Evening journal., 1921-03-01
URGE bridge
At llTHSTREET
Residents Ask Legislature
to Hold to Original
Plan
SEE CITY GROWTH
IN IMPROVEMENT


northeasterly section OF the city.
tie following petition was sent to
the Legislature at Dover today in
the interest OF the proposed new
bridge over the Brandywine at Elev-
enth and Church streets, in accord
a.nce with plans already approved
by the Levy Court last year at the
suggestion OF the engineers OF the
street and Sewer Department. Board
OF Park Commissioner and the
State Highway Commissioners.
To the Senate and House OF
Representatives OF the State
OF Delaware.
b. Gentlemen: The undersigned,
residents OF the northeasterly
quarter OF the city OF Whining
- ton dncluding those having
places OF business in that sec
tom do hereby most respect
fully inform your honorable
bodies;
/. For three hundred years
section OF this State. now the
northeasterly quarter OF the
city OF Wilmington. has been
developing from marsh and low
lands into a dumping section,
whore tin cans. ashes. waste
paper and decayed vegetable
matter now dominate the land
scape.
2. To that section there has
gradually been fastened, until
now it is firmly fixed in the pub
lie mind, a notion that Il is be-
yond reclaim. its regeneration
has been thought TO be too re-
mote for each generation to at
tempt, and the hopeless phrase
"over Eleventh street bridge"
is universally used to describe II
as beyond civic betterment
3. Neglect and delay have
blocked every attempt TO better
conditions until now.
4. For about fifty-two years
"A one-way bridge. one-way side
walk. one-way vehicle space and
one-way trolley track has served
at Eleventh street. crossing the
Brandywine Creek; and, while
retarding the upbuilding OF that
section OF the city, still has life
enough 10 hold together until a
: new bridge can be built; not
withstanding the fact that heavy
traffic is even now diverted from
1t for safety's sake.
8. We ask permission to re-
cord these facts:
(a) Four competent engi-
neers. Charles Z. Grubb, Charles
NJ. Upham. Edward r. Mack
and Harry l. Maier. as citizens
OF the State OF Delaware, not
as county. State. park or city Of
ficials. have laid out plan for
the permanent Improvement OF
the northeast quarter OF Will
mington; once the new bridge
eleventh TO Twelfth streets)
IS an assured fact.
(b) An entrance into Will
lmington will be available for a
new road from Philadelphia. on
water level; once the new bridge
eleventh 10 Twelfth streets)
is an assured fact.
(c) A section OF Whining
ton. development OF which was
stopped fifteen years ago. will
have its normal growth along
excellent lines; once the new
bridge eleventh to Twelfth
streets) is an assured fact
(d) A foul, odoriferous. un-
slightly section, viewed every
time a Deiawarean goes north
on the Pennsylvania railroad
and a mortifying disgrace to
him on his return to his ma
tive city. will be cleaned. made
sanitary and worthy OF the
name OF Delaware; once the new
bridge eleventh 10 Twelfth
streets) is an assured fact.
(e) An advertisement OF
civic filth. 10 the thousands who
traverse Wilmington hourly on
the Pennsylvania railroad will
be blotted out. and a garden spot
will replace Il; once the new
bridge eleventh to Twelfth
streets) is an assured fact.
% Six city blocks, OF tin
cans, ashes. refuse and decayed
vegetable matter will be effaced
from the landscape; once the
new bridge eleventh 10 Twelfth
= streets) is an assured fact.
6. Manifestly the Whining
ton City Government, through
= its Street and Sewer Depart.
ment. is not warranted in build.
ing a new boulevard to each
bank of the Brandywine Creek
at the location fixed by the Lew
Court OF New Castle county FOL
the new bridge Eleventh q
Twelfth SstFeets) until the work
on thaf bridge has actually
started.
Z. IL is equally clear thai
the Park Board OF the city oi
Wilmington is not justified II
acquiring lands for park pur
poses. north or south OF the new
bridge location. unless It is evi
dent that the county govern
ment is actually constructing
o the new bridge eleventh q
Twelfth streets).
s. When the State Highwa,
Department, pressed thereto b.
the demands OF travel. the dan
gers OF bringing heavy trucks
engaged in interstate traffic
into the business center OF VIII
mington. or the certainty tina
Wilmington must have another
water-level roadway towarl
Philadelphia. decides that sucl
river road must be laid out
then that highway must have
4 suitable entrance into Whining
ton.
4 g.. And the Levy Court o
4 New Castle county. having juris
diction to build bridges With
the city OF Wilmington, will. /