Evening journal., 1911-05-11
WANT CITY TO
GET THE HOTEL
Board Of Trade and Street
Directors to Appear Be-
fore Council
SOME COUNCILMEN
SAID TO OPPOSE IT

Members OF the Board of Trade will
hold a special meeting at 43O o'clock
this afternoon to advocate the widen
ing of Eleventh street in order to Sc
cure the construction Of the immense
and modern hotel of $50 rooms which
the Wilmington Building Trust Cor
poration, controlled by the DUPONT in
terests, has offered to build on Mar
ket street, adjoining the DUPONT build
ing provided the city acquires the
Continental Life building at the south
west corner of Eleventh and Market
streets and tears it down in order to
widen Eleventh street twenty feet.
o. G. Purdy. president Of the Board.
last evening called the special meet
ing for this afternoon to boom the
hotel project Action will be taken
urging Council to provide money to
condemn the Continental building, and
a delegation will be named to repre-
sent the Board at the meeting of Coun-
Gil tonight
Directors George w. Sparks, c. A.
Rudolph and NJ d. Murphy, of the
Street and Sewer Department also will
appear before Council tonight to ad-
vocate widening OF the street in order
to secure the hotel
Wilmington's need Of a large and
modern hotel with everything up-to-
date has long been recognized even
though the present hotels are as good
as possible under the circumstances.
Now that the opportunity is offered
for a hotel of which any city should
be proud all eyes will be on City Coun-
ell tonight to see what action 10 will
take on the Street and Sewer Direct
ors' recommendation that the Contin-
entail Life Building be bought.
Il would cost the city $4,000 to ac-
quire the property, but the Building
Trust Corporation would pay $1,000
for the material in the building re-
ducing the cost to the city to S4S.000
It was pointed out yesterday that
the taxes from the new hotel property
in about five years would pay for the
condemnation of the Continental Life
property.
It was reported today that some of
( the Couneilmen are opposed to the
| city paying $4,000 to widen Eleventh
street 10 assure construction Of the
hotel Because OF this, definite action
may not be taken by Council tonight
on the project, It was said today.
According to the proposition of the
Building Trust Corporation the hotel
would really be a continuation of the
DUPONT building along Market street
/ to Eleventh street. The DUPONT build
! ing is twelve stories high and the
| hotel would be of the same height with
! $50 rooms, the most Of which would
have private baths. Such a hotel with
its furnishings. would cost some
where near 100000, it is estimated.
! Whether the hotel would have a diff
! ferent architectural facade along Mar
ket street from that Of the present Of
| fee building is not known.
When the proposal to erect the du-
Pont building was made the company
stipulated the widening Of Tenth
street as a condition. After much dis
/ cussion the street was widened by the
/ City COuncilshrdlu hrdlu hrdlu uu
city condemning the properties along
il and there is scarcely a person today
who will not admit that It was one of
the best acts ever done by the city. The
widening of Eleventh street would
simply be following out what was done
| along Tenth street, but the DUPONT
| Company will give some of its land
! along Eleventh street to help along
! the prOiect