Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1911-02-25
MISTAKE, "
SAYS DUPONT
Has Not Offered to Build
State Boulevard Out Of
his Own Funds
WILL MAKE SOME
PROPOSITION SOON

Dover yesterday Dy General A. X.
Benson and confirmed by Governor
Pennewill that General r. c. DUPONT
had offered to build and give free 10
the State "A boulevard one hundred
feet wide, TO extend the entire length
of the State. General DUPONT him
self in response TO telegraphic in
quiry this morning said that the Gov
ernor and General Benson are mis-
taken, and that his proposition gen
orally as outlined in last Mondays
EVENING JOURNAL, was about cor
rect IL was to the effect that he would
build a boulevard out of moneys de-
rived from increased taxation in the
three counties due to rise in land
values caused by the road building,
or that he might cooperate with the
Levy Courts of the three counties, or
that he would give 100000 outright
to the State to help build such high
way.
General DUPONT says he will make
definite proposition Monday or Tues
day as to what he is willing to do re-
garding the construction Of the state
Highway.
General DUPONT is at the Hotel
Knickerhocker in New York city and
this morning he was sent telegram
stating that Governor Pennewill and
General Benson had the impression
and had stated that General DUPONT
had offered 20 build and give the road
TO the State, and that Robert r. Rich
ards said they were mistaken I'm that
impression. General DUPONT was
asked to straighten out the mystery
In reply he sent the following tele-
gram to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
"GOVernOr and General Benson
entirely mistaken. Your report
last Monday about correct Hope
to make a definite proposition
Monday or Tuesday.
"T. c. DUPONT
Mr.. Richards Statement.
Former Attorney General Robert H.
Richards, who is preparing the legal
phases Of the proposition to be made
by General DUPONT, last night after
a telephone conversation with Cen
eral DUPONT, issued the following
statement:
I am authorized by Mr.. DUPONT to
Z say that there is a mistake in the re-
port sent out from Dover. He has
not made any such proposition. The
person who made the statement must
have misunderstood any conversation
lect. After his return from New
} York on Sunday any new proposition
which he may have TO make will be
announced very shortly"
General A r. Benson was called up
J by telephone at his residence in Dover
this morning and was asked if he had
anything to say regarding the denial
made by General DUPONT of the state
ment that he intended to build and
give to the State a one hundred foot
wide boulevard.
Il have nothing to say about IL at
this time" said General Benson.
J Governor Pennewill was not az the
State House today.
Governor Says misunderstanding.
Governor Pennewill arrived in VIII
mington shortly before noon, and was
shown General duPont's telegram,
Evidently there is some misunder-
standing" said the Governor. "I nave
nothing to say at this time
The story that General DUPONT had
offered to build the road and present Il
to the State Was reported around the
State Houst yesterday and was first
verified by General Benson at the
State House in Dover. He said that
General DUPONT had told Governor
Pennewill and himself at a conference
IN Wilmington on Thursday that he
would build and present to the State
a boulevard one hundred feet wide
General Benson said that a blue print
already had been prepared by General
7 DUPONT showing his idea Of tho finest
highway in the country 10 be- laid
through Delaware, The blue print pro-
} vides for q sixteen foot wide macadam
I driveway for horses and a general We
J hicular traffic In the center Of the
boulevard, with an automobile road on
either SIDE of the general roadway,
and with footwalks on either side of
, the auto paths, and fringe Of trees
on both sides Of the highway for its en-
tire length. The road was to be of such
width as TO permit of trolley tracks
being laid along the edge Of It If they
every became necessary.
When Governor Pennewill was ask
ed yesterday II such an offer TO build
and give the road to the State had
been made he admitted that it had, af-
ter he had been told by the reporter
. that General Benson had told of the
proposition when questioned by re-
porters.
Some Expect Such an Offer.
%AN afhAaAo AIOtu ArtutThl uu-
, Pont and Nr. Richards are conclusive,
there are some who think that event.
ually General DUPONT may offer to
build personally and give TO the State
some sort of highway II his PROPOSE
ton to build II and be reimbursed by
the counties out Of increased taxation
is rejected
That proposition involving in
creased taxation does not appeal to
many property owners in Kent and
Sussex counties was evident about the
State House the past week. as those
counties seem to want the road inn
provements without imposing any in
creased taxation burdens. For that
reason the chances do not seem bright
for General duPont's original propo-
sition TO be accepted. As tho situation
} now stands General DUPONT has not
made any formal offer to the Legisla-
ture or anybody else as yet.
II is expected that General dupont
early next week, probably Tuesday
next, will appear personally before the
Legislature and outline his proposition
TO help in the construction of a state