Evening journal., 1911-05-12
CcontInued from First Page.l


design. five stories high, and with
massive columns towering to that
height. The change in entrance alone
Will cost $4,000 to s25,OO0 more than
the present entrance. Mr. Raskob ex-
planned. He also said that corridor
would extend all the way from the
Tenth to the Eleventh street entrance,
and from the Market street to he
Pinkett's Court on the western side OF
the building. Pinketts Court would
be made a thoroughfare from Tenth
to Eleventh streets. It also is con-
templated that the corridors on the
different floors shall connect the Of
fee building with the hotel, but the
buildings would be separated by FIRE
proof doors that would be used only
in emergencies
Mr. Raskob pointed out that the ho-
tel will be Of fireproof construction,
like the present Office building. He
says the company is planning a dem
onstration of the freproof construc-
ton Of the building and will build
fire in il to show that flames cannot
spread. This will be done under su-
pervision of insurance underwriters
and expert hrefghters.
Crowd At Hearing.
The Council chamber was crowded.
the Board Of Trade being represented
by large delegation, including busi-
ness and professional men. The Board
had meeting at 4.30 o'clock in the
afternoon, at which the hotel project
was favored
At the opening of the Council ses-
sion at which the hotel project was
brought up for consideration, the let
ter OF John J. Raskob, treasurer Of
the Wilmington Trust Building Cor
poration, offering to build the hotel if
Eleventh street was widened: and
resolutions of the Street and Sewer
Directors and of the Board of Trade.
favoring the street widening plan
were read. Street and Sewer Direc-
tor George w. Sparks Charles A. Ru-
dolph and NJ D. Murphy were pres
ent
Mr.. Sparks FayOrs II.
President Sparks, of the Street and
Sewer Department, said the commu-
nication from the Street and Sewer
Department speaks for itself. He
said the proposition was so clean that
II met with the unanimous approval
of the directors of that department.
he said that the increased revenue
to the city from the improvement
makes the proposition too good to be
allowed to pass. He said that in a
few years the revenue from increas-
ed taxation would wipe out the cost
Council would be put to in scquir-
ing the new Continental Life Insur-
ance Company's building and widen
ing Eleventh street
Mr.. Sparks then introduced. John !.
Raskob, of the DUPONT Company. who
said the matter of a hotel for Will
mington was brought up two months
ago, and he devoted much of his time
to the project. finally interesting the
du- ont Company in the proposition.
He said the Continental Life Insur-
ance Company agreed to dispose of
its new building al contract price,
100000, and the ground at $4,000,
which he considered a reasonable fig
ure. He said the Wilmington Trust
Building Corporation Company would
pay $1,000 salvage for the insurance
companys building making the cost
to the city Of widening Eleventh
street, $4,000.
More Than Million.
Mr.. Raskob said he could give nc
exact figures but thought the assess
ed valuation of the hotel with the
present DUPONT Building. would reach
S1.20O,000. He informed the Council
men that the hotel building would be
strictly freproof He said that the
land, other than the Continental Life
Insurance Company's property, need
ed for the widening of Eleventh
street, would be donated to the city
by the Wilmington Trust Building
Corporation. He said that should
Council agree TO the proposition work
would be started on the hotel at once
and the building completed in sixteer
months. He also submitted a pencil
sketch of the proposed hotel.
A. S. Reed, first vice. president o
the Wilmington Board of Trade, wal
next introduced by Mr. Sparks. H,
said that the directors of that bod!
approved of the hotel project ant
were unanimous in the opinion tha
il would certainly be a big improve
ment for Wilmington. He asked tha
Josiah Marvel, a member of the BoarC
of Trade be allowed the privilege o
the floor
Mr. Marvel spoke Of the great gooc
hotel such is contemplated would &C
complish in Wilmington. He recall
ed the opposition to the widening o
Tenth and Front streets, and nov
that these thoroughfares we're i'm
proved, he asked whether there wa
man in the city who still objected
10 money expended for this purpose
He said the city is now asked to wild
en- Eleventh street and he could no
see how the members of Council coult
do anything else but act fsvorabl,
and promptly on the proposition
Mr.. McGovern had asked Mr.. Ras
kob if the cost of widening Eleventh
nnr.... -. ....-. ..o-r-.. -. -. a.