Evening journal., 1909-05-28
Levy Courfmsn Sapp De-
fines His Position To-
wards the New Statute

Special 20 THE EVENING JOURNAL
DOVER, May 2s.-The public men
and large property owners Of Kent
county are in severe conflict over the
apparent determination OF the Levy
Court Of Kent county not to put into
operation the Soper permanent good
roads bill. authorizing the county to
borrow 100000 with which TO begin
la permanent system Of hard roads.
graded and approved by an engineer.
Meantime Governor Pennewill. who
is authorized to appoint a State High
way commissioner for Kent county. will
proceed and make this appointment.
even though the chances are that the
commissioner viii have nothing 20 do.
The governor will take this step.
acting under the law. as he is in favor
Il good roads for this generation. and,
If he were to hold up the appointment
Z might be charged by the advocates
Of good roads that II the governor had
acted promptly then central Delaware
could have had good roads just the
same as New Jersey and New Castle
county.
The commissioner 10 be appointed
viii draw $1,000 saalry from the
state and the indication is. that he
will have nothing 20 do but TO draw
that salary. The Senate might refuse
to confirm him at the extraordinary
session 10 be held here as called by
the Governor for June IA, but the gov
ernor could Immediately reappoint or
appoint another for the recess of the
Senate.
Meantime the Levy Court must pro-
vide offices for him and such survey
ors as he may need for his work Of
laying out the roads TO be improved
A split in the ranks OF the Demo-
Gratis is likely TO result. as the Dalv-
Soper men are hot" over the do
nothing policy adopted by the Levy
Court and the Wolcott men are just
as determined that nothing shall be
done and that the court shall not go
ahead and borrow the money
President James Sapp of Magnolia,
who is the leader in the Democratic
Levy Courts movement 10 side-step
the Soper good roads bills. has stated
his position.
In doing so, President Sapp asks the
property owners Of Kent county to
present to him a plan that will prove
that such law as is now confronting
the people will not bankrupt the coun-
ty in twenty years. or that the 500 600
spent as "A beginning will not be like
putting a gold spike here and there in a
long stretch OF railroad.
Kent county cannot be compared
with New Castle New Castle county
has an assessed valuation Of $685. .00O,-
600 and only $50 miles OF public roads.
or thereabouts to keep up. She has her
In borders the city Of Wilmington, not
much for size when we were boys but
I now becoming a great city where H.
nances do not become the great prob
lem they do in little country districts.
New Castle county therefore can
undertake an expenditure of $4,000 or
$1,000 mile on permanent good roads
and can have roads that are Just as
hard and smooth and pleasant to trav-
el in winter and muddy weather as in
fair weather,
But not so i'm Kent county. Instead
of an assessed valuation OF S125.OOO 900
VIC have only S14.Oo0.OOO Instead Of
$50 miles of public roads TO keep up.
we have 1.200 miles
NOW how i'm creation is court Ia
undertake 10 spend 100000 on per
manent good roads. knowing that that
amount viii only build eighteen to
twenty miles of such good roads a.
New Castle is building. when the coun.
lty has over 1000 miles or road from
which a selection must be made. II
we divide It mp by districts, it will moi
build two miles Of road in a district
II we run a straight road up and dowr
the county IL will not reach half wa,
through and all the side or marl<e
roads will be neglected. Why IL vii
cost 100000 even TO get us started.
And. above all. the county is nov
in debt for public improvements and
year after year this debt is being car,
ried without any effort TO reduce. L
that the plan businessmen worl
under?"
Mr.. Sapp declared that he woul,
favor the Maryland law where abuttin,
property owners helped