Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-01-19
LITIGATION OVER THE
HAMMOND BUILDING
Court Holds That the Lease of the
F. 3. Norman Co. Stills
Holds Good

An unusual situation has developed in
connection with the plans Of the Com
munty Recreation Co, &c remodel the
old Hammond laundry property, on
Eleventh street between Madison and
Monroe. THIS property was recently sold
to the Community Recreation Co by
the du Pont Go for S50,OO0
l.ast Saturday. however, Chancellor
Curtis handed down decision decreeng
that the complainant, tho 4 Il Norman
Co. Is entitled to decree commanding
performance hv the defendant 4 | Cu
Fon; dc Ncmours Il Co. Of the contract
contained IN the lease. and IN particular
that part thereof hy which the defendant
undertakes to make repairs and then dc
liver to the complainant possession 81 the
premises upon the making of said repairs
BY lease dated January d 1912 the
defendant leased 10 the company lot
and hnlding on West Eleventh street, Tor
five wears The lessor II vas stated
agreed Ia make certain repairs and I'M
provemcnts before tho building was
occupicd The lessor however, It IS
alleged failed to make the repairs
4 letter was written hv the u n
Norman 90. stating that they werc
ready Ia give m the lease This was not
followed up subsequently, hut ou the
other hand a later letter from the de-
fendant sad thar thcv were rushing
the alterations through 81 that tho com
p.ainant could take possession Tbs
hitter Was written tprI If last wear
and the court held that il was proper
to take the letter aS 3 rejection oi au
effort to terminate the lease, lnithc letter
written hut i short timc before
When the complainant saw IN the
newspapers uf the sale ~ tho property
to the Community Recreation % suit
Was brought against the defendant, In
his decision the chancellor held IN part
Therefore the lrasc is still in forcc and
Il there is no legal difficulty a. 70 the form
III the remedy the lcs-cC has a right "a
have the lessor perform the contract If tho
lease and has not abandoned or release tho
right thereto Tho lessee has done no
act, or omitted dong any act, which il
was its duty 10 do whereby the lessor
was mIslcd INTO 8 position 10 its dls-
advantage
The defendant IS required 80 make re-
paIrs 70 the property and give possession
of the property 70 the r Il Norman
Comp uy according Ia the decision
The stockholders Of the Community
Recreation Co. who arc local people.
viii no doubt hc very much Interested in
the future development Of the situation,
rs If is understood that considerable al
tcrations have already been made 10 the
property by the Community Recreation
Co and that several affairs were 10 10 held
in the property this week
The Hammond Laundry property is
faTnliarly known 10 Older residents rs the
old skating rlnk
The Community Recreation Company
Is locai company. the iucorporators
being Henry r. Isaacs, 7 + Thompson
and LinnselIS Hopes The Community
Recreation Co had planned to give the
city q recreation centre. not only i
profta bic business investment but also a
civic improvement Il was planned to
start with dancing, refreshments and
bowling and later to build theatre.
bathing pool acc and roller skating floors
and q gymnasium.