Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1911-02-22
PLENTY OF
ROAD MONEY
I. B. Rogers Now Offers Loan
Of $75O,OOO for the
Purpose
WILL DOUBLE AMOUNT
If STATE NEEDS IT

II Delaware has received a second Of
fer within a week relative to the con-
struction of q State highway from one
end Of the State TO the other this time
from Theodore b. Rogers, of No 1908
Clayton street. Mr. Rogers, who is "A
grandson OF the late Theodore r..
Rogers, the millionaire locomotive
builder, offers $75OO00 for the con-
struction of the proposed highway
If the highway costs more than $780,
600, the amount stipulated in the bill
to be presented to the Legislature, Mr..
Rogers announces that he will, in
crease his offer, If necessary, up 10
S1,5OO,OO
Following the introduction Of the
DreXler bill, General r. Coleman du-
Pont, president of the DUPONT Powder
Company, offered the State S2.000000
for the construction of such high
way, and his idea was TO be reim-
bursed by the increased assessment
on the abutting lands.
Mr.. Rogers plan is to have the
Legislature pass an act directing that
all automobile taxes and the taxes
upon drivers be used to pay the inter
est on the s750,O00 loan, and all SUR
plus be devoted to "a sinking fund for
the payment of the principal and the
roads maintenance.
He suggests the appointment of a
State highway commission TO have
charge of repaying the loan, TO con-
struct the road and to look after its
improvements. He will make for
NAL proposal to the Legislature.
The formal offer of the loan to the
State will be made at once TO the
authorities, through Mr.. Rogers at
torneys, Cooper and Bradford, who
will arrange the legal details of the
. matter, should the offer of Mr.. Rogers
be accepted Mr.. Rogers is a farmer
on q large scale, and an enthusiastic
automobilist His offer follows:
In the matter of the proposal,
, which seems to be generally fay-
ored Of building a permanently
improved highway through the
State of Delaware For the pur-
pose Of making known to the
b proper officials of the State, adj
. dress to you this proposal for
publication.
+ First. offer to the State the
3 sum OF seven hundred and fifty
{ thousand dollars, for the purpose
, Of building said highway, of such
width as this amount would build
{ from the northern boundary OF
J, the State to the southern boun-
e dairy. This amount | am informed
would be sufficient to build a
r road Of adequate width
b Second. ! do not believe tha
r land holders along this highway
i should, by reason Of any assumed
2 increase in value thereof, be bur
= dened with an increased assess
s ment. in order to pay the ex
penses Of the highway, inasmuch
as IL would be an improvement L
the whole State, and I'm addition
y there might be such opposition OF
Z the part of land owners. to eithei
1 defeat the project or to chang
! the course thereof so as to ac
commodate the majority of peo
pie. il being true that under ouI
Constitution we cannot legislatC
for any special road.
Third. l propose that the Legis-
lature appoint a committee to be
known as The State Highway
Commission which shall be en-
/. powered to contract to Obligate
the State for the repayment of the
said sum Of seven hundred and
fifty thousand dollars, together
with four per cent interest
thereon: the interest to be paid
two per cent semi-annually, and
the principal sum to be paid in
the amounts and at times to be
agreed upon between the saiC
commission and myself.
Fourth. That the Legislator,
Immediately pass an act directing
that all licenses or taxes pait
upon automobiles, or for the driv
ing Of automobiles, be applied {,
the payment of the interest pay
able upon the said sum of sevel
hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars, and any surplus to be de
posted as sinking fund for tn
payment Of the principal sum am
maintenance of the road, and tina
the Legislature further provid
for the application of the genera
funds of the State to the repay
ment of the said principal sum q
seven hundred and fifty thousan
dollars, in accordance with term
TO be agreed upon between tn
said commission and myself.
Fifth. That the said commissio
shall be authorized to eNpend tn
moneys generally in the permanen
improvement Of the public highway
- NV RNHAA WIN the UTONlSO. ina
before any other highway shall b
built. that a highway beginning a
the northern boundary Of the Stat,
TO run southwardly through the cit
of Wilmington. towns OF Middletowr
Smyrna and Dover, aud on TO II
termination in the southern boundar,
In the most convenient, cheapest an
most direct course, before any othe
highway shall be built. I'm order I
try to accomplish the constitutions
building Of such road.
Sixth. I believe that this propos
ton will be met adequately bv m
increased number Of automobile owr
ers, and that no class of land holde,
should sustain any burdens i'm add
ton TO those they already bear
| My idea in making this propos,
Is to especially eliminate the increal
ca burden upon any especial class
land holders. and for that matte
I land holders in general. and 10 trv
accomplish the purpose desired ,
placing the burden where n will N,
be felt. viz: BY applying automobi
taxes and annual surplus in n