Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-05
TURNPIKE DAMAG Es.


1bHHLfhE bA Al dtEHo.
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The Commissioners Meet and the Attor-
noys Have Their Say As to tho Value of
the Pike Sections That the City Wants.
The turnpike commissioners appointed
by Resident Judge Grub to assess dam
ages on account Of the demand that the
antiqua.ed private ownership in some
OF the main ro2dways of Tie city shall
he surrendered to the community, met
in the city hall Friday afternoon.
Most citizens are very mICh graft
fed that at length some positive move
ment is being made towards the abolish
ing of the most unreasonable, rs they call
it, inpost and obstruction against the
development Of the city. William
du i'ont and William Poole were pres
cnt for the Wilmington 6J Great Valley
turnpike DIETER known as the Concord
pike and were represented by their at
torney, John Biggs. Joseph Tatnall, G
stakeholder of the Philadelphia turn
pike, was present with the roads attor-
ney, Charles NJ. Curtis.
The city was represented by Mayor
Shortlidge and Street Directors j. New
lin Gawthrop and Colonel Moore, with
City Solicitor George A. Elliott. Mr..
Poole made statement showing the re-
ccipts and expenses of his company and
MIR. Biggs addressed the commission for
that turnpike.
MIR. TatnalI made statement also for
the Philadelphia turnpike owners and
attorney Curtis spoke to the commits
sioners. The latter claimed that the
larger share OF the company's income
comes from the section Of the road
Il md
Mr.. Curtis also asked for damages for
the loss of franchise. He said at
present it has the right, if 1t so desired,
to place toll gates at the North end of
the. Market street bridge over the
Brandywine and to compel all who
cross to pay toll, lie claimed that this
franchise was worth something.
The Street Directors said that the
stone on the turnpike would be of little
value to the city, us the grade has to be
changed and the stone removed.
Mayor Shortlidge showed that the
Wilmington and Philadelphia turnpike
is not kept in the condition required
under its charter and that the travelling
public has been driven to resort to the
courts in order to get dacent road ser
vice.
OUTRAGEOUS AND EXoRBITANT.
The commission met again on Satur-
day and continued its Investigations. In
chat with City Solicitor Elliott re-
porter gathered Important Informs
ton on the matter, W
IL is well known that Mr.. Elliott has
| property interests in the neighborhood
of both the roads, and as he is the legal
| rpprnsnntntiyn pf tba nitv in finn ppntpn-
ton of damages to be given it was
thought advantageous to obtain from
him an expression of opinion.
Mr.. Elliott spoke freely on the matter.
He said, in effect: The whole question
depends and must finally be adjudicated
upon the basis of the book accounts.
What the revenue on tolls is will decide
the pecuniary damage settlement.
In reply to the reporters direct ques-
ton Mr.. Elliott unhesitatingly said that
in his opinion the claim of $4,000 by
the Wilmington q Great Valley Com
pany for a short section of their road is
Outrageous and exorbitant."
The Philadelphia Turnpike Company
asks the sum of $4,000, an amount
which the city solicitor also criticised as
| excessive, but not comparable in its
extreme exorbitancy to that of the Con.
cord owners. A part of the Philadel-
phia award will anyhow have to go &c
the Concord Great Valley people fol
their rights along the Philadelphia pike
to the Concord Tor Elliott avenue) juno.
ton at ST. Johns Church. This will
take off about 81 300 from them and put
it in the Golfers Of the Concord people
who already ask 81 900 from the city.