Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-16
On TO THE DELAWARE RIVER
Major Raymond Makes Some
Suggestions.
POSSIBILITY OF A FINE HARBOR
Council and Board of Trade
Committees Confer.
A General Feeling That u Road TO the River
Would Be of Great Benefit to the City
Council Will BE Asked to Act.

Major Raymond, United States En-
gineer residing in Philadelphia re.
Gently invited the Board OF Trade
road to the river committee to hold a
conference with him. The committee
appointed Spottswood Garland and
Anson A. Maher to visit Major Ray
mond, who seems to be deeply in
terested in the river front of this city.
Monday week Mr.. Garland and Mr..
Maher called upon the major at his
Office, Fifteenth and Filbert streets,
Philadelphia lie made some sugges-
tions in regard to the subject, saying
however, that they were personal and
pot official, as he could not and would
not Interfere with Gen. Smith, who
has charge Of the Wilmington harbor.
Major Raymond stated that any APP
preparation made either by the city of
Philadelphia or by the United States
government could not be better dis
posed of than by deepening the channel
on the Wilmington side of the Cherry
Island flats. He stated that with a
bulkhead built some 600 feet from the
mud wall bounding the Cherry Island
marsh on the Delaware river side, the
mud taken from the channel would be
thrown over the bulkhead and some
700 or 500 acres of first-class land
could be in this way supplied to make
the best harbor on the Delaware river.
Tho natural advantages of Wilmington
to become the most important port on
the Delaware river are, in his esti-
nation, unsurpassed; and the united
action upon the part of the citizens of
Wilmington with the judicious ex-
penuiture Of some money would result
in surprising the most sanguine eXpec-
tations of its most enterprising citizens.
In referring to this point Mr.. Maher
offered the suggestion that with the
riparian rights decided to the city it
could well afford to build tho bulk
head and so secure large tract Of
land which would surely reimburse it
ten-fnld for any expenditure.
Wilmington now has the oppor-
tunity,'' said Mr. Maher, to push
itself forward, as Major Raymond
stated that any action such as men
toned above on the part of Whining
ton would receive its UNQUALIFIED en-
dorscment, and also his recommenda-
tion to the United States government
to deepen the channel on the lines
spoken of above.
"Another massmeeting should be
called and the suggestions of Major
Raymond be placed intelligently before
il, and the question of whether Will.
mington desires increased trade
through increased harbor facilities, or
not, definitely settled
major Raymond estimates that the
cost of the bulkhead from the Chris
tiana ietty To the Edge Moor iron
works would be in the neighborhood
Of 200, 600. This would be the entire
cost TO the city, and for which with
the consent and deciding of the riparian
rights they would secure "a body of
land of incalculable value. ~
COUNCILS COMMITTEE FAvoRs A ROAD
TO THE RIVER.
Mesars. McNuty, Watson, Smith,
Leary and Staats, a committee recently
appointed by City Council to consider
the road TO the river matter, held a
conference in the mayors office at the
City Hall Wednesday with Spottswood
Garland, Anson A. Maher, A. l..
johnson and A. II. Morrison com
mittee from the Board of Trade
Mr.. Garland stated that it was tho
opinion of the Board of Trade that if
Council would request the Street and
Sewer Directors to construct road to
the river the work would be done, and
it was with that purpose in view that
the conference had been asked for.
Mr. Maher spoke of the conversation
with Major Raymond and presented
the suggestions made by him. Mr..
Garland also talked on the interview
with Major Raymond.
Chairman McNulty Of Councils com
mittee asked if the Board of Trade
committee had any suggestions to
make concerning tho route for road.
Mr.. Garland stated that no definite
route had been picked out, but that
the two most feasible were by way Of
Seventh and Fourth streets and
Twelfth street extended, the Seventh
and Fourth street route being the
most desirable He thought it could
be completed at a cost OF $40, 600 lie
thought the city would be very ma
terially benefited by the road.
Mr.. Leary agreed with Mr.. Garland
that the road is needed and he favored
continuing Fourth street direct to the
river.
Mr.. Morrison did not think the
Fourth street route was desirable ON
account of tho necessity of building a
long bridge.
Mr.. Smith was of the opinion that the
owners of the river front should con
struct hulkhead first, and that done
the necessity Of road would be ap-
parent. He thought, however, that a
road should be made if it would bl
beneficial.
Mr.. Maher said that If the road
should be built tho bulkhead would
follow.
Mr.. Stats made the suggestion that
the city engineers be asked to make
plans of the several routes and estimate
upon the cost of constructing road
by each ono. This suggestion moi
with general favor and the meeting
adjourned with the understanding that
the Council committee would recon-
menu to Council that the engineers
make the surveys, prepare plans and
calculate the probable cost, aftoi
which, il it is agreeable to Council tc
have this work done there will bt
another conference with the Board oI
Trade committee.
The gentlemen from the Board o
Trade expressed themselves as being
highly pleased with the outcome o
the meeting and went away feeling
confident that Council will lend it
influence toward having the road built
Fnnn-Fan Nuptiais.
Miss Kathryn A. Finn and Edga
B.Fell wore married Wednesday night a
the home of tho BRIDES mother, Mrs
g. A. Finn, No. 227 North Franklin
street. The Rev. NJ. X. Falon of st
Paul's II. c. Church performed tn
ceremony. The wedding march wa
played by Will NJ. S. Brown. Misse
Gertrude, Mana, and Florence Harkin