Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-12
DELAWARE AVENUE
Continued from page I

1
''The vchicular and trolley car traffic
on Delaware avenue is by no means con
gcsted, rs the following actual count Will
show: Taken Friday, December last,
for one hour, between 4.45 and 5.45
O'Clock p. m, weather temperate, avenue
dry and free from snow and ice, vehicles
of all kinds, including trolley cars, passing
IN both directions between Jackson and
Van Buren, streets 279. which Is less
| than FIVE per minute. The above total Is
made up rs follows: Trolley cars, ~;
horse-drawn vehicles 26; auto-trucks'
| 27; pleasure and light-delivery automo-
biles 1877 East of Washington street
traffic Is greater, but is diverted over
| Washington street at that point.
AS ! understand, the proposed new
building and curb lines on the north sac
and the new curb line on the south side oil
| the avenue are necessary To carry out q
| plan for separating the east and west
bound trolley tracks between Tatnall and
| Van Buren, streets, which plan has been
| proposed to your department by gentle-
man for whom | have high regard, VIZ:
| Clearance between either curb and trolley
l.cars s feet: this space To be tor parking,
leaving another space IN the middle ot the
street. 81 feet 6 inches clearance between
east and west-bound trolley cars Tor
straight-away traffic, all kinds, fast and
slow The above arrangement Will bring
the tracks Il feet closer To the south side
buildings and IL feet, 3 inches closer To the
north side buildings. This most serious
objection by abuttlng property residents
is accomplished by destroying the beauty
of Delaware avenue in cutting down
every tree between Just east OF Jefferson
street and Van Buren, street, curtaling
III. lauyne anI
uuenty damaging and depreciating
property of a residential section of our
city.
The above plan of trolley tracks, |
believe would be dangerous both To the
operation of trolley cars and vehIcilar
ira fiic at all points under certain condi-
tiuns, but particularly so where the tracks
are to converge at Tatnall and Van Buren
streets
AS Delaware avenue is soon to he re-
paved and entire new railway construction
put in. | would respectfully suggest as a
substitute for the pending resolution that
when this work Is done 5 feet, 9 inches he
taken from each of the north and south
sidewalks, leaving them l. feet from
building line to curb. the same as proposed
IN the pending resolution. This | feet,
q inches would be added 10 the present
roadbed, making Just one-third more
additional width between curbs Place the
trolley tracks III the middle Of the road
way. with the usual 1 feet between east
and west-bound inner-rails, making
roadway over all between c,Irbs 46 feet
and between curhs and trolley cars IA
feet: 2l feet of this 46 feet width Of new
pavement will he paid for by the railway
company as per provision of their fran
Chise
"Thc roadway widened as above with
modern pavement and full groved heavy
rail construction, will he ample 10 carry
without congestion all traffic for al least
25 years, or the life of the new pavement
and railway construction.
The building restriction on the north
side of Delaware avenue west from Madi- |
son street will maintain conditions as 10
buildings now existing. and II at the wear
out Of the new construction ADDITIONAL
widening Is then required present condi- |
tIons viii Obtain.
The substitute proposition would |
neccSsitatc the loss Of the present curb |
line trees which are few and mostly IN
bad condition, caused by trolley feed |
wires, stlnted growth ar projecting over
the curb. 1t would not disturb the present
inner or fence line trees. which for size
and beauty are the finest in the city, and
with the expenditure of a few hundred
dollars on them they Will thrive for very
many years Neither would ii destroy
or damage lawns and property with the
exception of between Just east of Tatnall
and West streets and two or three proper
tics between West and Washington streets
on the north side and there on account
of a narrower sidewalk than that west of
Washington street.
The trees and lawns of a CITY are OF So
much comfort to the residents who re-
main therein during the summer months
and something that means so much for
the city beautiful let US retain and care
Tor them untll such time IS public neces-
sIty requires their sacrifice.
Your practical experience will tell YOU
that trees planted under existing or pro-
posed conditions TO take the place of the
present inner-line trees on Delaware
avenue will never thrive
Knowing that your honorable board
strenuously endeavors at all times to con-
serve our street trees. this proposed whole
sale destruction Will, | am sure, receive
your serious consideration, as we'll as will
the other very important points involved. .
Major Edmund Mitchell said: Il take
1t as fOregone conclusion that | will lose
some land, but if the railway tracks are
put IA feet closer TO my house / will
object"
President Sparks said two propositions
for the arrangement Of tracks had been
received, but legal phases would be re-
ferred to the city solicitor before the board
considered the proposals
Major Mitchell asked the board TO
settle the question of track arrangement
before it acted on the resolution.
Clifford j. Scott, superintendent of
public schools. said the Board of Educa-
ton was willing TO surrender five feet
of sidewalk in front of the High School
buildings, on the south side of Delaware
avenue.
NUMEROUS ASsENTs.
John p. Nields, attorney for the pro-
jector. said the project would not cost
the city a cent; q private individual
acting for the good of the city, would /
bear the expense. Mr.. Nields reported |
that sc property owners on the north /
side OF Delaware avenue between Tatnail !
and Van Buren streets-all except six j
had assented TO the project They had /
Executed deeds and supplemented them ,
with petitions The SIN exceptions were
Daniel Cauffiel, the Tourist Garage Mrs.
Emma n Wood, George |. Speer's estate,
Matthew ID. Murphy and the Plymouth
Realty Co The Pennsylvania Railroad
Co, which owns the dwelling No. gil
Delaware avenue, assented to the project
with the understanding that no benefits
would be assessed Mr.. Nields said the