Smyrna times., 1899-09-06
TROLLEY LINE PROGRESSING.
KENT COUNTY LEVY COURT FAVORS DEL.
AWARE ELECTRIC COMPANY.
New Company Makes a Deposit and Guar
antees to Complete the Road
in a Year.

IN Year.
The two rival corporations that wish
to provide Delaware with network of
trolley roads, had their final tussle be-
fore the Kent county Levy Court, at
Dover, Thursday afternoon. The
crowds that were attracted to the place
could scarcely get into the county
The Delaware General Electric Com
pany, represented by Attorney Gen
eral White and Henry Ridgely, Jr.,
were accompanied by Solomon R. Erie
denberg. Morris Bernheimer, Leo Bel
mont, William Graham, A. A. Harris
and Col. George f. Leland, of Phila-
delphia. Before coming into court,
they deposited $17, 800 in the Farmers
Bank as guarantee of their good faith
to the court, that they would surely
build the railways. Their certificate
of incorporation was then signed by
Judge Pennewill of the Supreme
Court.
Former Secretary of State John d.
Hawkins alone represented the inter
ests of the old company, the Delaware
Electric Railway Company. Chairman
Truax of the court, raped for order
shortly before noon and the contest
between the lawyers began. Attorney
(rnnn1oI IN, l.,
cused Mr.. Hawkins of dickering with
the charters and of never intending to
provide the citizens of the State with
an electric railway system until they
saw enough money in it. He claimed
that the old charter was null and void.
because the company had not met the
requirements of completion, and had
begun work with a few rails taken
from the Delaware Bay Railroad, and
to which the superintendent, Colonel
Stacy asserted they had no right.
Mr.. Hawkins made bitter fight
against the personal accusations of the
encouragement, and accused General
White of dragging his high office in
the mire. The old charter was good,
he declared, and the old company pro-
posed to build upon it.
To be Completed in One Year.
Attorney General White finally
agreed to deposit ST., 500 Immediately
(being $500 for each of the thirty-five
miles proposed in the new route),
which the new general incorporation
law demanded of all railway companies
and to further give the court written
guarantee that if the entire system was
not surveyed i'll thirty days and CON
structed to it's completion within one
year, the whole amount would be for
feited to the people of Kent county.
and would be made payable to the
Levy Court from the State treasurer's
account. He asked if the court could
ask any further guarantee. One stipu-
lation is:
"That said road bed shall be located
at one extreme of the public highway
with the said track within two feet of
said limit and shall not occupy more
than 10 feet of said public highway.
The said road beds and tracks shall
continue on the same side of said pub
lie highway throughout its length, ex-
cept as may be hereafter provided by
the said Levy Court"
DR.. COOper's Plea for Trolley.
DIR. E. w. Cooper, of Camden, was
asked to address the court, and he de.
clared that Kent county must have
trolley system and now was the time
to act, and claimed that everywhere the
country roads had rehabilitated the
communities through which they had
passed.
The Levy Court decided in favor of
the new General Electric Company It
announced Thursday that it had gran
ted it full rights to build line and op-
crate in Kent county. The conditions
were that the company should deposit
$17,50 and produce Treasurer Balls
receipt for the same, with guarantee
to complete the system in the year.
The old company it is since said,
will endeavor to produce a larger
forfeit and then fight the new company
inch by inch through the court and by
meuns of writs of mandamus. 1t is to
be merry fight from now on, and in
spite of the decision of the Levy Court
and the anxiety of the people to have a
trolley system there will be consider
able delay through suits at law.