The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-10-08
mr.. GO0DING I
4 REPLIES
To Statements of W. A.
Pratt Regarding Street
l.. Improvement.

Joseph H. Gooding makes the following
reply TO statements made by William A.
Pratt. at the meeting of the Street and
Sswor Department Tuesday evening.
Il agree with you, Mr.. President as to
the danger of railroads crossing streets at
grade Twill go further and state that this
work should have been done. but done in
proper manner, by bridging Pennsylvar-
10 avenue and Scott. Fourteenth and I'm
ion streets, not by vaca Ing Scott and I'm.
ion streets, as your department has done,
: by an act passed at Dover, May 1,lSol, en-.
titled ian act to provide safe travel over
certain highways in the city OF Whining
tou."
When the Baltimore and Philadelphia
Railroad company built the Lancaster ave.
nue. bridge, the railroad company, by the
above act, had to pay ell damages to tho
contiguous properties. But when we and
the railroad built the bridges over Penn
sylyapia avenue and Fourteenth streets,
we can not got an act from the Legisla-
ture, so We take the law in our own hands,
on the plea that the few will have to be
damaged for the public good.
Mr.. President, would like to know
how many of of our citizens can find their
way from Delaware avenue to Pennsyl-
vanla avenue on Scott street or how many
can find their way from Eleventh and I'm.
non streets to Delaware avenue. II they
should travel Union street, they are fow,
and invite the public to try.
MAS to your remarks in regard to the va
cation Of portions of Union and Scott SITS,
Iwould ask you to define the word vacste.
Is it that the city no longer holds title to
this ground, for this is your plea? would
ask how can VIC use this portion OF the
above streets, they being enclosed by u
atone wall on ono side and high banks
Of dirt on the other. You also STATE that
when the city is able it may build bridges
over Scott and Union streets. l would like
10 know by what right you could spend
the public money Tor the accommodation
Of tho railroad. us tho bridges you refer to
arc not for the public to travel ovor, but
for the railroad to place tracks thereon. As
TO the sidewalks, Mr.. President you state
itis a we'll known law that the city never
grades sidewalks You, by the above state
ment, acknowledge your department has
NO jurisdiction or control over the same, l
would like to know by what authority
you tear thenkup and fill them with stone,
curb, etc. Ii your statement is correct.
You also state that Lincoln, Union and
SCOTT streets were never improved streets
that Is, mover had any pavement. l wish
10 state that you are correct as to Union
street. Lincoln street was paved on the
east side from Eleventh ltreet to Pennsyl-
sana avenue, and on the wet side from
PENNSYLVANIA avenue to Thirteenth street.
Hoott street was paved on the weSt side
from Pennsylvania avenue to Delaware
avonue.
You also state, Mr. President, that your
department is now paving all The streets
shout which complaints, made, that parts
Of them have already been improved, and
that you are doing the other parts. Scott
and Union reefs, from pennsylvaniaaye-
nue. to Fourteenth street, have been mac-
Adamized; Fourteenth from du Pont to
lincoln. and Scott, from Ford to Delaware
avenue are Deins paVeu WIN ru"p'sh ny
tne city ASH carts Lincoln i'o'h hieVch.h
street to Pennsylvania avenue. with mud;
Ancoln, from Pennsylvania avenue TO
Thirteenth streets, closed to travel, and
Hold street with mud. This is the i'm PROV
a streees we se' i'll ''1's see'ioh Vi 'iV ivy
Aou sta'e tna0J ou 'co' 'ne ie''i"' "i''
$40" your uepa'lil1eh' n"' uSou "o0 N'
gshce' 1"ouiu HEX No" oal iiie" s'i'o
tMo mastersIliow can thoy hno" now Ihl'
work was progressing, when they were
not IN ms ci'!to 'ooA AFTER lhe S"ih''
You state that souFteehIh s1rteI WAS
never improved. would o1a'e eAuo IL was
macadahlized from dufon' to9co't street,
AWould ASK, YOU MY fresluuht' no" lsl'
you as president OF the street anu sewer
department, dld not make the following
statements but lett That " ono or your
Fellow directors! were you not as familiar
- to the progress OF this work as he?
The statement WAS made: On August
~ 1877 pennsylvania aVehua was closed
% travel; on August III, The contract for
6rauihR Ihe sa'ho was 'et WORK cuih'nehc-
w. 1''' l''"''" P''' 49, '''''
'o' .',,'7 Az ~ WA >''N''U
sycnueto DUPONT strceL-avGrage Crude
about four feeL-2jl days nac,lam On
? rnsvlynnia ,reu,e ccu,,cn,,. I.,,
"a ,,,, e"-u
~ 40 1879 Eh''Ac" AAay 90 1878, record
- dESi curb and gutter work, August ~,
lbs; comm,ncei Arril ~. lsnS mr. llh1,ys
- ''F' 80 -" ~ ~