Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-12-15
OUTSIDE VIEW OF WILMINGTON


Correspondent Mercantile and Financial Times
Wilmington, Del, is one of the very
few cities in the country in close prox-
unity to large city that manages to
hold its own trade. 1t is well estab-
lished fact that in nearly every instance
whore there is small town within a
short distance of a metropolis the latter,
draws TO itself the business of the
smaller places inhabitants.
Now Wilmington is but % miles from
Philadelphia. but it is singular fact
that by far the greater portion of its
business is transacted with the local
merchants. There are several good
reasons for this. In the first place the
business men long ago recognized that
in Philadelphia they have a powerful
competitor which must be restrained
from securing the upper hand. To do
this, they have to carry large and
varied stocks, in big, comfortable and
we'll lighted stores. Again the mer-
chants are liberal patrons of their local
newspapers and their announcements
arc carefully read. Every successful
business man in the city adyertises
largely. Tho people of Wilmington
have found by experience that they can
purchase just the same goods in their
own city that they get in Philadelphia
and at the same prices. They have
found that the big "bargain sale" ad
vertisements of the Philadelphia stores
are mere decoys and the "bargains"
can he secured just as chenply at home.
This condition of affairs tends to
make the city one of the most pros
porous in the country, since much of
the money paid to business men is
l in nj Lot t.,t ha t.x f.,,.
payment of wages, light, rent, &c.
Wilmington, withal, is a very staid
and conservative old town, still it is
abreast of most of its neighbors in all
those modern municipal improvements
which mako any city desirable as a
place of business or residence. 1t has
many beautiful parks, one of them,
Brandywine Park, being one of the
most picturesque and beautiful natural
breathing spots in the country.
Its streets are well paved and well
lighted, it has fine sewerage and water
systems. and an excellent fire depart
ment. This last, though, is volun-
teer organization, being the largest
possibly in the country, comprising
nine companies, which have beautiful
and commodious houses and the latest
improved fire fighting apparatus.
| Its system of public schools is one OF
the finest in the country. and it is
abundantly supplied with churches,
libraries. &c. 1t has two hospitals
equipped with every modern device fol
the alleviation and cure of injury and
sickness, and altogether is city that
its people may we'll be proud of.
1t is the earnest desire Of its most
progressive citizens to see the city ey-
tended to the Delaware River Git is
about mile inland on the Christiana
River, and that desire will probably
be gratified within o short time as its
limits are gradually moving in that
direction and every effort is being made
to build up the Intervening space.
When the desired contamination is
reached, Wilmington will become a
more vigorous and dangerous rival tc
Philadelphia than it, has ever before
proved. 1t is 30 miles nearer the seq
than the Pennsylvania metropolis and
this fact should aid materially in bring
ing to its wharves vastly increased
commerce.
Again this extension to the Della
ware will undoubtedly result in tn,
augmentation and enlargement of it:
many manufactures.
All in all, no city that your CORE
spondent has visited has better pros
poets than Wilmington.