Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-06-19
Levy Court Members Inspect
Bridges and CauseWayS.
SILVER RUN 6 AUGUSTINE ROADS
Where Thousands of Dollars
Have Been Spent.
The Commissioners Are the Guests Off
dent Merritt n. Willits-How Money
Might Have :Been Saved at silver Run
Some Historic Places Visited.

thousands of dollars and are likely to cost
lot more i'll years to come, for it is said OF
n cnuseway that it is always sinking and
hence must needs be filed up.
The meeting point prior to starting upon
Wednesdays inspection was Middetown.
There President Willis greeted his guests
and carriages were taken. The party in
cluded MIR Willis, Philemma Chandler,
Isauc G. Elliott, John q. Armstrong, Lohn
j. Mealey. Charles Megginson and ;. Frank
Ewart. all the members of the Levy Court,
DIR. Columbus Henry, president, and Joseph
G. Parker, secretary of the Board OF trustees
of the Poor, Joseph &. Jols and j. Il.
Hotiecker.
A short drive from Middletown brought
the party 10 the brick arch bridge over the
haadwaters of the Appointments River,
which divides Appoquinimink and IT,
Georges hundreds. The bridge has stood
there many years, requires little attention,
and is Il monument of good construction.
Near the bridge old st. Anna's Episcopal
Church. built i'll 1705 of bricks brought from
England, was i'll view and the party stopped
to observe the venerable edlticc. magnih,
cent oak ilear the entrance to the graveyard
challenged the attentions; the tree is esti-
mated to be a thousand years old. Mr..
Willis is a leading member of ST. Annes
parish. which now worship i'll newer
building in Middletown, but holding IN
annual service atS the old chucrh. He said
that someone had proposed cutting down
the old oak, but Others oppose its destruction
and the tres looks equal TO many more
years conflict with the elements. The st.
Annc's people expect 10 repair and ranoyNte
the church and to celebrate its bi-rentpnniGl
in 1865. The location of the church close
to the river carries ono back to the TACT that
| the water was one of the chief means OF
communication in the days OF the tore
fathers. Hence churches and houses were
Inca TOD
| Old Drawycrs Presbyterian Church near
| Drawers Greek. and Old Swedes Church,
| Wilmington, near the ChristianG.
Leaving old st. Annc's the Levy Court
purity drove past II man who wns following
| agricultural pursuits, commonly known as
farming, and sam Lambs land, property
occupied by coored people. In little
while Silver Lake was reached, and n stoE
was made to admire this beautiful sheet OF
water, which is about mile long and il
some places IA or III feet deep. Stocked sonls
years ago with bass, it is Il sportsman
delight. A brief inspection among sotn'
trees on the edge of the water by Lev.
Courtman Elliott was followed by his an
nouncement that he had seen coon track
for be it known that MIR. Elliott is N
enthusiastic coon hunter. The road is in
lower boundary of Silver Lake, which i
simply new name for the confined water
of the Appoquinilnink. Below the rondwa
the river itself, which is an arm of the Della
ware, Gibbs and flows as OF yore. The dis
lance to the Delaware, as the crow flies
about six miles; as the Appoquinimin
runs, about Il miles.
, Along one side of Silver Lake lies tn
splendid farm of Mr.. Willis. Ii comprise
320 acres Driving through the farm, pas
I ing the tenant houses, Il keiter pear orchar
. and numerous other growing things, III
party arrived at Mr.. Willis residence
5 There the visitors were welcomed by Mr.
. Willis and Miss Laura Willis. and reste
on the broad porch. Soon the visitors We
+ invited to the diningroom, where they di
:, full justice to course dinner.
Dinner over, the trip was resumed. throul
Odessa, once grain shipping point befo
the railroad came and carried off that bus
ness. Levy Courtman Armstrong resides
Odessa and has store there. The TOW
boasts of canneries and creamery. eros
It ing the Appoquinimink again, the par
y passed the property of Elias n. Moore, o.
of the county school commissioners, al
r drove through Thompson's Corner, t
"a voting population of which is much
e evidence at Townsend on election day.
= Turning into the river road, what is sa
l. to be the highest point IN Delaware W
y reached from which view could be c
l. tanned Of the Delaware floating maiestica
I'd miles away. Nenr this point was obsery
lr one of the changes which time brings; wi
was once the lawn of the ]. B, Fenim,
property with its pressed brick gate posts
70 now used us Il potato patch. Further
II realized S5li, S95l and SLIGO respective
n in the last three years.
Fenimore 4 bridge was the next point
inspection. A causeway about fourth
mile long leads 10 the bridge, mars
being on eRch side, and the court
probably raise the road foot or so.
Ter SILVER RUN ROAD.
Silver Run road. the sinkhole of thousa
rs of dollars, spent, as his been said, tina
ia few children might get over TO school n
IN Port Penn by short route. The road INA
en the distance for them only half II mile
Tic so: whereas to get TO the school by the OF
I'm way would mean about eight miles. Oh
les is only about four miles away and unt
'rh the Visitors suggested that the child
might have been sent there. Or MS one
III the levy courtmen suggested, the cot
ave might have built school for the chic
ma and furnished II teacher. The cost of ST
Run road 10 the coun y in the past few y
is put ut $3l eco, There is about qua
OF mile of road built on marshy gro
and then a bridge about 2SS feet i
When the road was being made it took i
sit quantities Of dirt because the earth thr
yes in pushed out the mud below Tint ii
I'M always settle is a large probability,
the Courtman Chandler pointed out an .
OF of Judgment in the construction of the
8 OF money. By DETECTING from the PR
l6re r,nd the new road could easily have
The ,nnde 10 follow FIST land nearly to the lii
u TO the bridge, and hence all the marshy grt
alng would have been avoided. Of course,
has been done is done, and il remain
the make the best of II bad nieee of wei
more than one respect. Members of
ken, court felt yesterday that something will
TO be done to preserve the road even
enc, present shapD. Between the rCad unC
land sluica had been put in, but the '
lalo, was washed ont short roadway Owe
sluice and the latter does not appear
Jluy- doing any good. The high tides are wa
the east side of the road and it seel
Chi have fallen away appreciably i'll a few "
One solution of this pnr, of the problem
ynn- thought to be the building of ii sluice
fast land, and the closing up of the
arg. George W. Duncan. owner of the land
lcers asked if he had any objection to the
'at NJ going on his land and using his gray
this project. He replied that they coul
in thr sluice, but he did not care that
should tuke his property without payil
reot ii. The incident recalls the dispute be
S MIR. Duncan and the court concerning
oH', dirt furnished by him. He held that
'ut tract which provided that he should fl
ruch dirt for the road did not cover thut
rs at he had supplied in the case in question
this so he hnd claim against the Levy
Hos whieh thus Tar had not been 2, Above
present ii is in the hands of Henry G
rad, on behalf oil the court and 10
Rodney, on behalf of Duncan. One
gastion made yesterday was that the
lie Il, | abandon the new causeway and q
.uary with the fast land BY a short roat.
tbn Some attention was also paid to the
route Mii,cn srtas is,,itt in ac.srSancn vi
with specifications. and TINT although the !
elton CATIONS called for abutment5 of pilin