Evening journal., 1921-01-17
nv a Sian Correspondent.

State Board of Health.
The state Board OF Health reporter
for the years 1916. 1917 and i9,N
The total number Of reported deaih
in 1915 was 37t3. which correspondeu
10 a rate Of ia per 1000 OF popuia-
tion. The death rate In wilmington
was i7S. in rural New Castle county
20. In Kent county i3.e, and IN ousseS
countv f53 The number or reported
hirihs was Sis. which corresnonded
Ia a rate Of 23.s per 1000 inhabitants
and the number OF reported marriages
was 2O60 There were 90 deaths from
tvnhoid fever. 81 from measles, is
from Whooping cough, ~ from diph-
iberia. > from scarlet fever, ! from
malaria. from smallpox. 4A rom
tuberculosis. iiS from cancer ztl
from apoplexy. 369 from organic as
eases OF the heart, iOi from pneu.
monia. 3oS from Brights alseSss, ~ ~
from burns, 40 from drowning, from
ahsorniion of gas, 5 from firearm
Wounds " from falls. % from rail-
road accidents. from street-car acci-
dents. 10 from automobile accidents
and . from acute poisoning. Ilere
were 10 suicides and 10 murders. lhe
deaths OF infants under 1 year OF age
numbered 669, and under years OF
age g2i. There were so dedths OF
colored persons.
The total number OF reported deaihs
in 1917 was 1919. which correspondent
TO a rate OF i79 per iVOo oi popula-
was teI in rural New Castle county
ooS In Kent county i6S. and IN Sus-
sex county 1873 Tho number or re-
nnrfed birihs was 1881, which corre-
snonded To rate OF 233 per 1000 m,
hahiiants. and the number OF reported
srriaces WAS 2io3. There were b3
deaths from typhoid fever, p from
measles. Z from scarlet fever, 80 from
whooplng cough. p from diphiheria,
and ii6 from tuberculosis. Inc uetlls
of Infants under 1 year or age nun
bored 70i, and under se0ls 80 "a
There were 9Si deaths or coloreu
The Total number OF reported deaths
4, iote was 5iq2 which correspondent
In rate of 23.7 per 1000 OF popula-
lion The death rate in wilmington
vas 259 in rural New Castle county
Al in Kent county POI, and in sussex
counfv f6.5 The rate for rural New
Castle county is misleading, as many
residents of Wilmington diedJn ihe
Influenza hospitals Just OUTSIDE tns
city limits. The number on leporiie9l y
births was 5099. which Hpondeu
m a rate OF 233 per 1000 inhabitants,
and the number OF reported marriages
vas 1895 There were 6S deaths from
fvnhoid fever. IS from measles, 1 from
scarlet fever i3 from Wh0oping cough,
9e from diphlheria. and 400 from tu-
berculosis The deaths Of infants un-
der 1 wear OF age numbered 1862, and
under 5 years 1886. There were iO2u
deaths OF colored persons.
kennett Pike.
of fhe state Highway Department In
his report SAYS that on september 4
1920 an technical and legal questions
heinr settled. the Kennett turnpike
herame a state hiehway This Won
derful gift TO the State, made possible
nv the foresight and generosity o
pierre : dupont, Is OF more than or
dinarv Importance. Mr.. upham SAID
After reviewing the early history. o
Inc pike. he commented on lhe I'm
proycmenls, saying
"The original conception ana lay
out OF this road was an evidence o
progressive thought and was proNel
bv The early appreciation or the eco
nomir value In making that portiol
~ Inc State traversed by the Kennel
nike available TO the city OF Whining
ION as well as 10 tidewater points
IA served its purpose in the early days
hut the time arrived when punli
opinion was opposed 10 ton roaas
Later iraiilc demanded lower Era,r
and smoother surfaces. Ihese oe
mands were met when PIERRE
dupont conceived the idea OF present
ing io The state a modern concret
hirhvvav. To be tWenty-four feet ]
width thanked on the sides by earp
roadUavs capable OF caring Tor "
hnrse-drawn iranlc ana TO proNid
siones and cutters. as we'll as space
FOR tree-planting and heautlfylng .Wor
hi take up the remainder OF IN
eirhly-fooi rlehi of.way. lhls shoul
provide plenty OF room Tor the noi
MAI rrOWlh on this road Tor genera
uons Ia come. The idea was put int
execution and the highway was col
sfrncied by Pierre 5. dupont, throug
his nrivaie engineering force. In
contract for the construction wa
awarded Richard Hopkins, a contra'
tor who. By his work In the state
Delaware Is well and favorably re'
Ognized
while concrete pavements OF N
width are usual in cities, very selool
are such paVements used Tor counii
highways Consequently, at the tin
on undertaking this work, there stl
remained a number Of points whit
had not been subjected 10 cNpcrimen
The building or the Kenneth pike hl
been watched with interest by higl
way engineers and has assisted
solving many road problems In IN
particular class Of construction. Z
some sections. the concrete roadw;
was constructed in two longiludin
strips. each twelve feet in width az
parallel to the center line. The resul
obtained would seem TO indicate IN
IN pavemcnts OF twenty-four feet
over. better surface results may
obtained by carrying on the work
This way, rather than by cOnstructil
the pavement in one wide strip
ivcnty-f0ur feet In width. certainly
least when hand-nnish Is used n
reason for this is that more siabili
can be secured In the forms and Gu
ting template on the narrower sur'a
roads, and thus the finish can he he
in closer control.
"Ths dual method OF construct
has an added advantage. The cC
struciion joint in the center Of :
pavement. particularly after il
been treated with bituminous nller
not displeasing TO the eye and affo
definitely marked line along
center Of the road. which greatly
ssts in separating aud keeping III
OF traf1c In their respective lar
Also. due TO the better control Of S
facing the concrete. the riding qu
ties OF a pavement constructed by
dual method are generally superior
the riding qualities OF a pavem
constructed in one wide strip.
has been found true in the constr
ton Of the kcnneit pike
"The construction Of the road
commenced on the hill al Centrev
and the steep grade at mis- point