The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1915-12-04
Wilmington Expects Boom

For years it has been the dream of
Wilmington to have a river front.
There has been talk of the immense
tract of land on the Delaware river
which could be built up, but there was
none that was fit to be built upon.
OF course. the land on the Delaware
river front could be improved, and it
could be made the best site for manu-
featuring purposes to be found in that
section, but it would be necessary to
spend hundreds of thousands of dol
lars upon it. This is one of the rea-
ed more from the munitions work
which is going on. Chester, for in
stance, had land which could be built
upon and which could be purchased at
a reasonable price, while Wilmington
did not. OF course, Wilmington has
got its share of munition work, be-
cause the duPonts are located there,
and in time it will get more, but it
will be necessary for the people of the
city to join a movement to make it
grow.
May Annex New Castle.
Unless Wilmington gets busy and
gets river front it will not have one
until the time comes when it can an
mex New Castle and get the river
front of that town. New Castle is one
of the places in Delaware which is
going to benefit from the war. 1t has
already secured the projectile loading
plant of the Bethlehem Steel CON-
pany, and it is now about to secure
another plant adjoining the plant Of
the Baldt Steel Company.
Not only will New Castle secure
these two plants, but the four steel
plants which it already has are busy
and are employing men, and this is
what is needed to make the second city
in Delaware grow rapidly. There have
been rumors also recently that the old
plant of the National Tube Company
on the Delaware river is to be rebuilt.
Surveys have been made and the story
going about is to the effect that, now
that the company needs an additional
plant, it will be constructed at New
Castle on the excellent site which is
already owned by the company.
Plants To Line The River.
According to those who are in a
position to know what is going on. it
will be but comparatively short time
until the land on the river front be-
tween Wilmington and New Castle is
lined with manufacturing establish
ments, and then the two places will be
connected and will become one big
city. There is considerable land on
the river between the two places, and
some of it is already owned by manu-
featuring establishments in other
places, who will eventually remove
their plants here.
Wilmington, however, is looking to
the DUPONT interests to make that
city one of the most prosperous in this
section. There is no doubt that the
duPonts have come to feel their power
and that they are taking an interest
in large number of projects outside
Of the manufacturing of powder.
DuPonts Pride In Home City.
Wilmington feels sure that any new
plant in which the dupont company is
interested or in which the individual
members of the company are inter
ested will be located in Wilmington.
There is no doubt about the ambition
of the dupont family, regardless of
any differences which they may have
among themselves from time to time,
to make their own city big and pros
porous, and they will do it. They have
already done more for it than have
any other set of people in the town,
and they will continue to do so if thev
are given the necessary encourage
ment.
Taken altogether, the outlook for
the -osperitv of Wilmington is better
at this time than it has been for years,
and there is no doubt that, in a conf
paratively short time. it is going to be
very much larger and very much
better city than it is.