Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-21


Of streets-good, bad and Indifferent
and in order to get definite iuforma
ton concerning their condition renor
ters of The Gazette made a to,r n
the city on bicycles. Some highway
afforded smooth, easy riding, while Of
Others the riders received good shak
ing and iolting which was not bene
fetal either to the wheel or the rider
Many OF the streets are paved, friedrich
asphalt block, Belgian block and cob
blestones being the paving materia
used; and many are unpaved. Some
are macadamized, Others are rollot
and others receive little or no 40
tention at all.
Nearly everybody in Wilmington,
especially bicycle riders and owners
and drivers of carriages and wagons,
are familiar with the condition ii
Market street, which is probably In
worse shape between Fifth and
Eleventh streets, the most important
section, than any other business
thoronghfare in the city, vhile il il
moro used than any other. The sec
ton referred to was paved with asphalt
block when the old cobblestones were
removed several years ago and for a
short time the new pavement was in
good condition, hut it has been in bad
shape for months and now it is largely
series of dangerous holes, with the
exception of the east side hetween
Eighth and Ninth, where the blocks
we're taken up some months ago and
frebrick substituted This brick nave
ment is still in pretty good condition
and the experiment seems 10 have
demonstrated that the bricks are bet
ter calculated to withstand the wear
than the material which was there
before the brick pavement was put
down. This street is to be reuayed
with firebrick, the material having
been ordered by the Street and Sewer
Directors, who have had the matter
under consideration for several months.
aud it is likely that the work will be-
started next wee
Many people, including several Of
the leading business men of the city,
have expressed regret that the depart.
ment did not decide to use sheet asphalt
IN repaving the street and numerous
inquiries have been made on the SUBJ
lect Sheet asphalt is used in some
cities not as large as Wilmington and
some people think it strange that it has
not been tried here. When President
Simmons of the Street and Sewer De.
partmert was asked why the depart
mvnt had not decided upon sheet
asphalt for any of the paving he re-
Piled that the conditions in Whining.
ton would not warrant doing so, ex-
planning that plant would have to be
located here and in order to get plant
mere the city would be required to
guarantee more work than it could
afford to have done. He also said he
was not satisfied that sheet asphalt
would wear as well as good firebrick
we'll laid
Below Fifth street Market is raved
with Belgian block and cobblestones.
part of which is in fairly good shane
while the remainder is very rouph.
Above Eleventh Belgian block is used
.aieny, except ON a large portion of
the street in the Ninth ward. where
,lere IS no pavement at all. Some of
W. uhpaved portion is in fair condi-
ton' out most OF it is in bad shape,
oel9S very dusty in dry weather and
muddy IN wet weather. The condition
" 'he street is great annoyance to
lae people of the Ninth ward, who
a "
tended. -sN
1llpin avenue has been one of the |
wy popular streets with wheelmen
auu norsemen. 1t is "a street where |
tae stiffness OF the night has at times |
uten broken by the little shrek of |
s some ialr girl learning to ride the |
wheel Yet this street, generally in |
Sueh excellent form for wheeling or |
MNihg' contains an illustration Of the |
way bad street is allowed to succeed
s9oa one. This illustration is found
b. mat part of the avenue west Of du
t hiul street and east of Lincoln. 1t is a |
~ r9 steer grade from du Pont to Scott.
, W. ouiy 18th and August I'd heavy
, ,van visited Wilmington and the
nenue was badly washed between du
,out and Scott. The small stones
. susa TORN from along the cutters and
n asileu down to the nearly level space
, ruNaStneath the Baltimore & Ohio rail
, '"h bridge. The stones are there still
~, 4u .he rough places along the gutter
no, 'e ". ~ evidence, making that seq
All, gI VI tlie avenue disgusting spec
Si Sie and an uninviting place for ve.
W, .'e owners. Near the centre of the
Hwy ,o some OF the bed has been washed.
n Stg Is certainly place where i'm.
r,s Sate attention should be given to
ro,.s the street getting into a
NJ .'Ie condition. Above Scott street
MAX PAVING along the cutters shows the
Sys J' Vi me heavy rains, and should be
s,sa. between Lincoln and Union
Ill.,. the roadway is the repository of
bo HTa Of unsightly rubbish that
NH hot be permitted to remain.
ama n and Tenth streets, which were
ai ragea by the storms, have been re-
,, mug and Madison streets, the chief
~Sts market thoroughfares, both
s,s ",uu arc very much used by team
,nn S, are each, for part Of their dis.
,oat ' IN good shape. From Water
S4Is;. sixth, King is paved with
ojs s'"n eiook, and, barring few ruts,
n b auu uneven rlaces, is suitable
MANY TIo"vy traffic, but not very de-
TSs @,V 1 rs bicycle thoroughfare. Be-
~ tSo twelfth and Sixteenth, the end
sAd Ie street, Belgian block is also
vls NV IS In good condition, as a
HI 4. MADISON street is well paved |
Mn" ne as far north as Ninth,
~ OF the business section, butt
oerso ufebrick portion there are few
EtaI places. Above Ninth the ma I
|,sd,ai,s cobblestones, which are ex-
veraas rough, but no worse than the
ShiTSIlopl pavement of that character.
hp";ss street, which is largely used !
bcv o'1 r!s.; purposes, is in bad shape !
ayemorrii ith street. Below Fifth the
an bi,i = chiefly friedrich and Bel !
ewo LUCK 81. and is In good condition.
orabIo" = nth and Sixth there is a de-
Is a stretch stretch of cobblestones, which {
bovs s Seellng effect upon vehicles.
Ut Il o olSsh Belgian block is used,
u contains manv ,,nayan niaoas