Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-20

| Ton, ny securing tileSt supplies At cheap
er rates. BY careful publicity and busi-
ness management, this board believes
that many small freight boats now carry
ing perishahlc food products to Phla-
delphia from Delaware river points and
| tributaries, would see the value of dis
charging at the proposed new Whining
| ton wharves The facilities which arc
| planned should attract such frelgbterS
and Wilmington should unquestlonably
provide n ready and reasonably priced
market for their products. 1T rs unutles-
| toned that the citizens of Wilmington
| have suffered seriously during a period of
! rapid growth of our city by not having
such water transportation iacliiiies open
| for the purpose of bringing fresh food pro
duets from the numerous tributaries ot
the Delaware river, both on the Deia-
ware and the New Jersey sides. direct 10
Wilmington doors by the most economic
form of transportation known.
This board anticipates that the care
and attention, maintenance and upkeep
of such wharves should he provided for
out of receipts from charges for docking,
storage. etc, which will be made and col
lected by the Board Of Harbor Commis-
sioncrs, and transmitted To the city
treasurer, monthly, IN accordance with the
Iiarbor Board act
The Board Of IIarbor Commissioners
has had complete detailed engineering
survey of the property prepared by our
consulting engineer, John Alelgs, and a
full set Of plans for bidding and construc-
ton have been drafted to provide the
exact knowledge necessary for accruatc
| estimate of costs, aud to proceed with hte
work This board has somewhat enlarged
| its plans. providing IN lis estimates for
| the complete street construction ncecs-
| sarv ut the intersection of Front and
| Church streets, lvlng adjacent to, and
| Immediately To the rear. OF the proposed
| produce wharf, and also including cstlm-
/ atcs for acquiring a circular section oi
| property from the Pennsylvania Railroad
! Company IN order to round up the street
| Improvement and allow ample room foI
| trucking III the rear of the proposed
/ wharf
The plans also provide Tor the most
| modern type of concrete bulkhead, of the
| class of construction which normally On
! dures for from 30 to 100 wears with q
| minimum Of maintenance, and At the
| front Of such concrete bulkhead, II has
| provided one section for insert steps suit
! able for unloading the smallest type oi
| truck boats NJ all tides and III another
/ section il has provided tor movable gang
| WAYS. which can be- raised and lowered t.
/ meet tidal conditions tor the prompt and
| easy unloading OF such freight These on
| largcmenta of the original contemplated
! plan taken IN conjunction with increase N
| costs OF labor and material during tho
past / > months require that approximate
/ II $50. 900 will have To be provided for
/ the complete erection of these wharves
sheds, streets and additional property
acquisition The Board of fiarhor Com
misSioncrs bases this estimate mainly on
information IN four different estimate
received from responsible wharf contract
0rs The lowest 0f these estimates. based
upon the detailed Mcigs specifications.
amounts to S107 900, the next amounts 70
| Sl2S, fS5 The other two arc much IN cx-
reSs, ranging about 100000 to $4,000.
These estimates were made Just prior
to the closing of the war, and the lowest
ono should safely hc counted upon to
provide outside figures during the CondI-
lions likely to prevail IN the early part OF
1919 VIC believe from this information,
even though taking account OF probable
rcccdsng costs If construction for some
months 10 come, which the city OF vii
nington will be able . benefit by, that
We should not reduce our estimate of total
costs below $4,000 in order 10 safely
allow for contingencies and the small land
purchase net covered by contractors
estimates.
Tins board mas been IN consultation with
the Street and Sewer Department Com
inISsIouers respecting construction, main
1cnance cleaning and other questions aft
tectlug the sections OF Front and Church
streets Immediately 10 the rear of the
proposed wharf which would be utilized
~ a plaza in this improvement Tho
Street and Sever Commissioners advise
that he general plan. 50 far as it affects
the street situation. Is agreeable t. their
board. that they Will enter into airy rcil-
sonablc and JOINT arrangements with the
Harbor Board that may bc deemed mutu-
ally advisable to properly take care Of this
Improvement. and IN accordance with
proper lines of jurisdiction approved by
the citx solicitor
As a division Of the general plan, the
liarbor Board therefore recommends the
immediate construction of these produce
wharf facilities that they may be ready for
use bv early summer Of 1919, and further
recommends, IN accordance with the act
creating the Board OF Harbor CommIs-
siouers, that the City Council approve Of
;tnd authorize an issue of city bonds to the
amount Of $4,000 10 provide for this
outlay.
PASSENGER STEAMER Wharf
The ChrlstIana Park property in
Guiding the Ten Neeges coal yard. re
Gently acquired for the use of the Board Of
Park Commissioners, forms an excellent
wharf frontage for economic use as a
landing place for passenger traffic Of the
class contemplated under this division, the
report continues. These properties, under
the jurisdiction Of the Board Of Park
Commissioners. lie immediately to the
northeast Of the city properties upon
which ii is proposed to erect the new pro-
duce wharf If II could be arranged for the
Board of Harbor Commissioners to take
jurisdiction over a bulkhead front Of u
depth Of approximately Is feet, 30 that
this front could be later improved in keep
ing with designs approved by the Board Of
Park Commissioners, il should provide
this clty facility at All excellent location
The location is good
First, because it connects immediately
with the street cars at Third street
bridge and also with the car lines that
come INTO Fourth street
Second suitably developed park
property With paths and general park
accommodations would be an excellent
adjunct to . city-owned passenger and cx-
cuTslon wharf landing and such property
would therefore become Of double ad-
vantage IN providing city facilities
Third The proposed excursion wharf
landing, fronting the park property al
joins the proposed produce wharf This
roDd ton will permit economic combined