Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-09-26
CITY SIDEWALKS MUST
NOT Be 0BSTRUCTED
Coal Deliveries May be Prohib-
tied During Business
Hours.

Director Frank c. Sparks. OF the
Street and Sewer Department, gave
notice at a meeting this morning, that
he would present n resolution at the
next session requiring al coal deal
srs to abate tho alleged nuisance OF
delivering coal on tho central streets
OF the city during the business hours
of the day.
This announcement was made by
Mr.. Sparks. following the reading or
a letter written by William +. Small
ley. protesting against tho alleged
nuisance. In his letter, Mr.. Smaley
criticized the city for allowing coal
chutes to be placed across the pave
ments compelling pedestrians to walk
out into tho street IN passing.
He called particular attention to the
danger caused by this Inconvenience,
and intimated that In case of accident,
the city might be held accountable
for injuries received by people NOV
Ing around tho distractions.
Following the reading OF tho letter.
President johnson Expressed HIS ap-
proval, and agreed that some means
must be taken to eliminate the al
legged nuisance. Mr. Sparks suggested
that deliveries should be made In hours
other than business houre. or that the
coal should be delivered in bags.
Mr.. Smalley's letter follows:
| Gentlemen; Recently a slognn for
the city OF Wilmington has been In
vented, II not yet patented. which
says that Wilmington IL 1.-The First
| City OF the First State" This phrase. of
course. intends TO convey a standard
OF excellence to which. in some re-
speots. we surely arc not entitled.
Tho city department, whether 81
be tho Street and Sewer department. OF
the Police Department. which haf
charge oS pavclnents, 10 grossly failing
In its duty in one respect. at least
and I may say hero that have men
TONED this matter to Mr.. Johnson ant
Mr.. Pierson and l think TO one othel
member OF the board more than once
and that each time the attitude
took was received favorably, but moth.
ing has ever been done. / refer to tn,
unloading OF coal by the wagons o
the Diamond Ice and Coal Company
II purchase ali my own coal from tn
Diamond Ice and Coal Company a.
Market street between the hours o
eight a. m. and six p. m, and ap
proxlmately between the 18th of Sep
tember and the lat OF May.
"As 1 dictate. coal wagon is un
loading, and has been unloading 70
the last half hour. on the westerl.
, side OF Market street just above Eight
street. l have seen fully thirty-fi fiv
people or more go out into the street
running the gauntlet of passing auto
mobiles and passing street cars 4
order that the Diamond Ice and Goa
Company may not be under the necess
5 ity Of delivering the coal prior 10 eigh
o'clock IN the morning, which 1t ca
/ do. on the one main business street c
the city.
"A state of affairs like this argue
that We have not as yet developed int
a modern city, and that the depar,
ments which govern thu city are nc
d sufficiently influenced by modern meth
DDS, for surely 1t Is improper that tn
business street, particularly the mos
; frequented, the most crowded stree
= in the city, should be blocked to tn
passage of passers-by. Some day SON
y one Will be run over by an automobil
! am not quite go sure that a claim fl
{ damages would not properly
against the city if it happens becau:
!, of this. Morally. If not legally. sue
u claims should lie against the city, b.
. cause unquestionably the proper eli
s authority should stop such a provinci
y use of the city pavements during bus
ness hours. 1t would be worthy
Stanton or Christiana, certainly not
y" the First City of the First State
81 neglected to say that / am di
tating at 9.45 a. m, while the co
wagon is compelling citizens of w
., mington to go out beyond automobil
=" which are parked along the curb
the street railway tracks.
Yours Very truly.
70 William Il. Smalley."