Evening journal., 1894-08-13
DRAWBRIDGE TROUBLE
Hearing in the Levy Court
Room To-day.
ATTORNEY RODNEY AND TIE LAW


The Compiainants Make Their State
ments aud the Bridge-tonder and
Their Friends Repiy-The Committee
VIII Report at the Next Meeting.
Levy Court Commissioners John ].
Menley, John J. Gallagher aud Henry c.
| White, constituting the committee on
| Wilmington bridges, sat in the Levy
| Court room at tho Court House this
morning TO hear complaints against the
tenders Of Third street draw bridge and
to give tho tenders an opportunity TO
/ acquit themselves OF the charges MIR
| Mealey, who Is chairman Of the commit.
tee, presided.
The meeting was called for 10 clock,
| but it was nearer II o'clock before It got
under full swing Thomas +. Russell
and james McHugh, the two men oc-
custd OF derelotion, were on the field
some time before their accuser5 ap-
| peared
Chairman Mealey called the meeting to
| order and stated it's purpose AT his
request Secretary Janvier read the let
ters Of complaint presented and red at
the last meeting of tho Levy Court.
| They were fr0pl H8rbor Master kershRw,
the Charles Warner Company, the Atlas
Dredging Company auj from the owners
captains and pio.s Of various steamers
tugs aud vessels.
The FIRST charge taken up was that Of
the Atlas Dredging Company. IL was
that the bridge tender had compelled their
naptha sloop yacht TO walt forty-Gvo
minutes and then nearly dismasted her
I la .1.ate,.. 9 t.a. Hnn rr r4rtaat 4.ar naa
son acknowledged having kept the yacht
waiting, but said that shs was not
registered and he had no right to open
the draw for heI.
President Charles W. Pussy OF the
Atlas Dredging Company. reiterated the
charges made In his letter. and said that
the whole thing narrowed down to tue
question Of the right of the bridge tender
TO turn of the bridge for unregistered
craft II Is not navigable stream
which belongs 10 the government and in
which any vessel can ply he had nothing
more to say and would simply have q
await the brids se.tendef's pleasure
I h Il. Warmers S name was called, bul
he failed to respond
( Harbor Master Kershaw stated tha'
complaints had come in from many
, sources. In his opinion the Chratlana IL
D e free water way and that any boat will
o ! q standing mast has right TO 20 through
a the draw. He had seen boats delayed
there, particularly Jersey truckers.
Bridgetender Russell broke In and aai,
that IL had never been customary % opel
/ the draw Tor them, but to compel theu
TO wait until a tug went through
. Last month they turned th
/ bridge l.. $40 times in daytime an
q g54 times at night. The Jerseymeu hev
y offered them money aud truck but the
/ refused, sayiug that they were not doln
u business that way IL the bridge wer
, opened for all those skiifs it would neve
A be closed. They do not have stationar
y masts. and their sticks can DO taken on
q in less time than it takes to turn tn
z draw.
n George w. Todd, president Of tn
O Diamond State Iron Works thought tina
. the pedestrians and vehicles should no
D. be kept waiting go long. He though
d that the bridge tenders could be NOR
B. prompt IN opening and closing th
le draw. In his opinion there was lack q
" good judgment and the application q
.e good com non sense on tho part Of ia
,r bridge tenders, and their help was IL
10 competent He thought that If th
| DrloBe tenuefs "oulu EXERCISE Boou JAul
r ment there would be few compl ainti
ID either from vessel owners or those wish
10 ing to cross the bridge.
g Mr Burns. Councilman Bernard Dons
o hoe, Alexander Bonner and David Dangl
D. testified IN favor Of the bridg, ter der
IN and said that they performed their duii'
ID admirably.
d This concluded the hearing Chairma
ie Moaley announced that the commits
le would report az the next meeting Of Oh
Levy Court. Attorney John h Rodne
7. was requested to look up the law on Il
m | rnLi.nr