Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-10-11
MUNICIPAL Wharf
Seems Certainty
Council Will Name Com
mitttee to Act With Harbor
Board in Matter
NECESSITY OF
PROJECT SHOWN

As a result OF a conference between
City Council. as a committee OF the
whole and members OF the Harbor
Commission held last night. It is ex-
pected that steps will be taken at
once to develop wharf o-aihe
Christiana river While no action was
taken last night. A was evident that
the councilmen favored the project
outlined by the Harbor Commission
and at tonights meeting Of Council
a committee OF three Will be appoint
ed to cooperate with a COMMITTEES
from the Park Board and the Street
and Sewer Department and the Hai'-
Dor Board relative to compiling
definite plans for the wharf.
The Harbor Board last night sub
mitted 10 Council a very comprehen-
sive and lucid report on the subject
OF a municipal wharf, showing its
urgent necessity and what results i
would accomplish for the city II
was even urged as a war measure
that would more than justify the
cost, for by having It, e IS believed
the cost OF foodstufis N this city
would Do materially reduced
The Herbor Boards recommends
lions on the subject are summed NJ
in tho following excerpt of the repor
presented to Council last night:
Based on the results OF all OF OIL
Investigations IS meutionai heran
we strongly urge your favorable con
sidenation Of the following recon-
mendations 20 be put into EXECUTOR
wiehout delay, so as to be ready t
handle business before the. next frui
and vegetable season.
ITO construct a permanent con
crete bulkhead along the line estah
lished for such purposes by the UniteI
States government. beginning at
point on the easterly side OF the cit,
property recently leased by this boar
TO the Pussy & Jones Company, name
ly, approximately $50 feet east o
Spruce street, this new bulkhead 70 eN
tend easterly and northeasterly on Oh
government pier line until u reache
the southerly side of the propert.
owned by the Diamond Ice & Coal CO
and known as the Ten Weeges cca
yard This will require approximate
lily 535 nneal feet OF modern and pei
b manent concrete bulkhead and wi
provide ample berthing facilities q
all times for the type of vessels eI
| gagged in the above mentioned trad
which should come to Wilmington.
= front of the bulkhead the river shoul
d be dredged and the dredging deposi
y ed back OF the new bulkhead for Al
The building Of this new pier lin
Z operates to narrow the Christian
river at this point TO an extent col
S templated by the government eng
e neers, so that with the normal dred
IT ing conducted by the Joint city al
y government dredge. there should N
, be any extensive or rapid accumulate
Of silt IN front OF the proposed ne
y bulkhead.
n Concrete landing steps would
ID placed about every one hundred feet
the face Of the bulkhead wall A col
, crete pavement about twenty-fl'
l. feet wide, would extend from the bull
i head inland. Suitable rooted stru
d lures with open sides for reasonab
n protection from the elements and Il
e the rental use Of boat owners and pr
d duce merchants would extend over
x considerable section Of the new bull
head frontage. The estimate Of JOi
d Meigs, consulting engineer, for the co
r OF the dredging and filling, was a
g proximately $4,000.
ITO this the Board Of Harbor Col
lmissioners In its preliminary estimat
has added 90 per cent. as a cont
n gency and $4,000 for the erection
- suitable rooted structures. From the
y estimates we place the total cOnstru
It ton cost at approximately $4,000.
IS 1--WE also recommend the purcha
g., by the city Of the Diamond Ice q C'
j. Company property known as the 7
d Weeges yard, as well as a triangu
lie piece bounded on the south by Fro
n street, on the east by Church STR
and by the fence around the athle
field now owned by the p, B. & w.
ID r. Co.
OF by securing these two pieces
ON property the whole tract of riN
as front land lying between the pro
ell erty OF the Pussy and Jones Compa
by and Third street bridge will be mu
NO cipally owned and permit OF effect
and permanent development Of c
wharves for produce, excursl
? steamres and FOR park purposes.
From our general Information
or values. we believe that II may be p
It., sible to purchase these two pieces
ay land for less than $50 900, and the
n. fore submit TO your honorable be
IRE the question OF considering an out
nut during the next six months rougl
m estimated at about 100000. cover
the construction cost and also cost
acquiring OF the land on general III
Ss presented in this report"