Evening journal., 1911-01-31
FOR BRIGHTER
MARKET STREET
Merchants Favor the Idea and
Lighting Plan Will be
Carried Gut
WILL DO AWAY
WITH WOODEN POLES

Following last evenings meeting Of
the Mercantile Committee of the
| Board of Trade and citizens, there re-
mains little doubt that Wilmington is
soon to enjoy the installation OF a
street lighting plan for Market street
which will convert that thoroughfare
into a great white way.
The fifty market street merchants
who attended the meeting on invita-
tion Of the Mercantile Committee, for
a discussion Of the lighting Of Mar
ket street and who should pay for a.,
we're impressed with the plan and tho
| comparatively small cost Among
! the gathering were some OF the city S
| foremost business men as we'll as
members OF the Street and Sewer De-
partment and representatives Of the
Wilmington and Philadelphia Trac-
tion Company.
Desmond NJ. Cronin, chairman of
the Mercantile Committee Of the
Board Of Trade. opened the meeting
and spoke of its object as being for
a discussion Of the project of light
/ ing Market street, what il was going
10 cost and who was to pay for It.
Following his address o. c. Purdy
was chosen as chairman of the meet
ing.
James II. Wright was the first man
who spoke at any length upon the pro-
posed lighting of the city's main busi-
ness street, and he told Of a proposi-
tion of the Wilmington and Philadel-
phla Traction Company for the light
ing Of the street between Front and
Tenth streets, which would probably
cost the merchants. or whoever was
10 pay for the lighting, about $500
per year. Mr.. Wright said that II
every merchant on Market street
would enter into this plan il would
not cost but about one-half a cent per
foot front each night. To do this
the lighting company would want tC
be secured by a three years contract
The plan was for the arrangements o.
the lights at equal distances on Mar
ket street and arranged in clusters.
Daniel Ross heartily oNiorsod thi
move for better street lighting, bu
he advocated erecting the lights Ions
the streets. placing FIVE single ones
where BY the method advanced by The
electric company, they would b'
placed further apart and in clusters
of four.
William J. Murgatroyd. OF Lippin'
colt and Company, said a few words
in which he voiced the approval o
the company which he represented fol
a more, beautiful lighting Of Market
street, and said that Lippincott and
Company would help TO further any
such move.
Mr. Wright said that IN his opinion
TO stretch the lights the way Mr.
Ross had suggested would bring j
greater expense and would probably
not make such a pretty effect as the
cluster method. To substantiate this
Mr.. Cronin produced photos Of the
main street of Savannah which is
equipped with the cluster plan OF
lighting, and all seemed favorably
impress with the appearance.
City Would Help.
George w. Sparks. president of the
Street and Sewer Department. asked
the assemblage If they had any idea
what the proposed lighting system
would cost. He said that Il was the
desire of the department to help ms
much as possible with the lighting
as the idea had been I'm their minds
for several years. but that the board
had ever been handicapped by tbs
lack OF funds TO put the plan through
He wanted TO know what amount
would be pledged by the Market
street merchants for the three-yeai
guarantee He further displayed
Continued on Second Page)