Evening journal., 1911-03-11


into It further that it is going to be
much more expensive than / first |
thought You may ask what are you
going to do with the franchise7
am looking ahead to the development
OF Delaware. and If anybody wants to
build a trolley road. if the State ac-
cepts. would turn the franchise over
TO him. but I would want to be sure
that the trolley road would be built
With a strip close to the highway
trolley road and all other utilities
could all be put In one trunk.
But il Is Just as important that
proper legislation be passed for the
maintenance Of this road. as IL is for
the road TO be built. II is a great
mistake to go on the theory that a
~oad can be built and go three years
without repairs.
To Maintain the Road.
Il want to say to the members OF
the Legislature something that was
not included in my previous PROPOSE
uon: am willing to guarantee that
the cost OF the maintenance for ten
years would not exceed the interest
that the State would have to pay for
the road II the State built II. In
other words, feel sure than Il could
be properly looked after and can be
maintained for less than four per
cent. on the interest OF the money re-
quired to build Il. n the Legislature
would see nc 20 appoint a commission.
i am willing to leave the maintenance
70 their judgment. In Offering to
build and give the road I feel
should be allowed 10 put It where I
please but / am entirely willing for
q commission to be appointed by the
Governor TO agree on the location OF
the road, and OF what materials Il
should be built. II there are any
members OF the Legislature desire to
ask any questions. l will be very
glad 10 answer them"
A voice from the audience: Would
IL go down the center of the Slater
Answer. 1T would go where the
commission should decide"
Senator Finn moved that any per-
son desiring to ask Mr.. DUPONT any
question be given the privilege of
the floor. which motion prevailed.
Senator Miller arose and said he
had been requested to ask how much
Of the road would be 200 feet wide.
General DUPONT replied: Il think
this depends largely and entirely upon
the survey and topography Of the
country. Where there is a big hill or
big fall. the road will have TO be
perhaps 200 feet wide, and this ques-
ton would depend so much upon the
survey that / could not make an In
telligent guess"
Representative Hoffecker, OF Smyrna.
asked whether or not the main course
of the road would bring II through
| the principal towns Of the State or
whether any Of the principal towns
would be cut off from the main course
Of this road. For instance. going
through New Castle county, would
Il pass through Middletown. then
through Smyrna. then through Do
YER, then Milford, and so on down
through the State. he said.
To Pass by the Towns.
Mr.. dupont replied: 1T would be
| impossible 10 pas Il through all OF
the principal towns. for instance,
through Milford and Harrington. IL
would depend on the survey. AS
have said. ! am willing to leave the
location to a commission to be ap-
pointed by the Governor. But per
sonally, l do not think that the road
should go directly through any Of the
principal towns, because frequently
II would have 10 make sharp turns
and e Is not probable that n the roal
was IN a town, II could be made int,
boulevard. n II would go through
a certain section within a half mil,
OF a certain town. the name OF which
will not mention at the present
time, a gentleman there will join
hands with me I'm part expense Of q
boulevard to connect the town with
the road In my judgment. / think II
would be better for the road TO be
at least one-half a mile TO a mile
from a town; If not. there might be a
continual contention between the au-
thorities of the town and the State"
President pro tenn Monaghan an
nounced that anybody was privileged
to ask questions. ]. p Cowgirl. In the
audience, said he would like to ask
what the conditions were in regard tc
that trolley line.
Mr.. dupont then replied that he ask.
ed a guarantee that It would be built
II have that franchise to the right
Of way. and anybody wants to, within
a reasonable time, build a trolley line
would only want an absolute guar.
antee that It would be built" said Gen
eral DUPONT
Mr.. Richards Explains.
AT the request of Senator Marshall
Robert II Richards was given thu
privilege Of the foor and was asked Il
! speak on the legal phases of the pi opo
J sition. "Mr. DUPONT discussed the ques.
tion Of building a road and giving
70 the State with me about two month
! ago, and since that time, there hav
been vigorous discussions. After tn
proposition was made by Mr. duPon
to the Governor, which has been trans
mitted to the General Assembly an
, with which you are all familiar. MI
p Hastings and / have been occupied Il
, drafting a proposed act to carry int
, affect the proposition made by Mr.. du
! Pont We have not done this In an
!. sense as anticipating the wishes of th
q General Assembly. We have not don
z this on any presumption, but we res
lized that the end of the General Ai
Y sembly Is fast approaching, and tbs
4 n the General Assembly should thin
! favorably of the proposition it woul
n be necessary. II anything was don
y that II should be done expeditiously
might say that In the early part of u
= discussion with General DUPONT
= found that his enthusiasm was so gre
= and his desire to accomplish this gre
Z work for the State was such, that
= was very loath TO accept the sugge