Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1896-05-28

PEi4AI1 nj y 1s he park
]: ]. !! j !. !:
fgl w sYrk Which is
~ lenH pletod, Mr..
gM.| coNsorsiIFay, from West
-, iqh9ad. This may
Io,,r ttAtreet in another
|df1 Idethodists sfI%ud be desirable
" form Of atF4hrough Rockford
fcaunot take 6s{ sdge of the bluff,
feen majority ofA@d around Mt Salem
II the PROPOSE A}tonnecting with the
/card piayingf1F the old division line
nd the sale of]M and du Points land.
,idds 10 and #h might connect with
sfule. AS ont# is required, under the
{.Under thieH Rockford Park, along
theatre to boundary.
Old HomeyB avenue is laid out and
dog fight. Xfrom Market to Washing
report. mir. Leisen says the depart
The chAld endeayor 10 improve Jes-
sided tod from there up the westerly
the bis& Of the park. The grade
own b N$be fixed so as to insure protec
the II Eom freshets and with a view to
~ lNtM|It tno iOdQ WIN RiipEo dCit'ob
insyEeek at or near the line OF Clayton
chu&t An effort should also be made
@remove the railroad grade crossing
fGEthe park.
dB"These roadwaye, says the superin-
&endent, "wou,d be source of great
$pleasure to the growing army of cycl-
iats as we'll as to the community at
\ large, for with them completed, ii Is
hopeh to establish service Of licensed
vehicles that will take visitors over the
parks at rate of fare that would be
within the means Of all.
In the matter OF bridges for the park
Mr.. Leisen makes a number of sugges-
tionp He says that bridge should be
built across the race near West street
] as early as possible so that tho work
OF grading and making the road thence
| to Market street may go on uninter-
ruptedly and economically. For this
site he suggests an ornamental steel
arch, or concrete steel arch. Another
| bridge will be eventually required to
recross the race near Market street.
but the style and manner of its con-
struction will BIO largely influenced by
the action that may be taken to secure
the ground for an entrance to the road
way. A small bridge across Elliott's
run will be required when .Jessup's
road is improved.
A system of foot walks has already
been commenced and every point of in
terest in the several parks is to be made
accessible to pedestrians. 1t is desired
that the Water Department construct
a proper path along the race bank from
Market street to the Third uam. Says
Mr.. Leisen: Especial paths for the
cycling fraternity should also be con-
sidered and in fact the wants OF this
large and rapidly increasing class must
| be taken into consideration in all plans
for future development.
The park superintendent also sug-
gests the building of dam across the
Brandywine at the site of the old Bar
ley Mill dam. 1t should be built so as
to serve as walk also, means of easy
access between the two parks being
greatly needed. The dam proper would
be surmounted by series OF low fiat
arches, supporting the footwalk, 80 ar
ranged that except in a freshet or ex-
traordinary rise, the water would flow
undersrhe, walk through the arehways.
Damming up this water would form a
lake or boating and perhaps bathing in
summer and skating in winter. For
the benefit of skating, arrangements
could be made to food 1t by means of
| pipes built into the banks of the races
on each side of the creek. Mr.. Leisen
is very much in favor of the dam
project. He also suggests boat house
to be built near the eoutherly end of
the dam.
In Rockford Park, he says, it would
be desirable to build a largo pavilion
and observatory combined, on the sum-
NIT of Mt. Salem, containing therein
place for refreshments This should
be massive structure. and could be
constructed to great advantage with
some of the weather beaten stone taken
from the boundary walls around Mt.
Salem. A large tower about 20 feet in
diameter, and so feet high, with a
staircase tower adjoining it. built of
rough stone showing no mortar joints,
could with little care, be given an
antique appearance in very short
time, and growth of English ivy
would still further enhance the effect.
A pavilion would connect with it at
/ one side the lower floor of the tower
serving as refectory. Temporarily
the old Law house near Mt. Salem may
be remodeled, by adding wide piazzas
all around it, and roconstructing the
dlli bO maui W bcINb as a re-.
fectory, shelter and resting place. A
small pavilion will also be needed in
the grove near the northeasterly end of
Rockford Park.
Under the law City Council must ap-
propriate at least SIS, 600 year for park
purposes, such appropriations to be
paid over to the Board of Park Com
mssioners. The total expenditures for
1895 were sl5, OBS. %. For 1896 the
amount of S2S, 400 is requested. OF
this total, S.. 900 is given as running
expenses, and the remaining $50, 400 is
for new work. Among the items the
cost Of the desired barley Mill dam
work is put at So, 600; of bridge over
the race, s4, 600; foot walks in Brandy
wine Park, 81, 300; work on graded
roadway. 81, 0o0 grading sidewalks Of
boulevard, 81, 300; trees to be planted,
$500; retaining wall, West to Market.
SO. 900; grading in Rockford Park,
s., 600.