The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-29
1890 POPULATION
Continued From Page One)

The master plans recommen-
dations, he said, are based on
a population of so, 600 or better.
Wilmington has a large per-
centage of service people
white collar workers, including
professional men-compared te
the remainder of the. country,
according to the plan, which
also shows a smaller compare
tive percentage of craftsmen,
foremen and kindred workers,
including industrial workers.
The citizenry of Wilmington
is growing older, according to
the report, which Simons attrib'
utes to the large number of re
tired business men who make
their homes here and the fact
that. the city is growing older
Since it's inception. in early
colonial days, the city has been
fortunate in that its, planners
have laid out wide streets ano
have followed a general pat
tern in each successive in
crease of the corporate area,
Simons declared. Wilmington:
he said is not afflicted with the
narrow streets of Charleston
and other colonial cities.
He said that the percentages
in the use of land in Whining
ton run about like those of q
other cities IN the nation con-
sidered. The areas which in
clude the 80 per cent which is
vacant are the very areas
which are now being filled as
the city spreads out.
Most of the city's traffic loac
is carried by Third, Fifth, Mar
ket, Castle, Dawson, Greenfield
and 18th streets and the Caro-
lima Beach roads. according to
Simons' survey. He said tina
defects in a number of present
streets are being pointed ou1
and widening of some to four
and six lanes is recommended
in the master plan.
Eighth street could be
very good central semi-express
way" Simons declared. "I1
would require a good wide
street, preferably with more
than one lane, to handle traffic
speedily"
The recommendations call for
a widening of Eighth street tc
100 feet. The plan also includes
two 20-foot center lanes which
would be close to cross streets
for several blocks at a space
and could be entered only al
important through streets run.
ming across eighth.
Such entry points would be
at Castle, Dawson, Market and
Grace, for example, according
to Simons, who said that a traf.
fic circle at ninth and Nixon
on an extension of the speed.
way, and an overpass at the
Atlantic Coastline railroad
crossing on Eighth would help
facilitate speeding up of traffic.
In connection with the pro-
posed express street the plan
predicts that the traffic volume
In Wilmington will double by
1860. The increase in traffic vol
ume in the southern states is
much greater than that of the
United States as a whole, ST.
mons pointed out.
To help alleviate the down.
town parking situation, off
street parking garages and off
street parking lots are recon-
mended.
The plan also points. out that
most of the city's traffic acct
dents are in the downtown bust
ness area on Third, Market.
Princess, Chestnut, Second and
Grace streets.
Turning to parks and recrea-
ton facilities and plans, the re-
port. shows that all recreation
facilities now located in the city
are being used to capacity and
qSnou9 Mou lou eIe aIsul leul
such facilities in Wilmington.
"This is one of the city's
weak points, Simons stated.
The recommendation included
enlargement and adding of new
features to Greenfield park.
Among the latter addition of a
band shell in Greenfield lake,
with provision for outdoor festi-
walls, was the chief recommen-
dation. This shell, according to
Simons, would b similar to the
Watergate Theatre in Washing
ton, D.. c.
Another standout recon-
mendation in the parks and rec
reation proposals is making of
a great park along the Burnt
Mill creek. This would provide
the city with an INITIATING rec
reation facility, as we'll as beau
LITIGATION over a large area.
Other recreation recommen-
dations include a number oil
play fields and Fairgrounds
scattered at strategic spots
over the city. The .plav fields