Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-03-08

The Street and Sewer Department has
decided to drain all of the lowlands in
he Eleventh street bridge section Of the
Ninth ward which are now con-
covered with water, and also
10 abolish the run which goes through
that section, incidentally doing away with
the bridges at Fourteenth and Fifteenth
and Claymont streets, which are an ex-
pense to the department and an annoy
snee to the travelling public.
The aim is to make the sanitary con-
ditions Of that section of the city better
tban they have been, and to encourage
building The lowlands there, which
contain many stagnant ponds in summer,
are sources Of a great deal of complaint
and because Of them building operations
in that immediate locality have been re-
tarded n
After a thorough discussion on the
subject the directions of the department
have instructed George Rommel Jr., the
engineer in charge of sewers, to get out
plans for the proposed improvements,
immediately. and he is now at work on
them. It is likely that he will be able
10 give an estimate of the cost at the
be held next Tuesday. The board has
determined 10 60 ahead with the work
without delay, notwithstanding the fact
that its finances are low, as it considers
this one of the imperative necessities
which confront it and also in view of the
fact that the liens are likely to pay the
the cost of construction.
II is proposed to run a 24-inch sewer
from Vandever avenue and Heald street,
which is one block west of Claymont,
down Head to Fourteenth, thence to
Locust, where it will connect with the
outlet Of Price Run sewer, which was
built some time ago, the idea being to
change the flow of the water, now running
through a natural waterway in an easterly
direction, so as to turn It to the west,
thus making it unnecessary for the water
to cross ClaymOnt and Fourteenth streets
and through exposed bitches as at present.
The new sewer will be exceptionally
deep. running from Is to 25 feet below
4 he level of Vandever avenue, which Will
4 be Of ample depth to take care of all of
the water which is now giving so much
trouble there. II is proposed to tap the
pond on Vandever avenue near Claymont
street and drain It, as well at the ponds
south of Nandever avenue, which will re-
claim that section, so that it can be used
for building purposes. Some Of it is
pretty low and some filling in may be
required but that will be an after con-
sideration, when the water Is out Of the
way
What is known as Prices Run sewer
Vas built several years ago, for the pur-
pose Of taking care Of the water then
Towing through the natural waterway
known as Price Run, a rivulet draining
all Of the section of the city northwest
Of Vandever avenue and Claymont street,
as far back as the Baltimore & Ohio rail-
road, which is the western boundary of
that section Of the city The outlet Of
the big sewer is at Locust street, at which
point it empties into the Brandywine.
The sewer has a branch east of Locust
street in Twenty-second, which is in
tended for the house and surface drainage
in that section. but all of the water Of
4 the run was not turned into the sewer
until this week. when a connection was
made at Twenty-eighth and Market streets
While this takes care of the drainage
above the sewer it does not take care OF
the surface water coming from the ter.
ntory in the vicinity of Vandever avenue
4 Thatcher, Heald and Claymont streets
hence the decision of the Street and Sewer
Board TO build an additional sewer con
Meeting with it. A sewer is now in Van
dever avenue, but it has been found. upor
investigation. that the water referred tC
could not be turned into il, because tn,
tall Is the wrong way. The directors
took up the subject recently and about
decided 10 reverse the fall of the Nandevel
avenue sewer, so that the water could b,
carried of, but. as a result of an investiga
cation by Engineer Rommel, they founc
hat II would be advisable TO allow the
Nandeyer avenue sewer to remain as. al
present. and construct a new one, as out
lined above. II would cost about $1,000
70 make the suggested change in th'
Nandever avenue sewer, and there would
30 no financial return, as the properties
along It have already been liened, bu
10 the case Of the new sewer the reyenuI
Will probably be sufficient to pay thi
cost and the result will be much NOR
satisfactory.
At present the water referred to run
through the section between Ihatche
and Claymont streets and goes acros
ulaymont at Fifteenth, Immediately bacl
Of No. II School, which has suffered
great deal because of water From thl
me school the stream runs south acros
ourteenth street, thence to the low
ENDS east of the right of way Of TN
E Philadelphia, Baltimore d. Washington
lsliioad, causing trouble not only ives
the railroad. but also in the section
sist of the railroad, where the strean
Nlen oyerliows its banks. 1t is proposes
. carry this water in the opposite di
ecton into the Brandywine through th
nee Run sewer outlet and it will no
eaen the railroad right of way
Aside from the sanitary phase Of thi
move 1t will be otherwise beneficial Il
le street and Sewer Department. Stree
Commissioner Pierson, who has charge O
ne bridges at Fourteenth street, says h
lss had a great deal of trouble in hi
lorts to keep them in good shape, an
never knows when they are going Z
damaged TO the extent of being dan
eious. Besides the wear and tear G
lallc, the bridges are sometimes mutt
sea by people in search of lirewooc
70 carry off railing planking. &c, on
s necessary TO keep a very close watc
y the bridges or the city will find itse
'u'ionted by damage suits because