The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-03-29
THIRD EDITION.


Wilmington In 1906.
A copy or the Wilmington Mirror,
dated May 81, 1906, and which will be
among the Delaware collections at the
Worlds Fair. contains this interesting
article on Wilmington In that time.
Wilmington is town OF between
1000 and 5000 Inhabitants, In high,
healthy and agreeable Situation. Its
southern eide Is washed by the Chris
ttana river, navigable to the town by
vessels drawing fifteen feet, and ten
miles further by those OF nine feet.
From this water the land rises grad
ually to the northeast, presenting q
fine swelling hill OF 100 feet high, on
the southeast and southwest side of
which the town, consisting principally
OF brick houses, is erected. The apex
OF this hill 10 at half nile distance
from the Christiana; thence it declines
ION all sides except the north) Tor half
. mile
sAt the foot OF 1t, on the northeast
side tho Brandywine mills, are about
nifty or sixty snug brick. stone, mud
frame houses The Brandywine is
about forty miles in length, a permu.
nent, beautiful stream, bordered with
high, rocky grounds ard navigabie to
the mills, where the water is six to
eight feet deep at the height OF the
ude. The main post road passes over
this stream and through the town Of
Wilmington. and mails are delivered
every day from the cities of Phiiudel-
phia and Baltimore. Three land and
one water stage leaves the town every
day for the first, and two daily land
stages for the latter pluce.
The streams OF Christiana and Bran
dywlne form q junction one mile
southeast of the town OF Wilmington
and discharge their waters In the Del
aware, which is in full view for sever.
a miles and at distance OF two and
. half milss. To this point the view
u quito open to the eastern shore OF
the Delaware. but is bounded In the
east and south points by rising
grounds and woods. The lands on
stEe south side OF the Christiana are
rlcn ard gently waved. but are not
reckoned healthy, from some cause
not well ascertained.
From the western point round to
north the country rises into hills Of
various soils, yielding good crops,
with careful cultivation, and i'm al
most all places excellent water Ia
found. Brnndywine hundred, or the
tract OF country on the northeast side
OF that creek, is high, rocky and
Astounding with springs. The soil ia
pretty generally stiff clay. not care
fully cultivated, but supposed capable
OF producing large crops OF timothy
and some other grasses. This country
Is noted for its rapid production OF
tlmber, and the great supply OF this
necessary article which 1t has conlin-
ued to yield for u long period OF years.
The price of land varies much, as
must be expected, in proportion to
their quality and vicinity to marshes.
On the south side OF the christina
they are undor value, owing to the
objection before stated, aud to the
want of better meaus OF passing the
creek to Wilmington than ferry half
q mile below the town. They may DO
reckoned at an average value of - to
~ dollars per acre. From the swell
round to the north point great variety
ana beauty OF situation present; the
prices accordingly vary from 100 to 2
collars per acre within the space we
have under view.
SO also are the variations Of prices
IN Brandywlns hundred, except that
they do rot rise SO high, but 20 still
lower. The Improvements within this
space, exclusive OF those of the town
and of Brandywlne for grinding grain
twhere there are Is milis), are six or
eight flour mills four powder mills,
one tilt hammer wheel and one mill
Tor saving marble, one forge and two
paper mills. one snuff mill. beside sew
eral saw mills, making in the whole
probably thlrty-iive water.wheels for
various machinery
THE town of Wilmington, Ds we'll
rs tile neighborhood, is settled with
persons OF various religious sects. who
live In great harmony and have houses
Tor public worship viz; two belonging
70 .the Batoinlst, two for those OF the
Methodist persuasion, one Episcopa.
Nap, one for the Baptist, and ono DO.
longing to the Society of Friends.
There are at present about twenty
schools in Wilmington, in one OF
which the Greek and Latin lnugu0Ees
are taught. A public library of about
GO volumes Is open six days in che
week Tor the use of members OF the
company OF persons who choose to
hire.
"Of the general heaIthlness OF the
place, an idea may be formed by re-
curing to Caraya geography, under
the article Wilmington, as some
pains were taken in the year men
rioned there TO procure accurate
knowlediie of the matter communica.
ted. The population at that day was
not equal to what 1t is at present is a
Ialr presump tlon, yet there wcrs
Iound upwards Of I6O persUns within
the boiough. the youngest OF whom
had lived 90 years.