WILMINGTON. The largest city in the State of Delaware, and the county-seat of New Castle County, 27 miles southwest of Philadel phia and 1.19 miles northeast of Baltimore. at the junction of the Delaware River and Christiana and Brandywine creeks, and on the Philadelphia. Baltimore and Washington, the Baltimore and Ohio, and the Wilmington and Northern railroads (Map: Delaware, P 2). It is situated on hilly ground. the abundant provision of shade-trees adding to the beauty of the streets. The historic Trinity (Old Swedes') Church was built in 109S and is the oldest church build illy; in continuous occupation in the United States. Other notable edifices are the fine county court house, the new post-ollice and United States Covernment building, and the building of the Equitable Guarantee and Trust Company. In or near the city are the Delaware and Homeopathic hospitals, the State 'Hospital for the Insane. the Ferris Industrial School for Boys, the Delaware industrial School for Girls, and the Home for Friendless and Destitute Children. The Friends' School is an old and prominent institution. The free library, incorporated in 1788 as the Wilming ton Tnstit ate, but now public, contains more than 40.000 volumes. The Law Library Association of the county has 15,000 volumes, and the His torical Society 3000. Wilmington is the leading industrial city in the State, its manufactures in the census year 1900 having an aggregate capi tal of $28,372,043, and a product valned at $34, 053,324. Shipbuilding is a prominent industry, the 'Harlan & Hollingsworth Company having its works here. The Jackson & Sharp Com pany is an important ear-building concern, and the Pullman Company also has shops here. Wil mington is the centre of the morocco industry in the United States. of paper ranking machinery is another important industry, the plant of the Pusey & Jones Company being one of the leading establishments of its kind in the ()filed States. About four miles from the city is one of the largest powder•-manufacturing establishments in the world, that of the E. 1. Du pont do Nemours Company, founded in 1801 by Pierre Samuel Dupont see DtToxr NEmouns and his sons. Large quantities of foundry and mac•Irine-shop products and iron and steel are also manufactured. The Pennsylvania tZailroad main tains extensive car shops at \Viliningt(m. The city is a prominent distributing centre and a port of entry for the customs dist riot of Delaware, the foreign trade of which in NM was valued at $.1,911.144, including exports to the amount of
$4,079.370. The gmernmint is vested in a mayor. eluded every ttto years, and it unicameral eoun. cil of thirteen members. The mayor appoints the hoard of directors of the street and sewer departments and the board of wafer commis• sinners. The council appoints the city clerk. city auditor, milk, meat, oil. and market inspectors, etc. Alembers of the board of police commis sioners are appoint ed by the judge of the Supreme I ourt. Besides the mayor and council, the city treasurer, city solicitor, and board of education (two from each ward) are chosen by direct popular vote. Wilmington spends annually in maintenance and operation about $720,000, the principal items of expenditure being: Schools. $200.000; police department (inclinling police courts, jails, etc.), $85.900: interest (In debt. $80,000; water-works, 856 00: fire department, $40.000. The water-works are owned by the municipality, which constructed them in IS27. The system comprises about 106 miles of mains. and has cost $1,875,000. Population, in 1890, 61,431; in 1900, 76.50S, including 10.47S persons of foreign birth and 9730 of negro descent.
hn 1038 Peter Minuet, with the first Swedish expedition to :\ merica, cast anellor in the Chris tiana. or Minims, as the Indians called it, and erected a fort named Fort Christina in honor of the infant. daughter of Gustavus Adolphus. He also founded a little village, Christinallain. where Wilmington now stands. Peter Stuyve sant, the Dutch Governor of New Netherland. stirred by the activity of Minuet's successor. Prinz, twilight the region from the Indians. and in 1655 took Fort Christina and ended Swedish supremacy in Delaware. The Dutch rulers were in their turn succeeded nine years later• by the English. William Penn's proprietorship the city acquired the sober Quaker (diameter which it has »ever entirely lost. In 1737 Thomas Willing laid out a new town which bore his name. though \Villingstown became Wilmington eight years later in honor of the English peer of that name. The battle of Brandywine (q.v.) was fought at Chadd's Ford, about 12 miles away. The first borough charter was issued in 1730. Consult: Ferris, IliRtory of the Nrigimti Sciffr ments Oil tile Delaur•are (Wilmington, IS-161: Powell (editor). Historic Towns of time Middle Slates (New York, 1899).