The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1912-06-21
GIVING A HIGHWAY TO STATE.

When, two years ago, he arrived at
the age of forty-seven, Thomas Cole
man Dupont, the president of the
great powder company, a man of many
millions with good reputation and
bad digestion. perhaps fearing that he
might not live for many years longer
and doubtless because he really is a
good fellow and philanthropist at
heart, determined to do something big
for the people of his state and for the
glory of the DUPONT name while he
was yet alive. At first he fought of
building an elaborate memorial fount-
ain in Wilmington. But that was not
a large enough benefaction to satisfy
his philanthropic spirit. Then he
thought of hospital, and after that,
of manual training school. Having
been in the Boston Institute of Tee
hnology and came out a very good
engineer, the training school idea was
one which he most favored. He We
still revolving this matter in his mind
when one day while out in his auto
mobile, humping over rutty road in
central Delaware, his eye took in the
dismal stretch of highway ahead and
an inspiration seized him.
What this state wants is good
roads," he declared, land I'll put my
money into them instead of into those
other things which after all would be
of no beni6t to the people outside of
Wilmington. I'll build the straight
est the widest and the best road in
the country, and it shall reach from
one end of the state to the other"
And verify it was big idea in the
benefaction line and an original one,
for no multimillionair, anxious to
leave monument to himself, had ever
written his name indelibly across the
map of his state.
Coleman DUPONT is man who acts
quickly. Having conceived the idea
of the state-long boulevard, he inn
mediately began to interest influential
people in the project. The assembly
was in session and he went directly
to the leading legislators and asked
them if they would put through bill
that would enable him to make the
gift of the great highway to the pub
lie.
The members liked the idea and con-
sented to act. And so the Coleman
DUPONT road, incorporated, came into
being in accordance with an act au-
thorizing any boulevard company
which would comply with certain con-
ditions to construct highway from
the southern to the northern boundry
of the state. Chef among these con-
ditions was that such company
should give to the people of Delaware
free and clear of any circumference, a |
road for vehicle travel from one end |
of the state to the other on as nearly |
a straight line as was practicable.
"The only thing that bothers me in
this whole business is the attitude of |
the farmers" says Mr.. Dupont. "You
would think that they would all be
glad to see the road built, consider
ing the tremendous advantages it's
going to be to them, but many of them
will not give right-of-way through
their preperty, and where l offer to
buy they put preposterous figures on
their holdings. One man had offered
his farm for $500, but as soon as he
heard the road was coming he ran his
price up to $1,000, on the ground that
the boulevard was going to improve
his place to that extent. Human ma
ture!-From State Road from a pri-
vate purse" in July Technical World