Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-11
CITY WHARF LEASE
UNDER DISCUSSION
Councilmen Tell Park Commission
ers That Wilson Line Usurps
Rights of the Public.

The meeting Of the Board of Park
Commissioners yesterday was the scene
of n rather heated discussion, when
George + Lyon. president Of City Coun-
ell, and James " Robertson. chairman
of the finance committee of Council.
took an active part IN opposing the special
privileges which they claimed the WI
mngton Steamboat Go. enjoyed AZ the
park waterfront near Fourth street
wharf. which Is leased by the company
Captain Horace Wilson. head of the
steamer company, was present ana ne
placed before the bonrd blue PRINT oi
the wharfage IN order 10 show that the
length Of their boats required them 10
Use part of tho park which was not
included IN the lease. The two Council
men present objected to this, insisting
that. rs the part Of the wharf under
discussion was part nf the public parks
Of the city, any citizen should have the
right to tie his boat there without beng
intrrfercd with by any individual or
corporation The matter was brought 10
the attention of tho board at the last
regular meeting. when President Iyon
complained Of the liberties he saId the
company had taken IN placing unsightly
piles ON the part Of the wharfage not
tftf&fl ~ VIII ~ htif' KA ftttt''t''iF
ercised bv the steamboat company over
the Same bit II wharf
II developed during the discussion hat
the total wharfage IN Wilmington does
not bring as much revenue 10 the CITY Us
eIns4 one whnrf IN Chester and that al
the Wilson Line Is paving Tor The entire
wharfage they are ustng from ne ioof 9f
Fourth street to the Third street bridge vas
strn q year Councilman i.Von safd
that he objected to the leasing of pubic
land to q private corporation under al
circumstances but that hc would cer-
tainIy not move his boat # he were told
10 move away bv m official Of the Wilson
Line Go Councilman Robertson con
cured with him in his opinion
Although the affair was thoroughly
ventilated nj the meeting no definite
action resulted from the discussion for
or against the company The MATTER
y Ia 30 taken up at tho next meeting
Of the board
George II Mc(,ovcrn president and
John - Thompson, Ir architect and
| chwf engineer of the Liberty housing
{ onpany. appeared before the meet
| ing of the hoard and took ap Nth be
| commission tho matter ii constructing
| a park drive around the development ~ II
| southwestern part of tho CITY he prop
| crty of tie Liberty Housing Companv :
| bounded FOR great distance by park iand
and as the ptans oi h. park board con-
| tnmplated the construction % . drive
along tho boundary hne of the park
the officers Of The Liberty Housing on-
panv have endeavored 70 preserve' thi-
| drive and III some Instances nave - laid
| II out that il viii tc on their property
| II was 10 adjust the lines and - deter
mine the methpd and by whom I ne drive
| was 10 bc const rlctcd and maintained
that this Vas fully discussed ] ne repro.
sentatIvcs of the housing company as
sured the park board hat All their pfan.
were. completed and ready for submission
| to the cIts authorities for their approx
al The result 81 he meeting vas tha
the Board of Park commissioners re
! auested that the officers 0f rhe l.lserty
Housing COMPANY prepare n draWlnl
! showing the proposed drive n Ietai
! with the amount oi grading and prnbabi'
cost
The executive committee reporf snow
eel that
Fairgrounds have opened 1t Della
! morp kIrkwood and South brandywnt
Parks. and AT Fourth and Pine streets
Sixteenth and Walnut strects. Iobdel
and Heald streets and vent t-StconQ ailt
| Spruce streets
Ninety b.aseball games have heen pia y.
ed on park grounds this season, with an
attendance OF 5.5tI>
Eight plcnlcs have been hold Iuring
June. with IN attendance Of l,3li
seven lawn festivals were IN ne dif-
ferent parks
! The attendance Al rhe swimming
pools have been as follows
Brandywine Men. pay. 67S free. p
III Women Pay. 554. free, 056. To
tai. l.>Q2 Receipts Sl05.20
Delamore Men. Tree. ,55o. Women
free. 2S7 Total, isis
Walnut Men, free. i9S. Women
| Free .2l3 Total. I'LL
kirhwood Men free, 6.o1S NomeI
Free. l.SlI Total. >,f92
Total Men pay. 61N. frec, i5.i46
/ Women Pay, 35t. free $50, total
| I9,S4e, total receipts SI052o.