Evening journal., 1913-10-07
BUILDERS
IN CONVENTION |, ! | ! ! 0
GET WELCOME
Both Governor and Mayor
Welcome Delegates to the
City
DOWN 10 BUSINESS
CITIES WANT CONVENTION

Of the American Society of Munich
pal Improvements convened in the
ball room of the Hotel DUPONT at IL
o'clock this mroning. The conven-
ton is the largest that Wilmington
has ever entertained and elaborate
have been made for the
delegates. The society boasts Of hav-
ing some of the greatest engineers
in the world among its members and
they will discuss various topics OF
interest 70 the public.
The convention was presided over
this morning by the president, B. E.
Briggs, of Erie, Pa.
Mr.. Briggs called the convention
to order shortly after II o'clock and
introduced Governor Charles R. Mil
Ter, who delivered the welcoming ad-
dress.
The governor said:
The citizens Of the State of Della
ware are deeply sensible Of the honor
you have conferred IN selecting the
city Of Wilmington as the place IN
which TO hold your twentieth annual
convention
Il am here to perform the very
pleasant duty Of extending to you, on
behalf of the people Of Delaware,
the heartiest possible welcome, and
appreciate the privilege as we'll as
the honor Of having this opportunity
Of greeting 50 many distinguished
representatives from our sister
States.
you gentlemen represent the
power and present day constructive
forco hcbfrd r,putofu.I r,~,r-,crc and
Improvement. The time was within
the memory OF many here present,
that a gathering OF this character
would have been impossible. Those
were the days when the roads in the
rural districts were built by the
farmer according to his idea. Now
our highways are constructed under
the direction and supervision OF COM
petent engineers. Those we're the
days when the gutter was the natur-
al channel by which the city disposed
I of its sewage. and hitulithic brick
wood payements and concrete side
walks, and the conservation of health
/ by proper sanitary methods, we're I'M
known.
= Travel abroad today and we OBJ
serve everywhere large cities and
towns with miles of magnificent
boulevards, modern light. water and
sewage systems abundant, and spac
ious parks. splendid public buildings
and bridges.-the product Of your en-
gineering skill and energy.
Within the past few years tn
growth Of the cities and towns Of ou'
country has been phenomenal. II
A IS fo
trys population resided In this city
while as late as 1850 1t had no
reached 5 per cent. Today It is fas
approaching 40 per cent
What you have accomplished i
the past one can erve,-what 70
will be able to do in the future wit
continuing and rapid increase G
population is a problem for your pre-
fession to solve,-that you will b
J equal TO any requirements does no
admit of argument
"lhe annual conventions wherein 20
hold discussions and exchange ideas o
various subjects. serve 20 strengthe
your organization and benefit your er
tire country.
81 viii ask your ind lgence for a fe'
moments, TO say very briefly somethin
concerning the early history OF OF
State.
delaware. though small in are
when compared with the states fro
which YOU came. is accorded the fir.
place in that galaxy Of states designa
ed as the original thirteen; her earl
history is replete with incidents whi'
moulded the destiny of the America
: people and laid the foundation up,
= which this Republic was eonstucte
= Until 1908. we were attached to d
Province of Pennsylvania. and know
7 a. the three lower counties on the Dc
! aware; the people of this section r
e bclied and exhibited such dissatsfacti'
e with this ondition that Penn acqi
+ esced in separation and in 1904 the fir
3 separate assembly was formed An a
s fhation. however, was continued wi
J. the provincial government until lI16.
n Delaware took a most promine
y part in al the activities which led up
d The Declaration of Independence. Wh'
J. however. the time arrived TO adopt th
n instrument some of those present he
. tated to vote. and the possibility
s, failure became apparent; then II "
IT that Caesar Rodney OF Delaware 4
y peared upon the scene and courageous
2 cast the first vote for the Declarati
L its adoption quickly followed, and th
Is the first step in the establishment
liberty in America was accomplishe
'n Delaware was continuous in b
" LOYALTY TO the Revolutionary cause
70 her troops fought from the hegi
a, ming to the end and ter renal
al we're strewn from Connecticut =
le, Georgia. The American flag W
'o first unfurled in battle upon De-
al ware soil, at Cooches Bridge, a Il
Us miles below this city. at which POI
a. there has been erected a monumt
'e to commemorate that event.
at After the independence of the c
nd onies had been acknowledged by Er
ot land, there gathered together a
py markablo body of men TO devise
a. form Of government for the new 7
an ton. sTne measure of their succ'
OF has been established by the fact Il
OF the constitution they framed to COY
the necessities of a population of
ID 600 600, has stood the test OF c.
Is tury and a quarter, and still str
m as the fundamental instrument a
as covers the requirement Of nea
'ry 100 100000 people.
nd = The uncompromising stand
ac- proper representation for the smI
IN er States, assumed by John Dick
son, one of Delawares delega'
he caused franklin TO abandon his Il
by of a Congress with a single hol
VS. and establish the plan for two boo
lat -one the Senate. wherein each 81
a.
the
by largely TO the success Of the movem
In the convention OF the State Asso