Evening journal., 1918-07-16
NOISY CARS. BAD
Streets BANNED
Col. Sparks "Blows Up"
When Complaints Against
Trolley Co. Pile Up
ORDERS ONE TROLLEY
OUT OF sERVICE

Order Car No. IS taken on the
streets" directed President George w.
Sparks to the secretary OF the Street
and Sewer Department as the rumble
Of fiat wheels interrupted the course
OF the board meeting this morning.
The order was sent out at once, and
No. is, Of the dupont and King street
line, went back to the car barn before
lunch time, I'm disgrace.
The order was a suggestion to the
Wilmington and Philadelphia Traction
Company that the Street and Sewer
directors meant what they had said to
William a. Heindle, general superinten-
dent twenty minutes earlier. Mr.
lieindle and Mayor Lawson had come
INTO the meeting TO listen TO the bids
for the paving Of Delaware avenue.
President Sparks confronted Super
intendent Heindle with the following
long list Of locations where the traction
company had left paving between and
along their tracks in bad condition.
we are sorry to say that this board
has received many justified complaints
from the citizens whom we represent,
regarding the condition Of the paving
along and between your company's
car tracks" said Colon.> Sparks. Ian
caster avenue, west OF Union street. Is
literally impossible between the tracks.
Conditions there will break the springs
In an automobile, as | know from per-
sonal investigation. Conditions on
West Fourth street are approximately
the same, and Market street, north OF
Eleventh street Is just as bad. Front
street, In front OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad station, is horrible. We have
been promising the public and the rail-
road company better conditions at this
place for the past two or three years.
The conditions at Sixth and Union
streets and Seventh and Union streets
are deplOrable. The citizens are com
planning about an unnecessary track at
Ninth and Jefferson streets, and loose
joints at Eighth and Van Buren streets
which are sufficient 10. cause a passing
car 10 shake the houses. There Is COM
plalnt over a noisy crosseyer at Seven /
teenth and WOOdlawn avenue. The mo-
tormen at midnight pay no attention
whatever to the speed laws, or to the
amount Of noise they make. The paw
Ing along the tracks at Sixth md Pop
lar streets Is in bad shape"
President Sparks continued with con-
siderable warmth: zone OF the worst
.hlngs we have to contend with, and
which causes us the greatest concern,
Is the flat-wheeled cars. The public,
whose welfare we have to look out for,
ire complaining all over the city. The
cars are hammering our
new pavements TO pieces, and we are
not going to stand It. We shall be COM
PEELED to order the fat-wheeled cars of
he streets"
Mr.. Helndle noted down every loca-
Ion mentioned by the street board and
'eplied very briefly. He said they could
lot get the labor TO do the repair work, |
llthough they had put the prlcesup to |
% cents an hour. They could not getI
he men. He said they had had the |
ails since 1911 TO make the repairs in |
ront OF the Pennsylvania station and
he stone was cut. but they had waited
or the city TO repave there.
President Sparks said the city had /
lever been able TO get the money, but I
ince the new abutting paving tax law
las gone into effect, the property owns
re- and the traction company Will have
o bear all but a third Of the expense
nd the city Will now be able TO taks
are Of its share.
Mayor Lawson said that as a repre-
entative Of the citizens he wished to
SIX for repairs between Walnut and
french streets on Front street, so that
n the coming winter, citizens would
10 longer have TO wade through snow
nd water. The Mayor characterized
onditlons there as fierce" and Col
mel Sparks said it was the worst place
n Wilmington. Mr.. Heindle said the
ractiOn company was not all to blame,
S there was no gutter, and the drain
ge conditions were depl0rable.
President Sparks offered to the trac-
Ion company, the services OF a paver
nd gang employed by the city until
he city needed them for the Delaware
venue paving. Market street, north OF
he Brandywine, was also added to the
ST of bad places for the traction com
any TO look after.
President Sparks said he sympathized
,ith the difficulties encountered by the
-actlon company sin the present state
{ the labor market, but the public de-
landed improvements and the repairs
ad TO be made.
superintendent Heindle promised to
onfer with Thomas w. Wilson, vice :
resident and general manager Of the
action company, about the situation.
]