Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-05-18
CITY HANDICAPPED
BY LABOR SHORTAGE
Deplorable Condition of Streets
Cannot be Remedied by Street
and Sewer Department.

and Sewer Department.
The handicap under which the city is
operating on account Of the inability 10
secure common labor TO put through
projects which have already been ap-
proved. and for which money is available
was emphasized at the meeting OF the
Board of Directors Of the Street and
Sewer Department this morning when
various and divers complaints were regis
tered as 10 the condition of streets Of the
city, and petitions were received from
residents in several sections for paving
and other improvements.
For the past two weeks the board has
been paving 50 cents an hour Tor labor
for work on the streets. but is unable to
get more than n very small proportion oi
the force needed and that could be used
immediately. It seems to be the ex~
perience of the department that when It
raises the price OF labor, the industrial
plants and the contractors see their raise
and 90 them 81 few cents better on the
hour Some of the employers OF labor IN
the CITY and vicinity are paying % 20 ~
cents an hour, II reported. This condition
makes 1t very hard for the street Com-
missioner To get labor, and renders u m
possible to satisfy all those who come 10
the department with complaints about
conditions OF the streets.
Street Commissioner Pierson said this
morning that the department would not,
from present indications ms illustrated by
the scarcity of labor and the inability 70
get material delivered in large quantities,
he able To do half the work scheduled this
wear He said that in 1915 the Depart
ment in short time finished seven and
half miles Of street. more than twice the
work scheduled for this year.
TWELFTH WARD COMPLAINT.
At this mornings meeting Councilman
Murray and NJ f Keogh appeared and
made complaint about the condition oi
the streets in several blocks IN the
| Twelfth ward Rodney between second
and Third. and Second and Third from
| Rroone to du Pont we're cited as being III
= very depiorahle condition. Third be-
/ tween Scott and du Pont were also re-
/ ferred to. and the Board was asked if i
could not have done something IN the way
Of repairs, ii even temporary.
Another complaint from that section
/ came from n man who said there were
nineteen garages on Third street and
| du Pont located in two or three blocks
and that these streets we're III bad shape
The board also heard complaint about
the condition of the street and the caT
tracks NJ Seventh and Washington. Tie
track was said To be n such condition
there that ears made frighful racket II
passing, and kept residents Of the vclnn
awake until late in the night.
Postmaster English apparel before the
Board with reference to improvement
of the condition of West Eighth street
between Orange and Tatnall
Petitions for paving we're received
from property owners on Jefferson be-
| tween TWenty-ffth and Twenty-sixth
Madison between Twenty-hfth and Iwen-
ty-sixth, for which work Charles I. Nltze
offered the free Ise Of two trucks; JET.
/ ferson between Eighth and Eleventh, also
requesting the board to have the Irac-
tion Company remove It's rails on thai
street, which are not used.
4 communication was received iron
Council with reference to the condition q
/ street from Market to Buttonwood
Tfis was referred to the street commls
sIoner.
The board received a communication
from Council inviting it 80 a conference
with the finance committee THURSDAY
night. with reference - the needs of th'
DEPARTMENT Tor the coming year On ac-
2oilnt Of having to be in Philadelphia OF
that daY and night. President Johnson vii
likely arrange for the directors 70 NEE
the committee at some other time.
Edward " Pyle Company was granted
permission. with the usual conditions, o
building a vault under the sidewalk ol
Shlplex street in the rear of 61T-6l9 Ship
lev
4 communication was received from
Frederick " Carpenter. executive otlce
of the Washington Street Bridge Com
mission. with reference to the placing o
the Van Buren street bridge II condition
10 help take care If traffic after he Wash
ington street bridge Is closed. The l}oaT'
HIS no jurisdiction n the matter OF ~
bridge bllt 4 communication vas directel
L. be sept 10 the Washington street Brldg
Commission TO he effect that he boar,
would cooperate By having Elghteenll
and Van Buren, streets placed N sucl
condition as to meet added demands q
account ol increased traffic.
Thomas II Melvin. former preslden
of tie board. was present II the meetin!
this morning. and called attention 4
the practice. If wagons IN delivering }e
cream ai pouring BRINE on the streets
thereby iniurjne shade trees. This prac
tiec Is also said 70 be general among III
sfhaIier dealers III ice cream, and the boar
vii have them notified to step Il.
\ representative If the Fraction Com
paay Nus before the board with refereIne
Il two turn-outs on Washington stree
! -oue between Seventeenth and high
teenth aud enc between rwenty-siNtl
and Twenty seventh The latter was ny
proved. but the other was held up pendln
consideration of the matter Of placing ID
tracks III the center Of the street.