Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-30
WILL WORK OVERTIME TO
HURRY IMPROVEMENTS
Director Sparks of Street and
Sewer Dept. Takes Excep-
ton to Long Delays.

| Taking exception to apparent de-
/ lays i'm improving city streets, Direc-
| tor Sparks of the Street and Sewer
| Department today stirred things up
generally with the result that the
work is going to be rushed even to the
extent of working the street gangs
over time and operating the city's
street paving plant an extra hour or
two every day during the daylight
saving period. or until this part of the
operations has been caught up with
/ the grading and concrete work.
Mr.. Sparks led to make a motion
that Market street between Vandever
avenue and Twenty-third street he
opened up for new paving. He was
willing TO have trolley cars transfer
their passengers IL necessary to per-
NIT Of the speedy carrying out of the
project
Street Commissioner Pierson inform
ed him that workmen started this
morning to tear up the street be-
tween ths two points mentioned 10 in
stall sewers and other necessary con-
ncctions, and that the new paving
work will follow along, Mr.. Sparks
then called attention to Sixteenth
street which is ready for the surfac-
ing, and wanted TO know if the paving
plant was not far behind the rest of
the street work.
lie was informed that II was and
then he suggested that the plant be
operated an hour or two extra every
day until the plant has caught up.
He said the street men quit at s o'clock
sharp regardless OF that sometimes
they could accomplish much by work
ling a few minutes overtime.
/ IT was finally agreed to arrange for
the extra work.
Exception TO the indiscriminate
tearing up OF city streets by the vii
mington Gas Company, for the pur-
pose of installing mains and service
connections to houses. was made by
Directors Sparks and Grier. They
declared they did not think IL was
right that the streets, especially the
Il proved HIGHWAYS. should be so mu-
tilated.
As a resuis, the hoard passed a mo-
ton, that in the future. all gas mains
shall be at least three feet, six inches
under ground, and that all service
pipes shall be at least two feet under
ground. In addition to this the gas
company viii be required to submit
to the board plans for any mains or
pipes they intend to install. where
they are TO be laid and how and per-
mission to do the work i'm the future
will have to come from the board
itself instead of from the street COM
missioner.
Tie board further objected 10 the
indiscriminate laying of gas pipes
without their knowing where they are
60 go. IL was said that the gas con-
pany does not keep them advised Of
the location of mains ana pipes. IT
was asserted the numerous leaks are
caused frequently by the heavy trraf-
&c over streets. where the mains arc
not laid deep enough, and II also de-
veloped the directors said, that in
some instances the mains had been
poorly joined, thereby resulting in
leaks
City Engineer Maier told the board
some gas mains have been laid along
or close to the citys sewers and this
he said, is a dangerous practice and
should no. be perr itted The decision
of the board will be communicated to
the gas company and the new regula-
tons will be enforced in the future