The sun., 1898-12-14
SMALL STREETS DISCUSSED
Director Simmons Says These
TEoroughfares Are Of no
Use to City.
PROPERTY OWNERS TO BLAME
This is the Claim Made by the Street
and Sewer >Department...New
York Dredging Company
Agrees to Conditions
Made.

The matter of small streets which are
laid out by property owners for their
own benefit and then presented to the
city to be kept in repair by it, was dis
cussed at the meeting OF the Street and
Sewer Department last night. The dis
cussion was precipitated by a communi-
cation which was received from G. W.
Bush.
The communication read as follows:
II was surprised to learn that the deed
Of Conrad street which was made to the
city some years ago has not been for
mally accepted. If l am not mistaken,
it was understood before the deed was
made that it would be accepted by the
department; but it was probably over
looked. If satisfactory to the Board, /
would be obliged if favorable action is
taken upon it,"
Conrad street is situated between Lin
coin and Union, and Second and Third,
and is forty feet in width. Director
Simmons said the small streets were Of
no particular benefit to the city. They
are laid out by property owners for their
own special benefit, and the director as
serted that they should be put in good
condition before they are passed over to
the city. Extra revenue is required to
keep them in repair and no particular
benefit derived by the city.
Director Webster also spoke against
the indiscriminate acceptance of small
streets. He said the property owner or
owners who laid out the streets derived
the first benefit. He jokingly remarked
that if certain small street was ac-
cepted at one meeting OF the Street aud
Sewer Department at the next meeting
the directors would be asked to
grade and pave the street. Property
owners cut up plot Of ground into
building lots and by running a small
street through it secure extra frontage
for building lots. The department must
afterwards keep it in repair. &
the New York Dredging Company, in
which they formally agree to the condi.
tions imposed by the Street and Sewer
Department upon them under which
they can occupy portion of Christiana
avenue with dyke where the mud from
the creek is placed on the property of
the Lobdell Car Wheel Company.
A communication was received from
the Wilmington Railway Company ask
ing permission to pave their tracks with
Belgian blocks on Market street from
Twenty second to the city line and agree
to put down other material when the
city should improve that portion OF the
city. President Pratt thought the propo-
sition was not very clear and the depart
ment should not be bound by any agree
ment, but that the company should put
down other material when the de-
partment deemed it necessary.
Notice had been given to the p, w.
& B., B. & o. and w. & N. railroads,
that the culvert under the tracks at the
mouth of Clements Run was too small to
carry off the water. An answer was re-
ceiyed from but one Of the companies
The companies will likely endeavor to
make the department bear the larger
part il not the entire expense Of enlarg-
ing the tculvert.
Michael Grady was among the visitors
at the meeting, and came to see about a
sewer connection at Third and King.
The property in question had been con-
nected with the old Bradford sewer,
which was constructed way back in 1872.
The cellar of the property had been
drained into it, however, there being no
ceespool connection. When the new
sewer on King street was constructed,
an assessment was levied, and later q
lien put on the property. Mr.. Grady
found that in order to have full connec-
lion with the new sewer he would have
TO pay the lien and decided to do go.
The weekly pay roll was $224.63;
collections. $2,556.32; city !!
treasurer's balances, $37, ,O99.46.