Evening journal., 1915-07-08
FORT DUPONT Stores
SUBJECT OF INQUIRY
Alleged They Do General
Business Without OBJ
tanning State License
ACTION LIKELY BY
COLLECTOR BOWERS

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL
DELAWARE CITY. Del, July s.
In all probability State Revenue Col
lector Isaac w Bowers will make an
Investigation of conditions at Fort
DUPONT the government reservation,
at Delaware City with view Of sub
hitting a report of commercialized
conditions al the fort to the authori-
ties at Washington. During the past
year complaints have been heard re-
garding the soldiers at Fort DUPONT
conducting a general store in addition
TO operating moving picture theatre
In order to find how far such COM
plants we're true, an EVENING
JOURNAL reporter who happened to
be in Delaware City, visited tho gov
ernment reservation. He found
everything exceedingly quiet, as the
previous day was pay day, and the
men were given their freedom and
had gone by boat to Wilmington.
Upon reaching the post exchange
building a blackboard contained the
announcement that there would be
"moving pictures tonight at 7.45
o'clock. Don't miss it. Five big
reels" The reporter did not have the
time TO wait and attend the exhibit
tion. He learned, however, that such
performances are given on a number
of evening each week. when, IN aodl-
ton TO the soldiers. people from Della
ware City who are willing to pay ten
cents admission can attend the per-
formance.
Upon visiting the exchange he
found on the main floor a store fitted
up and stocked attractively. Souvenir
postal cards were displayed and for
sale lines of iewelry, stationery and
confectionery were among the ar
ticles displayed and the reporter had
no difficulty IN making purchases, as
the only requirement necessary was
the cash. The reporter was next d.
rected to the basement where ice
cream was sold to everyone who
chanced to come and ask for it. The
reporter also was supplied with gin
ger ale. Cereals and groceries were
purchased by women who had visited
place. after a diligent looking, could
see any sign of a Federal or State IL
cense displayed. not even where
shuffeboard is played.
In conversation with business men
in Delaware City the reporter found
that the Board of Trade expects to
call the attention of the government
and State officials to the post ex-
r1a fc hnTfinu
Delaware City business by selling 70
persons who are not soldiers or men,
bers of soldiers families.
I'VE are not jealous of the post ex-
change" said a business man, "but
we feel that an injustice is being
done to us by the state allowing the
sale of goods to be carried on geneF-
ally in the exchange. We pay Fed
eral and state taxes. county and city
taxes. as well as rents. and it is un-
fair to have such opposition as that
on the fort reservation. The people
of Delaware City know that the mill
tary reservation is a benefit TO this
place. but even here lately a viii
mington man has been placed in
charge of the green groceries store at
the post. He is not an enlisted man
lIut ~ 10 lhtAl NAAAANe al hRN AAt-A -
bad as formerly but ice cream deal
ers pay their taxes and the State
should protect them. Should one OF
our men open a moving picture
theatre in order to make a living he
would be in the clutches of the law
in a week, # he operated his theatre
without a license. There is no reason
why the post and city cannot get
along and help each other
Delaware City stores got along be
fore the soldiers came and are getting
along and will continue to do so re-
gardess of the post exchange. but II
is high time to have this matter sift-
ed to see if such stores are to be car
ried on for profit by being allowed tc
trade with everybody without having
a State license"