Evening journal., 1905-10-06
RAILROAD WANTS
STREET VACATED
Matter Brought to the Atten-
ton of Board of Trade.
Referred to a Committee
A, c, GRAY MAKES A STATEMENT

A, {, GRAY MAKES A STATEMENT |
AT the meeting Of the Board OF
Trade last night A. l.. Johnson, presi-
dent Of the Street and Sewer Commis- /
sion, brought to the attention of the
board the request Of the Pennsylvania /
Railroad Company to have the city va
oate the bed Of water street
from French to Popular. to make
necessary room Tor the proposed new
station. II was referred to the COM
mittee on navigation and Transports
tion to report back on Monday night.
The committee consists Of Col Horace
Wilson, chairman; ID. r.. Marvel. c. E.
Kingston VIM. c.. Cox. willard Thomp-
son, Captain Edwin Kershaw, William
Lawton.
, Mr.. Johnson explained that It was
a matter of Importance 70 the people
OF Wilmington and as the railroad de-
sired an answer at once the Street and
. Sewer Directors desired TO hear the
views Of the Board of Trade on the
subject
John c. Gray also a member Of the
p Street and Sewer Department said
e the directors did not want to unload
5 their duties on the Board of Trade. but
s thought they should bring this matter
p TO the attention Of the Board Of Trade.
s Mr.. Gray said hat he favored making
Z a trade with the railroad company to
the effect that the street be vacated If
j., the railroad agrees to stop every train
, which passes through Wilmington. He
= said that In 1881 the city spent S62 600
. 10 widen Water street to allow the
three railroads to use it and not one
cent Of that amount had been return
: ed to the city. He said the railroad
should either pay back that money or
e agree to stop all trains here.
'- The stoppings OF every train. Mr.
e Gray said. would be a big advertise
- ment for the city. He contended there
l. were number of trains that did not
a stop now and he understood more
Is would go through without stopping
when the elevated road is completed.
Horace G. Knowles was Of the opin-
ion that such an agreement was made
when the railroad started work on the
elevated but Mr.. Gray said Il had not
Both William p. Bancroft and A. d
Warner thought II would be unwiss
u anu AHiNaN W HHNhAAN sum N AANAN W
the railroad. Mr.. Warmer said while
there We're a few trains that did no
y stop second sections are run about five
minutes hehind them for the benefit o
Wilmington passengers.
II on motion OF Mr.. Knowles the mat
tier was referred to the transportation
committee.
COUNsEL's STATEMENT.
Andrew c. Gray. counsel FOR th'
Philadelphia. Baltimore and Washing.
ton Railroad Company, was shown thi.
! morning the report In a morning paper
Of the proceedings OF the Board OF
Trade meeting last night, concerning
3 the request of the railroad company tc
e have the city vacate the bed of Water
e street from French 10 Poplar street
n Mr. Gray. after reading the article
n stated that there were several miscon-
g. ceptions as TO the facts relating tC
n Water street among the people OF
d Wilmington. which should be correct
e ed. ell said:
II have, within the last month. beer
through every record Of the city o
!. Wilmington; also the files of the pub.
lie press Of the city Of Wilmington fol
the year 1872. at the time when Water
street was widened and Railroad ave.
nue. was laid out. and when the cit,
,e expended for such widening of Wate
"A street and laying out Of Railroad ave
i nue. over 100000. The public records
/, OF the city OF Wilmington. as we'll al
the reports of this Improvement con
tained in the newspapers Of Whining
- ton at that time. show several thing
ie very clearly. First. the widening o
y. Water street was west of Frencl
ID street and the city did not spend
dollar upon any widening or improve
be ment of Water street east of Frencl
street
So far from the city's spending an.
money at this or any other time. in tn
widening or improvement of Wate
street east Of French. the railroal
company. at its own expense, opene
A Water street. from Walnut street eas
of Poplar. over land which the railroa
IN company owned in fee simple, i'm tn
year 1S45, and so far as the public hav
had any rights over this portion o
/. Water street, they have been ever sine
il was opened. by permission of tn
railroad company. The terms of thi
permission are contained in a writte
agreement. made between the railroa
company and the city of Wilmington
on the 18th day Of December 1S45
One Of the terms OF this agreemen
el was that the railroad company coull
m lrescind its permission to the public q
'y luse its land as an extension of Waite
he street. from Walnut TO Poplar street
a and resume the exclusive use and pos
az session thereof at any time, giving on
Is years notice.
NJ The railroad company are asking tn
city 10 take proper steps to vacate 1T
al luse Of this portion Of the railroad com
y lpanys property as a street. for on
a. purpose only-to enable the railroa
company to complete its Improvement
lat its station IN Wilmington and Civ
q. 1.-The citizens the benefits OF its new sta
e ton and elevated road at as early
en- Nate as possible and not compel tn
'a people of Wilmington to wait an add
te ltional year without n new station. A
'n TO the amount Of $4,000, which was re
ferred TO by the Board of Trade at II
meeting last night as having bee
spent by the city of Wilmington in tn
10. widening and improving of Wate
s. street. this amount was spent in wild
SIS ening Water street from the west sid
.y. lof French street westerly and the lay
he ing out Of a new street beyond n
he western end OF Water street, calle
e. Railroad avenue. The records of II
city the discussions i'm the public pre.