Evening journal., 1914-12-11

boulC rd situation. The article Is re-
produced herewith.
General T. Coleman DUPONT. the
well-known highway enthusiast Of
Wilmington. Delaware, and chairman
of the Board Of National Counselors
of the National Highways AssOca-
tion, has won out in his famous le-
gal fight for permission TO construct
his proposed boulevard from the
Pennsylvania-Delaw State line
through the latter State to the Della
ware-Maryland State line. and 20
donate the boulevard after compile
tion. 10 the State Of Delaware. u
has seldom been necessary for a
philanthropisi in any part of the
country 10 fight a strenuous and
costly legal battle through all the
courts up TO and including the Su-
preme Court of the United States
before he can be legally given per-
mission 10 expond upwards of S2.-
100000 on a public improvement and
then donate that Same Improvement
TO the people of a municipality But
this has been the case In Delaware
The United States Supreme Court IN
dismissing the suit that had been
brought to restrain General DUPONT
from building the road and then
donating 1t to the people, has remov-
ed the last obstacle. and he is 40
liberty now TO proceed with this im-
provement, provided he siill wants
to. and the people of the State want
the road The idea had its concep-
ton about four years ago. and its
history is interesting.
Delaware. which is State small
both In area and population, is COM
posed of but three counties. The
State has been generally backward
in highway Improvement and few ot
the roads that have been improved
could be termed main market roads.
Most Of the improvements consisted
of short stretches. here and there,
wherever there happened 10 be To-
cal demand for a better type of road,
and a fairly comprehensive system
leading out of Wilmington and Dow
er. the principal cities Of the state.
There are 3,O50 miles of roads I'm
the State, and of these, only about
$50 miles have been improved or
this total of improved roads, about
175 miles is. water-hOund macadam
/
minous macadam. penetration method
and Amiesite. The unimprovod roads
consist of earth sand, and shell
roads, many of which are in deplor-
able condition, and almost impass
/ able for several months of the year.
There has been completed only
! this past summer, the last link In p
fairly gOod macadam road that runs
/ through the State from the pcnnsyl-
vania to the Maryland state lines.
The State Is a riAh agricultural State,
and one of the best fruit-growing
/ States In the country. Much of this
fruit is canned, this being one of the
principal occupations and industries.
The result rs that there is a great
deal Of very heavy hauling over the
roads I'm an three counties. as the
fruit and vegetables are transported
by wagon from the orchard and gar
den TO the canneries. and again from
N the canneries to the railroads and
the river in the same manner.
About four years ago, General du-
! Pont announced to the people of Della
ware that he desired TO construct q
high-class modern boulevard through
n the entire length of the State from
/ the Pennsylvania line to the Mary
\ land line. and that when this houlc-
ward, which was TO have been llO
Il miles I'm length. was completed ne
would turn IL over to the State as a
Gift. and that the boulevard would
then be maintained and kept I'm good
repair by the State This boulevard
was aimed to constitute the main
highway or artery of a future high
way system, and as occasion demand
ed aud funds we're available. feeders
from all parts of The State could bf
built into this main thoroughfare
Generally. such a liberal offer would
have been instantaneously accepted
but IL was not so in this case. Strange
as II may seem, a powerful adverse
sentiment against this proposed roat
snrang up almost Immediately anC
increased very rapidly. This was
particularly the case among the far.
mers whose land Il was planned q
cross. as the construction OF Tho
proposed road called for a continuous
strip Of land several hundred fee
IN width These farmers elaine,
they saw an ultorior motive in th'
generosity of General DUPONT. III
is heavily interested In street RAILWAY
companies in different parts Of th'
% country One of the claims made
was that he proposed to construc
this road so that on the right-of-wal
I acquired for it's construction, a high
speed interurban electric line coul'
4 be built The charge was made TIM
/. the proposed construction and dona
4 ton of the road was but a disguisri
attempt 20 obtain the control OF
most valuable franchise under ,h
pretcxt of donating free OF all charg
needed public improvement tina
would cost over 100000 10 th
people Of the State II was also sug
r gested that General DUPONT Nigh
> propose building a continuous strin
of tenement and other houses alon
this boulevard. from one end 10 th
other Those who advanced thi
suggestion overlooked the fact, how
ever. that a portion of the propose
boulevard would be built through
swamp country where IL would b
difficult To persuade sny person e
live Others claimed that 10 gran
the permission to build this roa
would be giving entirely too muc
, power TO General DUPONT Still an
] other claim made against the grant
ing of this perm ssior was that
permission to build such a houlevar
should be granted 10 an individual
and that individual would build th
road and turn IL over to the STATE
this would be detrimental TO the dis
: nifty of the State. and would be
|, permanent blot Another factio
!. clalmed that tho offer was only Do