Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-10-07
CITY STREETS And SEWERS.
The Directors Treated to a
Surprise Tuesday Night.
LETTER FROM COL. H. A. DU POINT
Regarding Work at a e. & Q.
Crossing.

Crossing.
Tho Wilmington s. kennctt Turnpisn Co.
CoBteBding That 1t should Have Bsen
Consulted Concerning Change OF Grude
Before Operations Were Comindnced.
Directors Pratt and Webster. who
transacted the business at tho regular
meeting Of tho Board Of Street and
Sewer Directors Tuesday evening" wore
treated to surprise when Acting
Secretary Frank w. Pierson read the
following letter. bearing the heading
1.-THE Wilmington g. Kenneth Turnpike
co.. and dated September 30th:
ITO the Board of Directors Of the
ton, Delaware. Dear Sirs: desire TO
cali your attention to the fact that you
have proceeded to make the change in
the crossing of the Wilmington e. Ken
nett turnpike by the Baltimore Il Ohio
railroad without consulting this COM
pany, and that our patrons are seriously
inconvenienced while the work is being
done and We are consequently losing
general deal of business, causing a
corresponding loss In revenue.
"Though heartily in favor of i'm.
movements for the public good and
ready TO cooperate in every proper way
to this end, we claim that our assent
should have been given to the change
of Craze Of the turnpike before the
work was begun.
"As you propose to lower the present
grade of the turnpike several feet at
the Baltimore &c Ohio railroad, We are
of the opinion that you should, with
out expense 10 US, reduce the grade
near the Columbus Inn five or six feet
and fill up the hollow near the railroad,
stoning aud surfacing the road. This
would make n regular ascent from tho
proposed new unlsrgrade crossing 10
the Columbus I'm.
~ trust you will see your way clear
TO do this work while the crossing is
heing constructed, as this would involve
much less expense TO the city than If
it be left until later date.
''Please let mo hear from you.
Yours truly.
I'll. A. du Point,
President. :"
This was a protest from an unex-
pected quarter, for apparently the turn
4 pike company had never been Thought
Y of 10 connection with the project Affect
Ii lnp IbuubylFhDih dsouuu'
01H There was small silencs whom Mr..
Pierson concluded tho letter, md after
"a few moments Mr.. webster said
4 n Read it again"
Nv After il was read again President
Pratt, evidently much interested, re-.
MARKED "We will have to look into
a HAT mattsr.' The secretary was in.
3 structed to write Mr.. du Point that the
u board would look iniD the matter and
alivise him further after it has made 9
decision.
II The city solicitor may he asked fol
an opinion on tho subject TO sea whether
the Street and Sewer Directors have
acted within their powers, and to set
what they should do now.
Another ommunication having to dt
with proposed work in the same neigh
borhood, was tbs following letter from
J. II. Gooding:
Gentlemen: As the owner OF thu
property at the southeast corner o
Scott aud Fourteenth streetg in thi
city / desire to protest against wha
understand to be the intentions o
your department relating TO the chang
Of the grade and present locations o
the streets in this neighborhood. NJ.
property was acquired by tne at larG
cost, and has heen improved at grea
EXPENSE so as to enable ma to properl,
conduct my business. The propose,
change of grade will practically rende
my property useless for my purpose
and depreciute its value fully three
fuurthH. To this l cannot submit. Wi
sou kindly lot me have an early an
definite answer TO this commgnica
ton.
The protest will 20 on file.
The board adopted long resolutio
to fix and establish the grRdes {
numerous streets north of Ninth stree
end west OF Broome street. Anothe
resolution was adopted fixing the loci
ton and width Of sidewalks or footway
on Union and Scott streets and Penn
sylvania avenue. These resolutions il
clude the changes of grade due to th
overhead bridge work.
j.. Il. Brand and Alfred Barr of Ii
Fame Fire Co. appeared before I'll
b.. hoard TO ask that the Belgian block
front of the engine house, Second stree
between Shipley aud Orange, he r,
placed by brick, with which Secou
street is TO he paved. On motion
Mr.. Webster the request will
granted.
Engineer Iiatton made an estima
for building sewer on jackson sire
between Second and Third. lie es,
mated the cost at about 5000, and II
probable revenue, 1915. The sewer W
ordered built.
Some months ago the "lovers' r
treat on franklin street betwe,
Tenth street and Pennsylvania avenl
was thought to be insuliiciently light,
at night. and in response to requoR
from residents, the department ordsrt
two arc lights placed in the stree
This was done, but the 'lovers retreat
appeared not to have been offace
At any rate, Tuesday the board order
the two lights removed and tlIs &
lights turned on. because the powerf
arc lights by shining upon the sire
side Of the shade trees cast such de
shadow on the sidewalk that the latt
has been darker than ever. And SO t
department will have tho gas lam
lighted once more.
In reply to notification to ha
trees removed from in front of the c
Federal building, Custodian Willie
4 IL. Cooper wrote: 81 am advised th
your commission have entirs charge q
control Of all streets and avenues of t
city from building line TO building Ii
4 aud il said trees are in condition me
tiOnDd in YOUR letter thew cprtair