Evening journal., 1915-11-20

to time. with valuable tracts Of and.
which are Incorporated into the park
system.
Thus he donated seventy-eight OF the
eighty-nluo acres comprising Rockford
Park. and the entire l0S acres Of Ala
pocas Woods. besides various other
acres Incorporated in the parks. lie
loves the children and gave them Wood
lawn Park, Stapler Park and Grant Ave-
nue. Play Lots, small parks OF four,
three and two acres, respectively
Wilmington Is unique in possessing a
citizen willing TO serve thrty-two years
as member and head OF the Park Com
mission and ready and able to give
large and valuable tracts of land. II is
no wonder. therefore that the vener-
able president has influenced the park
system of his native city. and that
every school child and every man and
woman IN Wilmington is grateful to
William p. Bancroft for what he has
DONE is doing and is planning for them.
For nine years President Bancroft
has been ably assisted by Mr.. Edward
II. Mack. the engineer and superin-
tendent
The future has been taken into care
ful considerable and a number OF
park additions projected by President
Bancroft and his associates. In the
northeastern part of the city, north OF
Vandever Avenue and east Of Market
Street. a park covering several blocks,
and on the southwest boundary Of the
city limits about 40 acres. shaped some
what like an hourglass. are embraced
IN the new park project From the
latter broad boulevard is projected.
running west OF Union Street. almost
due north, TO connect with the present
Park Drive, which will, when acquired
and laid out, afford driveways around
the western boundary OF the city and
along the Brandvwine.
Wilmington makes an annual appro-
pration OF $4,000 for the maintenance
and care OF it's parks. and last year
the appropriation and various revenues
brought the total FIND UP co So, ,S26.6e.
OF which Ni.l39.iO was expended for
maintenance and Improvement, leaving
a balance OF Sii,1s7.59.
Woodlawn Improvement Co.
one Of ths most remarkable and sue
cessfui experiments in housing which
has an conveniences and modern inn
provemcnts. Is ths Woodlawn property.
built and owned by the. Woodlawn linz
provcment Company, OF which W. u.
Bancroft is the head. a large parcel
OF land. between Union Street and Cleve-
a
was built on with one and two-family
apartments, renting from $40 To $40 q
month. and all the profits arc used by
the Woodlawn Improvement Company
IN public benefits. This settlement con-
tains accommoda atoms for about 500 fam
lies, and was established nine years
ago. II Is "a model in every respect,
and Wilmington is proud Of it.
Streets and Sewers.
Few cities. considering all the con
ditions. have so many well-paved and
handsome thoroughfares. The Board OF
Street and Sewer Commissioners, head
ed by President George W. Sparks. con-
sists Of three men. each qualified eN-
perts in matters pertaining TO munich
pal improvements.
When IL Is considered that the area
OF the city is i0.iS square miles, and
that this area contains grand total
OF i67 miles Of improved and unim-
proved streets. Of which approximately
20 are paved, IL will be seen that VIII
mington has good streets Against i61
miles Of streets. there are i22.3S miles
OF sewers. an eloquent comparison.
Water Department.
The water used by the city is pur-
I veyed by a board Of three commission
ers AIR r. Allen Hilles being president
The plant is valued at sl0,0oo.0oo. and
there are 1878 miles OF water pipes OF
which l0siS feet are iS-inch pipe
Wilmington has an unlimited supply
OF excellent water pumped from the
Brandywine at the admirable pumpiEe
station at sixteenth and King Streets
AT the Porter Reservoir, half mile
north OF the city limits filtration beds
are situated and all water used In WI
minTton is filtered,
The water supply OF Wilmington
drains an area OF SeO square miles abov'
the intake and that portion OF the
drainage area within the state is thor
ouchly inspected The water flows b,
gravity 10 the preliminary filters. eacf
49, BY 100 feet. the medium he'ni
gravel. coke and sponge, the watel
passing upward through these fltel
beds The water is then pumped int
the settling reservoir. which has ca
paclty OF thrty-five million gallons
Thence the water flows BY gravity 10
/ the final filters. which are regular Ems
lish slow sand filters operating at ths
rate Of six 10 eight million gallons per
acre per DAY.
City and County Buildings.
The completion Of the new City and
County Building marks a great stride
For q century, or longer. municipal at
fairs have been conducted in the ven-