Evening journal., 1913-09-03
TRY TO FIX
DAMAGES FOR
BRIDGE WORK


Judge Herbert L. Rice for the appoint
ment of a commission to con denim the
approach to the proposed Third street
bridge in Christiana Park which land
is now held under lease by the Board
of Park Commissioners.
Richard Reese presided at the meet
ing of the commission this morning in
the grand jury room at the Court
House In opening the session Mr..
Reese said the commission had moth
ing TO do SO far as the difference OF
opinion as to the location of the ap-
proach Members of the Park Board,
Levy Court, A. d. Poole and T. NJ.
Hopes Jr chief engineer Of the Water
Department. City Engineer Taylor,
County Engineer Wilson and Park I'm
gneer Mack were in attendance J..
Jackson peirce of the Public Utility
Commission was an interested spccta-
tor.
City Solicitor Daniel o. Hastings
represented the city in various inter-
ests They are those of the Water De
partment. the Street and Sewer De-
partment and the Park Commission.
Two years ago the Water Department
waived all claims for damages growing
out of the erection OF the bridge as the
Levy Court agreed TO remove the water
main. An agreement will be enterd into
btween the city and the Levy Court.
The Street and Sewer Department
objects to the loss of Third and Bridge
streets. The case of the Park Com
mission will be presented In addition
the Street and Sewer Department and
Park Commission object to the taking
of the land at am price A point of
law may be passed upon it by the court.
Chief Engineer Taylor of the
Street and Sewer Department was
the first witness called The obiec-
ton, he understood was the cross
ing Of Third and Bridge streets Mr..
Taylor said the approaches, as sug-
gested would destroy the streets He
had made no estimate of the dam
age. He was not certain If the bed Of
Bridge street was owned by the city.
Samuel II. Baynard said he was
familiar with the Christi8na Park.
He said the Park Commission holds
a lease on the land which is owned
by the P r. r. Company and is now
being used as playground.
Mr. Baynsrd said the Park Com
mission considers the park absolute
" necessary He thought another
park site on the east side of the city
would cost at least 100000 Mr.
Baynard said the boards lease on the
property expires after FIVE years. Mr..
Baynard did not think the land was
necessary as the site for the bridge
approach.
Mr. Walker. counsel for the Levy
Court said it was a fact that under
the lease the railroad company could
take the park and still maintain its
water pipes and escape $4,000 a
year water rent.
Suppose" asked Mr.. Walker, only
one half of the park is used as the
bridge approach. Would you still
say the park would be destroyed? p
Mr. Baynard said he felt so.
Mr. Wilson said the approach dis
appears one half way across the
park. He considered the lease a
mortgage on the ground for life time.
Park Engineer Mack was examined
about the crossing Of the railroad
tracks at Fourth and Third streets.
He referred to the plans of the
former Levy Court for the bridge ap-
proach, and believed the plan would
be beneficial and only eight feet OF
land would be needed along Third
street under the plan. To Mr..
Walker, Mr.. Mack said under the old
plan Bridge street would be closed.
II would be necessary for all the
people coming over the Christiana to
60 to Church up Church to Fourth
and then down to Phillips and
Thompson Company place because
Bridge street would be closed Under
the old plan a retaining wall would
be necessary in front of the Diamond
State Steel Company plant
Irene DUPONT said the value of the
lease for twenty years would be
$4,000 He believed the bridge
could be built at its present site.
County Engineer Wilson. who was the
first witness for the Levy Court explain
ed the plan Of the new bridge ap-
proaches Considering the benefits to be
derived, Mr.. Wilson did not believe the
city Of Wilmington would be damaged
much by the approaches going upon the
park land
Mr.. Wilson said there would still re-
main two sections Of the park grounds.
Assuming that the city would not be al
lowed to use these sections. Mr. Wilson
could not estimate the damage to the
Park Commission for its lease The
Levy Court would need only one-ffth of
the ground. In place of Bridge street,
the Levy Court suggested the opening
of new street 10 Fourth.
Charles W. Gooding, a member of the
Levy Court, did not believe any damage
would he done to the city by the bridge
approach. He thought the plan would
be beneficial in several ways. rs the
Levy Court will maintain the park. To
Mr.. Hastings Mr. Gooding said the park
is really not park. as there are only
ten trees and three benches there Mr.
Gooding said il was the idea of the
county to take control of the park out
Of tho hands Of the Park Commission,
which he said is not caring properly for
the place. and putting it in the hands
of the Levy Court. that proper care
could be given the property
Assuming that the Levy Court would
fence in this park. what would be the
damages ?" asked Mr. Hastings
Mr.. Gooding said the question was
equal to the railroad running its tracks
across the park. The park at present
Is a dangerous place, he thought
Alfred d. Moore of the real estate
firm Of Gibbons and Moore, was a
member of the former commission
He believed the Park Commission
should be allowed nominal damages
and what had been spent on the park
General Manager J. f. Walker, OF
the Malleable Iron Company, said as
a park ground there would be no
damage. As a baseball and football