Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-09-19


A reporter of 1.-THE Gazette" Thurs.
day afternoon visited the spot near
Newark about which there has been
90 much controversy during the last
few weeks. A building is being
erected on the Maryland side of the
line by w, II. Sperry of Roxborough,
Pa, but as yet neither Mr. Sperry or
any other foreigner" has any claim to
nearby property either in Delaware or
Maryland, and all talk about outside
parties holding ground in Delaware
and Maryland doing business in both
States is all bosh.
Mr.. Sperry. few days ago called on
ames Morrison, who then owned 80
.cres in Maryland and purchased from
aim eight acres and II perches. Every
inch of the land is in Cecil county,
Md. The northern boundary is the
Baltimore & Ohio railroad and the plot
runs south from the railroad 748 40
feet. On the east is the Delaware line
for portion of the distance and the
remainder of the distance is bounded
by the line between Maryland and
the wedge which is supposed to belong
to Pennsylvania. The triangular stone
ware, Pennsylvania and Maryland is
located on the eastern bounrday of
Sperry's purchase, 322 feet south of the
railroad. The plot is nearly square
and the eastern limit is in Maryland.
The reporter was informed, however,
that Mr.. Sperry was after some land
across the Delaware line, and also that
he had the refusal of a plot of about
"a acres adjoining his new acquisition
on the north and running to what is
known as the Cherry Hill road, which
runs west from Newark. So it can
be seen that up to the present time
Delaware has no concern in the matter
whatever.
For two weeks Philadelphia parties
have been looking over the ground and
after making an investigation it seem
ed to be Just the spot they were after
and the purchase was made for
lump sum, it is stated, Monday week.
When the reporter visited the place
seven or eight carpenters and as many
laborers were busily engaged in laying
a floor for building 40x100 feet in
area and about II feet in height, the
northern end of which is about 30 feet
west and 10 feet south of the triangular
stone between the three States. The
front of the building will be about
parallel with the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad and 100 yards south of it.
No contract has been given out, but
Mr.. Sperry has hired the mechanics
and laborers-most of the latter being
colored men-in Newark, and they are
doing the work under his personal SUI
pervision. Lumber is being hauled from
the yards Of Wright a. Son in Newark,
which is about two miles to the west
The transportation of the materials
from Newark began on Tuesday
week and two or three teams be-
ing engaged in the work. White and
yellow pine is being used in the con-
struction of the building, the former
for the flooring and the latter for the
ioists. Work above the floor has not
yet commenced.
The building is located in thick
woodland, and in order to make room
ii was necessary to clear away some of
the timber. Stout piling was driven
on Tuesday, and the floor is being
built upon it about three feet from the
ground.
Mr.. Sperry was experimenting the
work when the reporter arrived. After
viewing the place for fully half an hour
the scribe approached Mr. Sperry and
questioned him. He was exceedingly
courteous. He stated that he had pur-
CHASED the ground and was erecting on
it building for club house which is
to be used by party of friends in
Philadelphia all the year round. 1t
had boen suggested that the building
was for prize fights, but Mr.. Sperry
allayed this suspicion. He said the
club he represented was not an athletic
CLUB, but one for social objects. He
also stated that there was no intention
of keeping or having any horses there.
The reporter had been informed that a
race track would probably be located
there. but the owner said such is not
the intention. When asked if the
woodland would be cleared away, he
said he thought not, except that some
underground might be cut down. This
would naturally have to he done in
order to make the place look right
that is, to take away the wild appear
ance.
Mr.. Sperry also assured the reporter
that William j. Thompson the Duke
of Gloucester, has nothing TO do with
the place or the improvements, as had
been so freely rumored.
A II that the new owner would say as
to the purposes of the building was
that it is TO be club house for the
use of a number of his friends in
Philadelphia. At first the reporter waE
led to believe that it would be an oper
pavilion. but il was afterWard Learned
that it would be closed in. In describ
ing what was to be done Mr.. Sperry
said: 1T will he one story build
ing, with the interior divided int
rooms. =" The reporter asked il il
would contain an amusement hall, ant
he replied that he did not know JUS
what the interior arrangements are, al
the plans are not yet in shape. All b,
was willing TO give out was that he i,
constructing the shell, and the infer
ence was that the interior plans are il
the hands of some one else.
Summing up the information OBJ
tanned from the owner, there is appar
emily no intention Of having horse racel
there, at the present time at least, anC
consequently il must be for some othel
purpose. With the present holding il
would be a difficult matter to lay out
track, to say nothing Of the expense
in clearing away the thick woodland
AS prize ring it would not be a
success, from the fact that the building
is not large enough to accommodate
many people after it is divided III
into rooms.
Some parties who claim to have ar
inkling Of what is really going on hol(
the belief that the building is beinl
srected for pool room, where til,
business may be conducted on large
scale. 1t is thought that the onject
may be for d place where pools can b.
sold on sporting events Of MI kinds
Mr.. Sperry, however, had nothing t.