Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-03-04
woRK OF ram COMMISSION.


Commissioners for tho year ending
December 3lst, 1896, WIS presented at
tho monthly meeting OF tho board on
Tuesday afternoon. On the cover a
design by Howard Pyle ia used. The
pamphlet Ia from the John M. Rogers
Press. For frontispiece is re-
production OF wash drawing by
Robert Shaw, entitled the Brandy
wine" On page 7 is head band by
McIntire, which was contributed by
William Martin johnson. -Four photo
graphs taken by John M. Rogers and
two by Miss Frances Beck are repro
tluced. Tho whole report occupies about
30 pages.
According to the report the public
grounds Of Wilmington now cover 25a
acres, OF which 224.3l acres are in the
main park system up the Brandywine;
| IL. IA are 10 Kirkwnod, Delaware and
Eden parks; and 1916 are in small
parks and open places not under tho
control OF tho Park Commission, which
are Cool Spring, Rodney and Franklin
Parks, Garfield Place, Delaware avenue
aud Washington streets, Kenneth Place.
Pennsylvania avenue and Franklin
street, and Shipley Place, Twelfth and
Market streets, and the Soldiera'
Monument Thore is one acre OF land 10
each 276 inhabitants.
Park Engineer and Superintendent
Theodore A. Leisen in his report to
tho board speaks of tho comparatively
small amount of work done in pro.
portion to that remaining to be done,
but cites the fact that the actual
amount of money available for new
work and improvements. amounted to
less than So per acre of land under con-
troll Of the Park Commission, to show
why a moro favorable report could not
be made. He favurs an expenditure of
S., lU0 in tbs coming season upon three
Of this pleasure grounds, and says the
development OF the larger parks could
be more gradual, although the endeavor
should no to complete all Improvements
within definite period Of time. In
| reply to criticisms on account of the
incomplete condition OF the driveway,
| the failure to have the Barley Mill
dam built the lack OF other accommo-
dations in general which are looked
for in public pleasure ground, he
says: "There ia but one way OF obtain.
| ing these accommodations. namely, by
furnishing this department with an an,
preparation commemorate with the
work before it.
lie refers to work done on the drive
way, the retaining walls near Washing
| ton bridge and from Vest to Market
streets, to the grading and gutter
work on the boulevard, the new foot
walks in Brandywins Park, tho nsw
| bridges across the south race, repairs
to Kentmere parkway, Clayton street
bridge and to buildings. Ito also tells
OF improvements at Kirkwood and
Delaware parks.
Since the last report the city has
acquired for park purposes two houses
on the westerly sido of Rockford road,
| by purchase; property on Fifteenth
Mary II. Latimer; small piece of land
nearby, and the blacksmith shop
property at Market street and the race.
Condemnation proceedings are now
| under way for securing possession OF
the two remaining properties in the
triangle.
Engineer electromagnetic the macad-
amizing of tho driveway from West
street TO Riddles Road. the extension of
the foot walks from Van Buren, to West
streets and its extension westward to
the boundary Of the park lands, and
| the construction Of walks in North
Brnndywine, kirkwood. Delamore and
| Eden Parks. A shelter is desired at
tho two last named.
"Tho construction of tho Barley Mill
dam, to which attention has boon
called before, must not be overlooked, -
says Mr.. Leison, land when 1T is built,
it should be made TO serve also for a
walk to connect the north and south
Brandywine Parks The water which
would be THUS damned up, could be
utilized for skating and boating, and
also for swimming pool.
'Rockford Park should also come in
for share OF improvements during the
coming year. The line Of the proposed
roadway should be graded, and later
on macadamized. Shelters and public
comfort houses will also be In demand,
as soon as this park is open to the
public and must he provided for.
1.-THE development of the proposed
entrance ut Market street will probably
DO the last OF the improvements now
enumerated and it must follow closely
upon, or be coincident with the con.
struction of the driveway between West
and Market streets. Before this ia
accomplished two bridges for crossing
the race will be required-one near
West street, and the other at tho
entrance at Market street.
can thu work here mentioned should
be brought to completion within the
next two years, providing an appropria-
tiun sufficient to cover the cost of exc
| oution can be secured. Below ia given
an approximate estimate OF the cost of
said work:
pELAMoRE PARK.
| Eaat x,otla o mn sniinrs fAat q Am
Shelter. Northumberland. 400
KtRTwooD PARK.
Foot walks, el,4sO square teot..... s loo
EDEN PARE.
Foot walks, II, i30 square teet,..S 500
Shelter .........'..'..''.'.-......' $40 900
| NORTH BRANDYwISB PARK.
Foot walks, $4,000 square ioet... $500
SOUTH BRANDYwIHE PARE.
Foot walks, 1000 square feet.... S 1000
| barley MIL dam.. ............ -. 6,OO0
Maoadamizng, Riddles Road to
| West 5tteet. ...,. ....-.,.,.... Sou
Roadway, West 10 Market streets. SION
Two bridges across race, &c....... s,UUO
ROCKFORD rARK.
| Grading ..,..............-....",.S 5000
| Mncadamizpg roadway. an0J
| Pavilion, shelter, NJ -. ...l,,.. s,O0D
Foot walks 10 WINS Rock, li,dG0
square tees. ,....'..''''.....-... l,0D
S59Goo
The receipts for 1896 we're s25, Go. ~,
and the expenditures, $50, 1853. 92, leav-
ing balance Of 50, 800.
An appentiiS to tho report shown tho
la, ,,p,ln, 81, IA t,.h t,n n,t,, sainn oUfo