Smyrna times., 1912-04-03
PROMINENT SMYRNA MEN
GIVE VIEWS ON BOULEVARD
OWNERS OF FARMS TALK FREELY
OVER PROPOSED PROJECT

Morning News Correspondent Visits
Smyrna and Gets Opinions of Prom
inent Citizens on dupont Scheme
Says the Wilmington Morning
News: "From conversation with
owners of farm lands in Kene
county it is found that there art
some positive objections to the lines
run for the route of the new boule-
ward. Some of them say that the
impression obtained when the
matter was explained to the general
assembly and others does not agree
with what is proposed now. The
main basis of complaint is that
some fine farms would be cut badly.
Further, others want to know to
what use the strip of land to be
obtained, and not used for the road
way, is to be put. One property
owner has secured legal advice.
Smyrna people whose property
would be seriously damaged by the
boulevard will fight the matter
to the bitter end. This is the i'm
preston gathered by the CORES
pondent from a trip outside the
State.
Statements ofW.O. and J.E.Hoffecker
This was the statement of Former
Congressman Walter o. Hoffecker
of Smyrna, a man whose position
as one of the leading manufacturers
of the State. as we'll as one of th1
leading citizens of Smyrna, emf
nently fits him to discuss the sub
ject. Mr.. Hoffecker declared,
modestly, that on account of his
absence attending recent sessions
of the National Gamers Executive
Committee, of which he is a MEM
Der, Others might be more competent
to disucss this important topic, and
referred the question to his brother,
]. Edward Hoffecker, a represen-
tative in the present general assem-
bly,. Together they fully and freely
considered the subject just now at
tracing so much attention in Della
| ware. j. Edward Hoffecker COM
re mended The Morning News for it's
ppwork in placing before the public so
luch information on the subject Of
Pehe proposed boulevard. Personally
reee had consulted a number of his
for the purpose of as
=. - scertaining their views on the sub
feet of a special session of the gen
: !. ! I'''',11, Cs assembly and the pfoposed
ant @ey; s4: o:-see boulevard company
wishes to have passed. He had
found considerable opposition to
the boulevard project based almost
wholly upon the fact that two hun
dred feet in width is being taken
for a roadway which is to be but
thirty feet wide. The public, he
said, got the understanding that the
boulevard was to be the full two
hundred feet wide. In fact, &
sketch made by T. Coleman DUPONT
himself, for the purpose of explain
ing matters to Mr.. Hoffecker anC
others. showed a thirty-foot wide
roadway in the middle Of the twt
hundred foot width, while on eithel
side was a forty-foot automobile
speedway mad a ten-foot wide side
walk with room left for electric ca
tracks. While the law, he con
tinued, giving the power to tn
boulevard company says nothing o
these additional roads and side
walks, the people of the State too
it for granted, from what had bee
said about the matter, that the
were to be constructed. In fact,
recent issue of the Scientific Amer
aican had a sketch-reprinted in
Wilmington newspaper-showing tn
boulevard practically the same q
that outlined by Mr.. DUPONT fC
Mr.. Hoffecker and his friends
When the boulevard company ask
for a right of way two hundred fee
wide. and promises only to build
thirty foot wide roadway, troub
results. Mr.. Hoffecker has four
he says, that a great many propert
owners object to giving the add
tional land without knowing what
is for, or to giving the land FRI
for boulevard purposes when the in
preston was that Mr.. DUPONT i
tended to buy it; that some owne
allude to the fact that when Il
matter was being considered at
public meeting of the general a
sembly and citizens. called for &
purpose of hearing Mr.. DUPONT e
plain his intention, Henry c. CO
lison of Dover asked him what
intended to do with the addition
one hundred and seventy feet
land, and he replied: "If 1 b
this land it is mine 20 do as plea
with, ''or words to that effect. TT
Mr.. Hoffecker says, gave the imprt
sion that he intended to buy t