Evening journal., 1920-05-04
HOLES IN CITY
Streets SOON
TO BE FIXED
lcnniInned from FlrsL page.l }


phone 10 The Evening journal. Now
/ mat good weather is setting in the [
I assurances OF Mcssrs. johnson ana I
picrsOn may make good reading lot !
/ dlegusted citizens, particularly dflN- /
crs OF motor cars and trucks.
All money received as lakes under |
I the new abutting paving law must be /
| devoted specifically TO repairing I'M |
proved streets and Keeping them IN |
repair Mr.. Johnson says ihe depart /
msnt has about $4,000 In bank from |
ahultinr having assessments. and |
/ from s5OOO0 TO S60.OO0 more viii be |
due in July. at the beginning OF the |
! city's fiscal year. Bills for these lat |
ter funds are now being sent out
But even with money In The bank, |
Mr. Johnson asserts, IL has been al
most impossible during the winter
IN accomplish much in The line Of re-
pair work because OF bad weather and
lack OF labor. Until recently The de-
pariment paid 10 cents an hour to
street repair men, There were few
applicants for Jobs. Now II Is Ofer-
ing 30 cents and a sufficient number
OF workers TO form several crews Is
anticipated
street repair men are offered the
30 cents an hour with privilege of
working ten hours a day which VIII
| give them s. This sum the depart
p, mont considers a fair days wage for
| the kind Of wsrk done.
There are today approximately i5O
miles OF improved or sO-called i'm
proved streets within the city's linz
rs compared with 100 miles ten years
ago. " one hundred and nifty miles
provides a pretty good distance TO
cover said Mr.. Johnson, when asked
] Oh .lN a.. .TI
noon, "and 10 requires some little
time. 10 get over them ALL Just at
present our principal crew OF repair
men Is working on the Boulevard,
which Is In bad shape. originally,
the boulevard was a macadam road
10 then was rcsurfaced But the rains
OF winter and spring, combined with
the greatly increased tranlc OF heavy
motor trucks, has played havoc with
&c.
Heavy motor trucks" Mr.. Johnson
continued present a serious problem
In street maintenance. am much
afraid some means shall have 10 be
devised 10 limit them In weight or
conilne their traffic 10 certain streets
y built especially 10 Withstand them"
G Mr.. Johnson spoke OF The modern
; concrete roads being laid in different
{ parts OF Delaware concrete roads laid
: on deep cracked stone bases with dou-
e bic brick or concrete edge-blnders-
4. and intmaied some such construction
eventually would be needed within
5. the city for main Travelled truck
\ routes.
l. The new asphalt repair plant estab-
lished by the city along the Brandy.
wine north OF the Eleventh street
bridge, will soon be put into full opcr.
!, alton. This Is expected TO be Of mucl
~ aid 20 the repair crews. especially Il
p properly filling In holes In thorough
y fares.
Z, ut is amazing Mr.. Johnson said
u "hOW many different causes arise from
: digging holes In newly paved streets
ny Breaks In water pipes or sewer drains
~ and leaks IN gas mains constantly arr
occurring Ol course they must be re-
paired. and q bond Is required Of al
a. contractors who repair them. Bu
~ often months later. after a hole Ia
~ been renlled. tamped down and set
IN tied and a new surface laid. there Wi
ii be a surface cave-in or drop
One of the most noticeable holes q
this description now lies directly
front OF the Delaware avenue en
~, trance 10 the dupont Building IN
st street surface gave way under IN
~ heavy weight OF traffic 10 was tllle
n. In and brick covering laid With On
expectation there would be a furlhl
drop The drop has occurred on Oh
east end OF the hole. AS soon as
ct i- felt an settling has ceased tl
~, bricks VIII be replaced with an al
lhs phali surface Ike The remainder
NJ ihe street. This Is only one OF man
such depressi0ns which require atiel
ton not only once but often befO
completely remedied
- Washington street from Eighth
~ Delaware avenue Is another sample
~ bad street
u. The department has made sm.
en- start on laying on new thorOug
ese fares. beginning on TNNeniy-ff
Ne street north Of Market There
much new work 90 be done. but \
Johnson declared 70 would be p
through as fast as materials can
N had and labor obtained
- - In conclusion Mr.. Johnson ma
The sage comment
w -h j. the publics privilege 90 kl
ana it usually exercises ils priyill
VI 20 theuimOst Many times it is rig
'lo but many other times 10 b wrO
AZ any rate ] feel sure our streets
-ll Wilmington are better than those
many other communities OF siml
size. judging from reports made
me by travellers and what is.mOre
the point ] feel sure we are gain
IN our street work. both repair.
ar new ih0r0uehfarcs. Give us <.
weather and sufficient labor Tor
time, and We shall accomplish q
ul- siderable