The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-06
LOCAL
HISTORY.
Henry {. Conrad Tells Con-
venti0n' Delegates Many
Interesting Facts.

UoIor0 tno COuVeutlou yobteTuhy moruini
was full Of interest, particularly to tn
people Of this city. Want of space pre-
vented publication Of tho paper YESTERDAY
but we give the get Of 1t to-day. HI
said:
1t has bee 261 years since the first white
man set foot on the land where We art
gathered to-day. Old Peter Minuit, en-
ployed by Swedish trading company,
brought colony here that landed almost
within stones throw Of where we now
are, on what We call Christiana creek
They built Fort Christiana. in memory Of
the young Queen Of Sweden. From that
small beginning sprang the city of Will
mington. For 40 years after 1888, there
were contentious as to the control of the
shore, Swedes, Dutch and English claim.
ing it. With William Penn in 1882 came
quiet and for 100 years. until the Rsvolu-
tion, this community grew. We are u
combination Of very good stock, the pa
tiont. steady Swede. the good-natured
Dutch, the energetic, thorOugh.going
English, and as u cross. tho careful, con.
sentative steady Quaker.
Old Swede's Church, whose sO0th ami
versary we celebrated within three months
is a monument to the thrift aud prosperity
Of the Swedes.
Wilmington was founded nearly 100
years after Minuit came. Thomas Willing
in 1871. laid out the plan of the place and
1t was called Willingstown. A few years
later. however, 1t became known a. Will
mington. In 1889 it was incorporated as q
borough, having q population of 400; IN
1882 1t was incorporated as city, havin g
o population Of 1000.
One Of the first industries was tho -four
mills on tho Brandywine. there being
eight such mills In 1864. The city now
owns all the water rights on the south
side of the creek. In these mills was
ground the corn which kept life in the
bodies of the heroic soldiers at Valley
Forge in the winter Of 1777. 1t Is said there
was no more important factor than tho
outcome Of those mills.
What Is now Cherry Island Marsh was
formerly Coopers Island, and there bar
rels and boats were made, those being
among the first of Delawaro's industries.
The first boat for trading purposes to
leave. Wilmington was the brig Whining
ton. which left in l740 for Jamaica. From
that time Wilmington has had to be reck-
oned as an important commercial centre.
About Revolutionary times, Whining
ton and the State held up their cpd and
Head, Rodney, Mexican and Dickinson
the framing of the Constitution of the
United States in 1885, this was the first
to ratify 1t, and therefore became tho fest
State in tho United States Of America.
Mr.. Conrad mentioned the names Of
Marlborough, Jasob Jones and James
Biddle. who were in the navy, and James
A. Bayard, John NJ. Clayton aad George
Gray, who aided In drafting treaties.
Wilmin gton now has u population of
10000 Of tho fairest women and the bray
est men the sun shines on. At the rate OF
increase shown in this past, she should
have population of 10000 in the next
generation. She has 10 square miles Of
territory; property assessment of $40,-
000 600; 93 miles Of streets, ono half of
them well paved and severed; 2ji acres of
park land, with natural advantages that
would make Central Park green with
envy; % miles Of street railway conduct
cd we'll. Every day 100000 gallons of
water Of tho purest and finest Is used by
the people. making them happy and
healthy. The schools are Of tho best. A
high school Ii being put up that will cost
enough to DO the best in the country.
(Applause.)
Our fire companies are unsurpassed; our
police are tho finest in the world, and we
are going to exhibit both tomorrow.
In powdermaking and papormaklng
machinery Wilmington leads the world,
without contradiction. In cars, boats,
leather and carriages we hold our own.
Right hero in Wilmington we claim TINT
on March 3D., 1888. tho first regularly
adopted trolley car In the country was
run, from Tenth and Market TO Rlvervlew
and two days later tho road was formally
opened.
Mr.. Conrad said that although small in
territory, we are proud OF our crop of
men. Referring to remark of Mr..
Aydon's that Delaware has three counties
at low tide. but is said o have only one at
high tide, he declared that by means Of an
electrical invention 1t had been arranged
to keep out the tide SO as to have room for
the visitors.