Smyrna times., 1912-04-10
COLEMAN DUPONT HALTS
WORK ON THE BOULEVARD
HIS DECISION FOLLOWS GCV-
ERNOR'S WRITING FOR OPINION
Replies to Critics in Which He Says if
the People of Delaware Don't Want
the Road He Won't Build 1t


Official announcement was made
Wednesday that operations on the
T. Coleman dupont boulevard have
been suspended until the judges of
the State courts decide whether
the act, which made its construction
possible is constitutional, ana whether
the people want the road. The head
of the powder trust, who about
year ago, announced that as mon
ument to himself, he would build
for the State a modern highway, a
little more than 100 miles in length
and costing 1000, 900, announced
that the operations have ceased.
His decision followed the 'tion of
Governor Simeon S. Pennewill in
sending to the judges of the State
courts a letter asking for an opinion
as to the constitutionality of the act.
1t has been attacked by reason of
the fact that of the 200 feet of land
from one end of the State to the
other. the powder magnate uses
only 80 feet for a road and keeps the
remainder to use as he pleases.
The boulevard act gives him broad
utility concessions, 50 broad, in
fact that he could operate most any
kind of a utility, with the possible
exception of a steam railroad. Some
lawyers think he could also build
railroad under the broad provisions
of the act. "Oh, yes there is no
secret about it, - said General du-
Pont. ''I thought the people of
Delaware wanted the road, and
wanted it quickly, and depending
on the support of the progressive
and intelligent people, l took a
good many chances and pushed
ahead, desiring to make a record in
road building by finishing it in one
year. But today | really don't
know whether the people of Della
ware want the road or not, but l
know if they don't want it l GER
tainly don't want to spend the
money necessary to give it to them.
Inasmuch as there are twenty or
thirty lawyers fighting it and the
majority of the newspapers are
against it, and as the constitution
ality of the act is being questioned,
l have decided to stop until the peo-
pie say they want the road. This
they can do through their represent
atives, but in my judgment the peo-
pie are not showing enough interest
: in the welfare of the State to take
the necessary trouble to instruct
their representatives and senators
in the legislature. This talk OF
valuable franchises is all poppy.
cock. Any one who wants to get 6
trolley franchise or pipe line fran
chise or other franchises without
building a road can get a strip oi
300 or 400 feet wide a great dea
cheaper than by building a roaC
along it. Everyone knows that +;
strip 400 feet wide, say fifty acres
to the mile. can be bought for, sa!
an average of 500 per acre, th'
whole length of the State. This i
only $4,000 per mile. " Mr.. duPon
also pointed out that it was no
necessary to build road to acquir
a franchise for anything and tina
the franchise could be secured with
out making any such agreement a
he made in the beginning. H
thinks that a special session of tn
legislature should be held. and tina
the amendments to the act shoul
be adopted.
May Be No Boulevard Act
Another tangle is threatened owe
the dupont boulevard law and tn
Judges of the Superior Court ma
have to decide whether there is sue
a law or not. The Judges are ex
pected to meet to consider the cor
stitutionaIity of the law, thei
opinion having been asked by Gov
ernor Pennewill, but the point wa
raised as to whether there really
a boulevard law. An examinatio
of the records of the Legislator
shows a conflict similar to that il
volved in the election cases in Wi
mington two years ago, when tn
Superior Court held that a city eIet
tion was invalid because of a col
regarding the passage of a la