Smyrna times., 1913-02-19
DUPONT BOULEVARD TALK
REVIVED At LEGISLATURE
7. COLEMAN DUPONT INSTIGA-
TOR APPEARS PERSONALLY

Piled With Many Questions BY Mem
bers of Henry RidgelY
Makes a Brilliant Speach
Interest in the dupont boulevard
was received Monday by the appear
ance of General T. Coleman DUPONT
before the Legislature at Dover. for
the purpose of answer questions
and explaining some misunderstanding
that have arisen in connection with
his big boulevard project. General
DUPONT made a short address. Some
of the members seemed to think that
the 200 feet was entirely too great
an amount Of land to be taken for the
boulevard. The General added that
If the change TO 100 feet should be
made, it would mean the giving up
of some 1900 acres Of property from
which some time in the near future
the State would derive a handsome
revenue. General DUPONT declared
that where the property owners had
objected to his taking the right Of
way he had paid considerably more
than the actual assessed value Of the
land. He insisted however, that an
amendment should be psased to the
boulevard law which would permit
the consideration of benefits as we'll
as of damages in making the awards
to property owners. Speaking of
the future in store for the State and
the land owners in the way of ben
efts that would come from the boule-
ward, General dupont declared that
if the boulevard should be built he
would be willing to enter an agree
ment with any of the land owners
through whose property the boulvard
passed to give them FIVE times the
present assessed value Of their farms
FIVE years after the boulevard was
built. The General could not say de-
finitely for what purpose the land re-
served by the boulevard corporation
would be used. except that he expected
TO have public utilities constructed
upon il, and he added that he would
agree that the State should receive
any Of the profits that might accrue
from the extra ground reserved by
the boulevard corporations. He was
also willing, he said, to give TO the
State, 40 feet instead of the 80 feet
of the entire strip as provided by the
boulevard law.
Henry RidgelY. ESQ.,. Throws Hot Sho
After dupont had concluded his re,
marks and answered the cross-fir,
questions put to him, Henry Ridgely
the blind lawyer, Of Dover, who rep
resent numerous Contestants and
complainants against the road, begar
a review Of the boulevard law and tn,
amendments now pending before The
Legislature. emphasizing the fac
that the law two years ago was ruShe,
through during a fever Of popular sx
eifement and declared that he was saf,
in saying that no six members Of tn
entire 81 members of the session o.
1911 understood the bill and fur;he
that not over 20 men in the ertir
State really knew or understood III
contents of the bill. Ridgely contende
that if there was a demand for
boulevard, let the State build il
He declared the power granted 70 d
Pont entirely too much for any on
man or set Of men.
Sentiment Toward Repeating the La,
One Of the amendments asked b,
General dupont provides for ingres
and egress respecting the propertie
adjoining the boulevard An amend
ment Of this character was passed b,
the last Legislature. but was no
signed by Governor Pennew:ll, wa
explained that it was defective i
wording as there was no definite dis
tances at which the roads from III
farms to the boSlevsrds would
placed. There was large crowd a
the hearing both of friends and ol
ponents of the boulevard. Some
the members favor lettisg matter
rest as they are, others want to pa
the amendments asked for by Gener
dupont. while there is considcrab
sentiment in favor Of repeating Il