Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-12-07
THE A UG UsTINE BRIDGE.
Levy Court Asked to Consider the Ques-
tion of Replacing the Old Structure
with a Permanent Causeway.


with Permanent Causeway.
Levy Court met in regular session
Tuesday morning.
William S. Hilles addressed the court
in the interest of Mrs. Mary Smith,
poor widow, who lost leg last May
through being caught in the swinging
off Market street bridge. The bridge
tender at the time was absent and the
work was in charge of boy 10 years of
age. The accident, il seems, was
due in no way to any careless
ness of Mrs. Smith. The latter
is a widow without means and
is at present supporting son IL years
of age who is confined to the house with
rheumatism. Mr.. Hilles stated that Mrs.
Smith desired to institute action against
the county. Counsel informed her that
that was not possible under the circum-
stances. He did not appear before the
court as counsel for Mrs. Smith, but
merely presented her petition to the
court TO see if the commissioners could
not do something to alleviate her eS-
treme condition.
On motion of Commissioner Gala
CHER, the matter was left with the attor.
ney Of the court.
oBJEcTING TO A REPORT.
There was weighty expression of OBJ
lection by counsel on Tuesday to the
report of the Elsmere road commission.
By legislative enactment Messrs. Isaac
N. Grubb, j. W. Jolls and Joseph David
son werdappointed a commission to con-
demn lands for a road through Elsmere.
Messrs. Harrington, Vandegrift and
}. III. Hoffecker appeared for their
clients objecting to the acceptance of
the commissioners return. On motion
1t was arranged that hearing of all
objections will be given on December
18th.
A quantity of small bills and also the
payroll were passed,
sUNDAY-scHooLs GET $704 EACH.
The report of total of n Sunday
schools of this county was handed in to
the commissioners ON Tuesday for par
ticipation in the annual $500 Sunday
school appropriation. This allowed a
dividend of $7.04 to each school. This
allotment was made. The average re-
ceipt each year is about $5. The in
crease is due to the fact that number
of schools did not report Court took a
recess at noon.
In the afternoon the Levy Court
| passed a resolution for the doing away
with Augustine bridge and the replacing
of it with an earth causeway. The resolu-
ton provided that the chairman of the
court be authorized to take steps towards
the securing of the necessary land rights,
for surveys, and to advertise for pro-
posals.
The story of Augustine bridge is one
that ought to be familiar, at least TO the
pockets of the taxpayers of New Castle
county. The rickety old structure has
cost them already over 100000. In
vestigation of the subject by past Levy
Courts shows that the bridge serves the
needs of several families who, without
its existence, would have to take q
roundabout road to reach market. The
bridge and its approaches cross the neck
of land at the mouth of the Augustine
marsh, large tract that at that point
spreads out inland over large expanse
of country. Former propositions were
to make the sea wall much farther in.
land at a point Of high land where the
county work would not be so subject tc
the inroads of the tides. At the present
proposed location there is no doubt thai
most expensive and thoroughly sub
stantial causeway would have TO be
built. There is an inflow of water there
that with only slight storm would
always test the strength of any ordinary
earthwork. The location is not less
open to storm effects than the rivel
frontage of Cherry Island marsh.
The Augustine Marsh Company asked
permission to build sluice under the
proposed causeway or to join with the
commissioners in the expenditure fol
its construction. The whole matter was
left with the chairman of the court fol
a full report on the proposed causeway
and the sluice at future date.