Smyrna times., 1911-09-20
DUPONT SURVEYORS MAKING
LINES WEST OF SMYRNA
BOULEVARD COURSE AROUND
HEAD OF POND CUTS FARMS
incorporation of Company and Be-
ginning of Construction Work Held
Up BY Death of Secretary of State

Up BY Death of Secretary of State
The DUPONT surveyors are still
working in Smyrna and vicinity.
marking the western course BY wav
of farms of C. P. Gears and others
around the head of Lake Como to a
point between ''Font Hip and the
standpipe. General DUPONT has not
been here to inspect the work so far,
being detained with the preliminaries
of construction work at Georgetown.
The work, however, was brought to
a standstill by the death of Secre-
tary of State w. T. Smithers, who
was also a member of the State
Highway Commission. Gen DUPONT
and his corporation were to have
taken out charter last week but
the death of Secretary Smithers pre-
vented. The work however, will
proceed this week. General T.
Coleman DUPONT yesterday notified
road builders in Wilmington and
other cities that the plans and spec
itication for the first eight miles of the
Dupont Boulevard, which will extend
through the State will be in George
town, the headquarters for Sussex.
Just where these initial eight miles
will be constructed is not stated. 1t
is understood that General DUPONT
will award contracts to contractors
other than his own men providing of
course that the bids are reasonable.
Boulevard All Absorbing Question
The all consuming question at this
time is the building of the DUPONT
Boulevard. Pertinent to this sub
ject the attack of the Every Even
ing and the reply of the Sunday Star
makes interesting reading. The
Star editorially says: EVERY Even
ing persists IN its attack upon Cen
eral DUPONT because he is quite
naturally trying to make the best
bargain in the matter of securing
the right of way for his great State
Boulevard. 1t sneers at the idea
that the boulevard is a magnificent
gift, and says that in no sense car
it be so regarded. But has not oul
neighbor's ill humor carried it g
little too far? Will not Every
Evening admit, upon calm reflection,
that in one sense at least the pro
posed boulevard is magnificent
The boulevard is yet to be built,
and we can speak of it thus far only
as an idea, but is it not magnifi
cent idea ?-was it not a magnificen
conception? And as yet there is nj
doubt that General DUPONT will liv'
up to his promise to build the rOaC
and give it to the State, we thinl
it may reasonably be described a
the present time as a 'rnagnificen
gift 1t is true that the inferenc,
to be drawn from what General Du
Pont said at the time the projec
was before the Legislature, was tina
he would buy the right of way. w
recall that at public meeting i
the Dover Opera House, which wa
held for the purpose of hearing a
explanation of the project from Gen
DUPONT, Mr.. Henry c. Collision,
citizen of Dover, asked General Du
Pont what use he intended to max
of the ITO feet remaining of the 2C
feet wide stripof land, after 80 fee
had been used for roadway. A
near as we can recall, General DU
Pont replied: Since l am going
buy it and pay for it, don't yc
think I'm entitled to Go what
please with it?' This answer WI
loudly applauded, and no furth'
reference was made at the meetir
to that phase of the subject. BI
even so, General Dupont is certain
not thereby prohibited from tryir
to get his right of way as cheap
as he can.
Why DUPONT is Buying Right of W
''There are several consideratio
which support this proposition
very substantial sense, Gener
Dupont will buy and pay for ev
those portions of the right of vi
that may be given to him. j
building of the boulevard Will 10
terially enhance the value of {
lands through which and near Will
it is to run and in most cases tn
enhancement will be far in exec
of the value of the land thus give
That will be paying, in way
the land uesd for the boulevard, a
General Dupont will, in q way,
the paying. The building of
road will also result in genel
enhancement Of all farm lands a
town sites within miles Of its lo'
tion. and thereby not only advar
the value of private holdings,
\ also increase the revenae OF
State by increasing the assessa
conv,u,,rn oAi FloHTH PAGE