Barley Mil
lot, the land extending from Van Burel
street, along Lowering avenue, to du Pon
street; thence northeasterly along du ron
street TO Wawaset; thence along Wawase
to Scott street; along Scott, to Riddles road
thence along Riddles road, distance O
$50 feet, north of Crooked run, and theme
to the Brandywine creek, on the sout