Evening journal., 1907-01-18
CITY, rs YEARS OLD TO-DAY, is
RICH IN ALL ITS POSSESSIONS
CONTINUED From First Pase.)

and called the city Of Wilmington.
From 1882 to 1S43 the mayor was
elected by Council for three years, but
in 1S43 the term was shortened to one
Since 1850 the mayor has been elected
by the people.
Richard H. Bayard was elected the
first mayor in 1882. In 1869 the Of
fee Of alderman was abolished. From
1882 to 1868 the president of Council
was elected by the members and since
1858 he has been chosen by the people
Since 1871 the city has been divided
into two districts with an assessor for
each. From 1882 to 1883 the mayor
was the sole police and committing
magistrate, but on June /, 1888, the
City Court was established by an act
Of the Legislature. Walter Cummins
was appointed by Governor Stokes to
be first judge OF the court and Henry
r. Pennington was first clerk
The department Of engineers and
surveying was created by an ordinance
Of City Council on January 5, 1871
Daniel Farra was the first chief en-
gineer
The First Town Hail.
The first town hall was built in 1774
over the west end Of the Second Street
Market House, which had been built
some years previous. 1t was demol-
ished in 1895 after the present building
was erected. Joseph Tatnall on the
5th month, 22d day, 1898. gave to the
citizens OF the town a clock TO be
paced in the city hall, also $500 to
/ purchase a bell. The bell struck the
hour until 1873, when it was placed in
charge Of the Delaware Historical So
ciety, which later gave II to the Phoe-
nix Fire Company, which organization
still retains it.
The city hail was an important
building where all the principal assoc
Citations held their meetings. On Oc-
tober 26, 1924, a banquet was given
there to Lafayette. The record of
Wilmington and Willingtown is re
plete with interesting incidents Of ;he
people who made the city There was
much wealth in the old community and
! the owners We're much given to invest
ing IL in fine houses and furniture.
This accounts for many OF the fine old
mansions that now grace the city.
Wilmington To-day.
From the little tract of land obtain
cd from the Dutch in 1881 by Thomas
/ Willing. from which Wilmington grew
the city has grown into a town of 10.1S
square miles of territory. It has a
population Of s5,49S, as near as can be
determined, which represents a popula-
ton Of 1862 souls per acre. About 49,
600 dwellings are distributed in the
twelve wards Of the city and the as
sessed value Of real estate is estimated
at $47,OOO,0O0.
| Wilmington's excellent fire depart
ment consists OF twelve companies
with 1850 members and contains the
following pieces Of apparatus: Eleven
engines four chemicals, two trucks, 8
Combination hose and chemical wag-
ons and several hose wagons. -Four
steamboat lines and four railroads
touch here. with 1877 passenger trains
passing through the city daily. Two
street railway companies operate
within the city's confines and have
33 is miles Of track. Wilmington is
also noted for it's many telephones. one
house in almost every ten being sup
piled with such an instrument.
There are nine newspapers. eighty
twenty public schools. In the lat
ter there is an average daily attend
ance of children OF 11,009, and an ad
ditional 775 attend the seventeen paro-
chial and private institutions Of the
city. The city has invested in schools
the sum Of s93S,756 and has 269.6S acres
of park land, valued at $4,000 There
is also a free public library containing
$4,000 books The city owns its water
works costing $1.750OO0 and Is about
to expend another million in this di-
rection. There are $3.50 miles Of
streets, go miles of which are improved
As a manufacturing centre Whining
ton is known the world over. particu-
larly In the manufacture Of paper
making machinery and leather and in
the construction Of railroad and street
railway cars and in boat building
There Is invested in manufacturing en-
terprises the immense sum Of sSO,00O,-
000. and the annual pay roll reaches
$9.750, 600.
The present city officials are:
Mayor-Horace Wilson.
Chief Of Police-George Black.
City Treasurer-Charles II. Blaine.
city solicitor-Sylvester ID. Town
send. Jr.
Deputy City Solicitor-H. L. Rice.
City Clerk--Thomas S. Lewis.
City Auditor--B. L. Spence.
City Engineer-George II. Bough
man.
Collectors Of Taxes-George II. Nc
lCall and Eugene M. Sayers.
Clerk Of Markets-Joseph c. Moore
Inspector of Oils-D. +. Stewart
Meat Inspector-Isaac Miller.
Inspector Of Milk-James Thompson
Building Inspector-William NJ. Con
nelly.
City Council.
: c. NJ Leitch, president; Thomas
, Lewis. clerk. and George w. Anderson
bailiff Members Of Council: Firs
ward. Howard d. Ross; Second. Mich
ael ]. Cannon; Third. ID. w. Lynch
Fourth James Kane; Fifth, Home
Simmons; Sixth, Thomas E. Postles
Seventh, William Taylor; Eighth, viii
liam White; Ninth, William Lyons
5 Tenth. Joseph f. McCafferty; Elev
lenth, John J. McGovern, and Twelfth
lRichard c. McMullin.
Morris n. Webb and family ar
fyuesfs OF Mr. and Mrs e. f. Wood h