The daily gazette., 1883-02-13
Al CLEVER son nnrE.

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70 Can Bln now Before the Legisias
ture.
To THE EDrToR or THE GAZETTE: The
very clever little scheme for the aggrandize-
ment Of some people Of Dover Is not at all
suggested by the title Of the BILL which they
have succeeded in having introduced into the
lower House Of the Legislature, neither Is 1t
very clearly disclosed by the terms Of the
act through which they hope to accomplish
their purpose.
A few words are required to show up
the "true inwardness" of this little plan
The northern portion Of this town Of Dover
Is bounded on the east and north by Shakes
pears mill pond. State street, formerly
called Main street, extends from the business
centre northward to the min pond, a distance
OF a mile.
The actual northern limits Of the town, so
far as dwellings are concerned, practically
end at the location Of the Wilmington Con-
ference Academy, abeut third of q mile
out State street. The space between this
point and the mill pond, which is two thirds
of mile beyond, is occupied by vacant
tewn lots and cultivated fields, which are
owned by Dover's residents.
Those familiar with the topography of
Dover do not need to be told that the bust
ness portion of the town does not extend
north of the post Office.
At this point, the old Kings Highway or
the public and direct road to Smyrna leaves
State street and passes in northerly direc-
ton to the eastern limit Of the town at
Jones' creek, and crosses the latter below
the mill-pond which Is its head. The
Smyrna road then turns northward and fol-
lows course for long distance near the
eastern border Of the pond.
About two miles north of the spot where
the Smyrna road crosses Jones' creek It is
joined by the direct road from Leipsic to
| Dover.
We are now in position to understand
| the nature of this clever little device Of our
fellow citizens at the capitol. Those inter-
ested, either directly or indirectly, In the
| land of the northern portion of the town and
along the line Of the proposed new road,
wish to divert the travel upon the Smyrna
and Leipsie roads from the accustomed
route to the business centre, by turning it
across the mill-pond and down State street;
thus making Of the latter public thorough
fare.
This is 10 be accomplished by the extern
sion of State street across the mill pond,
and the opening of new road which shall
lead from the northern extremity of this ex-
tended street, in q northeasterly direction
to the point where the road from Leipsic
joins the Smyrna road.
An experienced surveyor, who has at
various times made surveys and plots Of the
lands and roads in question, states that, by
the proposed alteration of the highway, the
| road from Leipsic or Smyrna to the business
centre Of Dover will be shortened just one
quarter of mile.
In return for this Insignificant and really
unnecessary shortening of one of the ap-
proaehes TO Dover, many people OF the
town very shrewdly suggest that the ex-
pense of this undertaking should be borne,
not by themselves, who would be practically
the only gamers, but by all the people Of
| Kent county.
Before deciding to authorize such advance
ment Of private interests at public expense
| our Legislature would do well to inquire
into the cest which our very ingenious
fellow citizens propose to put upon the
county.
The mill pond, which is to be crossed, is
one Of the largest inland bodies OF water
south Of the State of New York. At the
most favorable point of crossing the shortest
distance from shore to shere is certainly not
less than 500 yards, perhaps 700. The depth
of water at the channel is quite 10 feet, and
the bottom on either side is nearly fat for
very considerable distance. During the few
occasions, within the last 40 years, when the
| pond has been emptied the bottom has been
found TO consist Of very soft, sprinKy,
soggy mould, Of great depth, similar to the
soil Of ether boggy swamps, and quite like
that which borders Jones' creek as 1t passes
below the town.
What it would cost to construct a cause
way 500 yards in length, through q great
depth of water across a mill-pond like this,
with yielding bottom, aud to build the ne
cessary bridges is most difficult of exact
estimation.
Certainly $4,000 would not cover the
expense, and it might very readily reach
fifteen or twenty thousand.
Even the yearly cost of keeping such a
eauseway and bridges in proper repair would
amount to the interest upon some thousands
of dollars.
Doubtless such an alteration Of the mort b.
ern entrance to Dover would very soon ada
one-third or more to the present value oil
the land in the northern portiSn of the town
and of that along the line Of the proposed
new road, but II this is an adequate reason
why the Levy Court shbuld be authorized
to place the cost Of this scheme upon KEN
county, perhaps denizen of Dover can SCI
far more cogency in 1t than citizen O
Milford can appreciate.
This is the size of the "job" which the ap
parently innocent House bill entitled tar
act to authorize the laying out OF public
road in East Dover hundred and State o
Delaware" proposes to legalize.
} The bill is not less Objectionable from the
TACT JnaU, OF the uNe commissioners named
In the act and therein empowered to ix the
location of the causeway and new road as
well as to determine upon the character anC
; cost OF the embankment and bridge, no lesi
than two have a very considerable prospec
, tive interest in the opening of the read, ant
two Others have very close business relation
with one of these.
: It is true that the act only authorizes tn
( Levy Court to confer this pecuniary ben en
? upon some citizens of Dover.
Here, again, the shrewdness of the pro
jectors in their scheme is apparent. Thi
speeious term is a mere deception and de
lusion, behind which is the very well
e grounded belief that the Levy Court, which
sits under the shadow of the strong politica
/ and social influences of Dover, will b.
cajoled or Influenced into an approval o
the finding of the commissioners.
This approval once secured the law com
? mGnds the appropriation of the public fund
t necessary for the full execution of the plan
, of the commissioners, and they cannot b
modified in the slightest degree BY the Lev.
Court.
Such attempts to use public money 70
: private ends, by whomsoever made, shoul,
4 meet, at the hands Of our Legislature, witt
; direct and unqualified opposition, and al
schemes in which they may lurk should re
eeige the closest scrutiny
: Dover, DEL, February 12, 1888.
B$s---
ADJUSTMENTS,
3 Henry Ward Beecher in the Opera HOus