Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-01-17
GOV. ]. G. TOWNSEND
REPORTS ACTIVITIES
OF DEPARTMENTS
Biennial Reviews Turned Over to
the General Assembly
Today.
LAWS ARE RECOMMENDED

LAWS ARE RECOMMENDED |
sn.c;aI Dispatch from stan correspondent
STATE HOUSE. DOVER, Jan. IL.
Governor John G.. Townsend, Jr.,
transmitted many reports TO the Cen
eral Assembly today.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
The State Board of Health reported
for the years 1916, 1917 and 1918.
The total numbdr of reported death;
i, 1916 was 3,743. which corresponded
70 a rate of ia per LOCO of popdlatlon.
The death rate in Wilmington was Il s.
IN rural New Castle county ~, IN heIt
county l5.S and in Sussex county lob
The number of reported births was 5,llS
which corresbonded TO a rate oi go
per 900 inhabitants, and the nuniner Oh
reported marriages was 2,Oo0. lheTe
were 60 deaths from typhoid fever, q
from measles, Is from whooplng cough,
III from diptheria, two frSm scarlet FEVER,
one from malaria, one from smallpox
f33 from tuberculosis, las from cancer,
241 from apoplexy, 500 iron organic
diseases of the heart. 40l from pneumonia,
BIS from Bright's disease, 23 from burns,
of gas. five from fiIeaTm wounds, q ircm
falls 23 from railroad accidents, tNc frem
street ear accidents, 10 from autCmobne
accidents and nine from acute poisoning.
There were 10 suicides and ~ murders.
The deaths of infants under year OF age
numbered 6fo. and under : years Of age
o2l There were S25 deaths Ct colored
persons.
The total number of reported deaths IN
1917 was 1879. which corresponded TO a
rate of l7.9 per 1000 of population. The
death rate III Wilmington was lS4, IN
rural New Castle county 205, IN hent
county l6.S and in Sussex county 1913
The number Of reported births was
4 es4 which corresponded to a rate OF
~ per 900 inhabitants, and the number
of reported marriage was ,, l93. here
were 63 deaths from typhoid fever, "a from
measles. seven from scarlet fever, %
from whooping cough, % from dlph-
liberia and 446 from tuberculosis. The
deaths of infants under | year of age
numbered 70I, and under > years 9ai.'
There were SS4 deaths of colored persons,
The total number of reported deaths
in 1918 was 5,l92, which corresponded
to a rate of 23.T per 1000 OF population.
The death rate in Wilmington was 25.o,
IN rural New Castle county 81, IN hent
county pol and in Sussex county l6.5
The rate for rural New Castle county
is misleading, rs many residents OF VII
mInpton died In the influenza hospitals
iust outside the city limits. The number -
reported births was 5. .099, which correspon-
ded to a rate Of 23 3 per 1000 inhabitants,
and the number of reported marriages
was l,7a5. There were 6S deaths from
tvphold fever, Is from measles, one from
scarlet fever, 43 from whooping cough,
26 from diphtheria and 456 from tuber-
rulosis The deaths of infants under |
wear of age numbered 700, and under ,
years 1,lS6 There were l,020 deaths OF
colored persons.
KENNErT PIKE.
Charles NJ. UphaIn, chief engineer Of
the State Highway Department, reported
that on September i, 1920 all technical
and legal questions being settled, the
Kennett turnpike became a State high
way This wonderful gift to the State,
made possible by the foresight and gem
erositv of Pierre S. du Pont, Is OF more than
ordinary importance, Mr.. Upham said
After reviewing the early history of the
pike, he commented on the improvements,
saving:
I'The original conception and layout
Of this road was an evidence of progressive
appreciation of the economic value IN
making that portion of the State traversed
nv the Kenrett pike available to the city
OF Wilmington, as well as TO udewateI
points. Ii served Its purpose IN the early
days. but the time arrived when public
opiuion was opposed TO toll roads. Later
traffic demanded lower grades and smooth
or surfaces. These demands We're met
when Pierre S. du Port corceiyed the idea
of presenting to the State a modern con
crete highway, TO be "a feet in width
fanked on the sides by earth roadwayi
capable of caring for the horse-drawI
traffic and to provide slopes and CUTTERS
as well as spaces for three planting aDo
beautifying work to take up the remain de-
of the So-foot right of way. This shoulc
provide plenty of room for the normal
growth of this road for generatiors tC
come. The idea was put into execution
and the highway was constructed by
Pierre S. du Pont through has private
engineering force. The contract for the
construction was awarded Richard Hop
kris. contractor who-by his work In the
State of Delaware Is well and fayorabiy
TeoSg9ized 9sS1h9,s o,norste ,,.ve,oonts Of hi.
width are usual in cities, very seldom are
such pavemerts used for country high
WAYS. Cor sequently AT the time OF under
fakirg this work there still remained a
number of of points which had not been
subjected to experiment The bulldirg
Of the Kennett pike has been watched with
interest by highway engineers and has as
sisted IN solving many road problems in
this particular class of construction
On some sections the concrete roadway
was constructed in two lor gltudinal strips
each IL feet In width and parallel to the
centre line. The results obtaired would
seem to indicate that IN pavements OF
"a feet in width or over better surface
Eesults may be obtained by carrying on
the work in this way, rather than by con-
structing the pavement in one wide strip
of "a feet In width, certainly at least when
hand finish is used. The reason for this
is that more stability can be secured in the
forms and cutting template on the mar
rover surface roads, and thus the finish
can be held IN closer control.
"This dual method of CONSTRUCTION
has an added advantage. The construction
ioint In the centre of the pavement,
part,cularly after it has been treated with
bituminous filler, is not displeasipg to the
ovo and affords definitely marked line