Smyrna times., 1917-05-09
ANOTHER TROLLEY PROJECT
IS BEFORE TOWN COUNCIL
PLAN TROLLEY FROM WHINING
TON THRU SMYRNA TO DOVER
Maynard D. Garner, Representing
Lindes & Co., investment Brokers,
Promoters, Before Council

Wilmington thru New Castle, Della
ware City. Odessa. Middletown. Town
send, Smyrna, Leipsic and to Dover.
the present outlined terminus, has
been the talk in Smyrna the past
week. This agitation has received
impetus by the arrival here last week
of Maynard d. Garner the represen-
tatiVe of Lindes & Company, invest
ment brokers, Philadelphia, who are
promoting the project. Mr.. Garner
is putting up at the Colonial Hotel
and making Smyrna his headquarters
while he is looking over plans for a
survey and appearing before town su-
thorities and Levy Courts seeking the
necessary franchises. Friday evening
Smyrna Town Council held a special
meeting at the request of Mr.. Garner
to talk over the proposition. Despite
the rainy evening. President Reynolds
and every member of Council was
present to hear what he had to say.
A draft of proposed franchise such
as they were using in all towns in
their promotion scheme was submit
ted. This franchise, Mr.. Garner said,
was to be turned over to an operating
Company yet to be incorporated, who
would be held by the same provisions
therein named. Mr.. Garner read and
explained it as he took up each para
graph seriatum.
Plenty of Money Back of the Project
He told Council this was a real
"trolley boOm," that he had heard
of various projects before Smyrna in
the past, but that the fiscal company
he represented had all kinds of money
and were ready to put up the $4,000
per mile deposit asked by the state as
soon as the right of wayk4was Sc
cured and the survey was completed.
While he said the matter of street to
be used and conditions were up to the
Town of Smyrna, he felt that Main
street was the logical street on which
the tracks should be laid and would
help business and the town generally
by passing thru Main street than any
other street in town. He promised
and the franchise would stipulate that
the tracks would be laid to grade and
bricked up to and in between so as
not to mar the street. He advocated
Main street because he said it is a
known fact that a trolley line is a
business builder and to run it on any
other street but Main street would in
time draw business away to the street
that had the trolley. While it would
be more expense for them to tear up
the brick blocks and run down the
center of Main street, they would pre-
fer the route since it would help
Smyrna as we'll as the Trolley Com
pany, the better.
Might Also Purchase the Light Plant
When asked if a power station
would be located in Smyrna, Mr..
Garner said he could not answer this
question at this time for it would be
up to the engineers. He did say the
Trolley Company would no doubt want
to supply electric current to all towns
thru which they passed and felt sure
they would like to purchase the Smyrna
Electric Light plant, saying that with
their facilities they would be able to
furnish night and day current much
cheaper than Smyrna could.
Towns in New Castle County Alert
Mr.. Garner seemed enthusiastic
over the way their proposition had
been received up state. While he
had not secured franchises up to Fri
day night, he expected no trouble in
getting them through all the towns
the proposed line would pass, but also
expected the New Castle Levy Court
to give them the right of way. He
hinted that his concern would even
tually take over the New Castle and
Delaware City trolley line from Will
mington, in which event they would
begin construction work at Delaware
City and proceed thru st. Georges,
Odessa, Middletown, Townsend, to
Smyrna. He said he was to meet the
town commissioners Of Leipsic the
next day Thursday and was already
getting the matter before Dover Town
Council and the Kent County Levy
Court which would hold special ses-
sions to consider the project. Dover,
he said, would be the terminus at the
present time but eventually the troll
ley would continue to Milford, George
town and clear thru the state and on
the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Council Divided Over Using Main 81
III