Milford chronicle., 1912-02-23
DU PONT WILL ASK GOVERNOR
TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION
Wants Boulevard Law Amended So
Highway Can be Constructed
This Year.
BENEFITS TO GO WITH DAMAGES
General Announces He VIII Expend
His Surplus and Give All His
Leisure Time Building Roads.


ing the summer, as he had hoped His
reasons are:
Under the Delaware law the Boulevard
Company cannot give bond and 90 ahead
as is customary in other States, but must
wait the final decision of the court before
commencing work. One or two other
amendments are necessary before it will
be possib e for him to complete the bouie
ward or practically huiid it in this year.
With this end in view, il is likely he VIII
ask the Governor to cal a special session
of the Legislature
Accordingly, it was earned bv the re
porter that if two thir Of the members
of the Legislature shall agree in writing
to pass amendments to the law enacted
at the last session, empowering General
du POnt to build the boulevard, which
will run the entire length of Delaware,
Governor Pennewil will call special
session Of the General Assembly for next
month. The general, who will eXpend
about two million dollars in constructing
the highway as a gift to Il is State, has con
feTred with the Governor on the question.
When the views of the legislators shall
be secured, tie executive will then decide
what to do. As is well known, he is in
accord with the general on all matters
pertaining to the proposed improvement.
BRANCH TO DELMAR.
The changes which the doner desires to
the law passed at the last session bv an
overwhelming vote in both houses Include
an amendment that will allow the BOule-
ward Company to build a branch from
point south Of Dover to somewhere near
Delmar, so that he can make PROPOSE.
tion to the people on the western side OF
the State.
Another amendment needed will allow
the Boulevard Company to give bond and
go ahead and build the road. IL is also
proposed to specify the crossing Of the
Chesapeake 4 Delaware Canal. Under
its charter the canal company is compelled
to build and maintain bridges at places
now crossed or where hereafter crossings
may be required by the State
1t is stated that a poll will be taken OF
the members of the General Assembly on
this subject. General du Pout wants it
understood that the amendments contem
plated win enable him to proceed at once
with the construction OF the boulevard to
the end that it will probably be finished
within a year. 1t will be known within
a fortnight whether the special session
will be called.
This man of means, it is authoritatively
stated, intends to devote the remainder
of his spare time in building good roads
for Delaware and other States By ''Other
States' is meant a continuation in some
portions of Maryland and Pennsylvania
of highways that he will construct in this
State. In addition, it is his intention,
eventually, to build, or assist in building,
nlu raod fr,rs, t,n r,porar,eah Ilal-
mar terminus of the boulevard straight
through to Cape Charles, Va the south
ernmost point on the Delaware, Maryland
and Virginia Peninsula. He is also plan
ming to assist in building some modern
highways in other parts of the United
States.
Not only will he give up the greater
portion of his leisure time to this phian-
thropic work, but he has concluded to
contribute literally to good road develop
ment IN the United States.
MONEY NOT ALWAYS DESIRABLE.
In discussing large fortunes, General
du Pont said | do not think it is a
wise thing to leave too much money to
young men. | believe boys are much
better off and make better men and better
citizens when they work for and earn a
living, than those who inherit a sufficient
amount of money to lead a life of leisure
and pleasure
The general said that his father had
given him an opportunity to get a gOOC !
education Having given him the educa !
tion and put him to work. he said 81
have given you an opportunity to get as
good an education as can be gotten in the
United States. 1t is now up to you to |
make good
General du Pont took a position at Sl5 !
a month and board and worked an aver !
age of IS hours a day for at least twenty |
years. He says it did not hurt him but |
really was the making Of him From the |
generals observations, the men who start /
with nothing but make good themselves, !
are better citizens than those who inherit |
everything
Then referring to the Subject of good |
roads, General du POnt stated
81 believe good roads will do more good |
than libraries. hospitals and in fact than
any of the usual forms of philanthrophy
/ believe Delaware will derive more ben
eft from good roads than from any one
thing that can be done Believing this
TO be true, he said that his spare time
could not be employed better than by de.
voting it to the building of modern high
ways.
CRITICISES AN OPPONENT.
The general was then asked "What
10 yon think of Mr. Simpsons letter
about good roads and his opinion of the
road?" To this General du Pont answered
'Mr. Simpson has probably not had the
advantages that good many others have
had and | contribute most of this state
ments to ignorance. He is a hard work
ng man, has acquired a number of farms,
and | always thought him a good citizen
lntil l heard, (Which hope is not true),
that he shaved notes and threw poor peO-
Pile out of their houses and took every (
of these people that the law
gave him. II this is true, all the churches
he could build would not make him as
good Christian as the man who never
goes to church, but does a kindness to
.he unfortunate rather than an unkind
ness in times of trouble
If it is decided to call an extra session
If the Legislature to enact amendments ;
% the boulevard law, General du Pont
will send a letter to the Governor specify
ng at length what he desires fThe sub
-F ser s,kl IN hn !