Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-03-16

| tiers, said Mr.. Ford. holding them IN and
waving them in the air. He proceeded TO
| run over some Of them: Frll Il Peoples,
| Porter CO., y. d. Dnnforth, and Others
Inc other evening they uhG other siltj
| told the House committee that thcv lad
| gone through the city and only eight per.
| Snds refused to sign their rctnunstrinuc
| Mr. Ford proceeded to read of 80 we'll
! known names they did not get and Il peti.
ton for I he bill, coupled with denial of
the Board Of Health claim, signed by Dr.
| Howard Dgle, and q dozen other phySi
cans, lie next read atlidarits from
Michael Newell who did not build
morocco factory in Silverbrooi because he
| could not use the stream for sewer pur.
| poses and similar affidavit from August
! iickla, who wanted to put up large
building there for preparing wool.
After expressing his confidence that the
Legislature would give him opportunity to
retutc what might he advanced on the
other side, Mr.. Ford retired for the time.
THE OTHER SIDE.
| willard salisbury, Esq. arose to reply. lie
| stood tngrc iurepresent the lussupN Moore
| Company, and with him stood representa-.
| tives of the city departments. lie would
| Introduce, inst, City solicitor Charles NJ,
| Curtis.
Mr.. Curtis disc!aimed all idea of hedging
in the city of Wilmington. Thank God,
we have gotten far beyond that. We are
| progressive city and stand ready to wei
| come every industry that wants to come
| in.
He was here to tell why the city doesn't
| want this stream made an open drain tor
| S3l,OjO nor do they want Ii IL they can
| get it for nothing; we don't want that
stream az any price as an open drain or
| gutter. lMr. Curtis proceeded tDcNplain the
| locality irum the map) We don't want
any more Shipley run sewers; and that
what is being attempted to he forced upon
the city ot Wilmington. What has l;ol-
mond smith TO do with this? He is inter
estcd in lands at Elsmerc, at WoCilawn
aud in riparian lights. lie says we 10 not
want any more open sewers.
Mr. Curtis then proceeded ID state the
| position of the Board of Health, and the
! official responsibility Of that body. The
physicians cited BY Mr.. Ford are not
charged with such responsibility; they
merely express their private opinion,
| There Is a great difference between SILVER
brook and Shiplcy run. The former flows
| into Mill creek, which runs largely through
| maTshY land subject to frequent overflow.
| Silverbrook runs for only about eight
| squares through the city. The Street and
sewer Department has Il plan for scwcrinS
this part Of the city. Let Us alone and lot
us build Our own sewers in our Carufully
| prepared and scientific way; not force upon
us a sewer which we don't want and wont
| use.
Mir. Curtis proceeded to explain, from the
| map the intcrCeptlng sewer system con
templated by the street aud Sewer De
partment, by which all the sewage is to be
conducted ultimately into the Delaware
river. II would be impossible to construct
closed sewer along Silverbro0ll.
Mr.. Ford Interrupted that Mr.. Carpenter
had admitted TWO years ago that this pro-
posed plan would not be carried out for 80
years to come.
Mr.. CurtIs proceeded to argue, for
scientific and engineering reasons, the
impossibility of constructing a closed
sewer along Silvcrbruok. This bill says :
"Condemn Slycrbrook and the lands ;ld-
iacent." Two years ago Mr.. Ford made
rs gallant light rs man ever made Last
term he wanted Il closed sewer lie got 4
long petition-thousGnds of names, the
Board of Trade, the City Council? Where
are they now They don't want IN open
sewer. We think you should let lis plan
our own system Of sewerage. We are not
shutting up auybody's factory or pre-
venting any one building there they are
doing il now.
DR.. A. Il. Franta, on behalf OF the Board
of Health, said he was entirely disinter-
Csted Us to corporation or individuals; his
only concern was with the public health.
UpJn this consideration, the board con-
brook to be carried into Mill creek and
spread out over the marshes. menacing
the health of the city. What would be
the effect :? We have enough Of this now
Shipley run is = disgrace to the city: filling
it with 2rInutic diseases, aud the people
are only now becoming awakened to the
dangers of open sewers. Shiplcy run is a
curse to the city. We demanded Il crema-
tory. Did we get it? We haven't got the
money To construct Crematory. and we
have to take the stuff from our back doors
to keep our dogs from being sirkcucd by
it, and dumpit where it pUtlutes the air
which blows over the city.
Mr.. smith-Will you tell us what you
propose to do about this condition which
YOU say now exists?
Dir. Frnnta--Wc have not the money so
that | am not prepared to answer that
question; but We onght To have Il crcnia.
tory and burn up this refuse.
MIR. George W. Hush said he had CON
siderable interests in different sections OF
Wilmington, and, therefore, could speak
with locul impartlulity. An open drain
would be Il serious menace to the public
healt!, a closed sewer four or five miles
long and properly constructed wUuld cost
probably NOT less than $20O,OUJ very
heavy load to the financial interests of thC
municipality. We pay city tax now ui
Si.55. Gentlemen III the country think Il
or 80 cents OH the 800 Il pretty big tax; wt
pay that and we pay II city lax ut 81 so IN
addition. The street and sewer Commits
sion is carrying out 4 pcrninent and I'D
mirablc plesA Of sewerage this is Il sporadic
plan which would conflict with the city
system. 1t is far better to follow out the
course adopted, and let these plans, whiCi
propose to rt;H afuul OF the city finances
iliuul Of the street and sewer department
system. and to deposit filth Oh the Hats, e
BY until the time comes for the Street anC
Sewer Department ~ take up the drainage
, of this locality in harmony with the plar
mapped out.
Niliam /. Lyman. ESQ, defined thu
status OF Wilmington rs corporation
clothed with certain powers and privileges
'rhc entire control of the streets and sewer.
of this corporation has been vested by til,
: General Assembly in the street and Scwe
Department. This body has its plans ar
ranged; its expenditures Tor the fiscal yea
. mappca out. We earnestly ask that yo'
shall not Interfere with the conuuct Of thu
, affairs of that department. II this bill bt
, passed you will be asked to Pass another
I bill to provide for the ways and means o.
doing what it provides. 1t would take rh'
r street and Sewer Department, whose dutie
are confined to the city, away out into th
= country. When the time comes that TIL
/, city will need this stream for sewer pur
J poses. the city will have grown over silver
Z brook and there will be no need of con
} demnation expenditures.
- Mr. salisbury, rcsuninG, felt that h
i might safely leave this question where TIL
r Representatives OF the city department
have placed it, but, on behalf Of tn
tessup Il Moore Co.. lie wished to say tha
r pure water is necessity, and that, settin,
i aside all question OF obtaining the needGi
G water from another source the mere eos
Q Of pumping the water required by thi
i plant would be Sli 5s4 annually. Are yol