Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-06-28
ROADENC|NEERS AND
OFFICIALS At FETE
Josiah Marvel Host at Third
Gathering to Foster Spirit
OF Cooperation.

nat ffC boSthh s'"t 'ta
which occurred on Saturday evening IN
the du Barry room of the Hotel du Pont,
was a delightful and significant affair for
his guests, was only To be expected from
his reputation as host and as host In
himself in the function of toastmaster,
which makes him much sought alter
on occasions of the kind.
His guests numbered an even hundred,
of whom two thirds were members OF the
Engineering Department OF the state
Highway Commission, and the rest the
officials Of the New Castle County Levy
Court. the Street and Sewer Department
the Harbor Board the mayor of Whining
ton. 8,
Governor John c. Townsend, Jr., and
MIR. Marvel Represented the State fflgh-
way Department, the other COMMISSION
srs Joseph T.. Holland, Walter q. 1of-
fecker and Coleman du Pont being pre-
vented by other engagements from beng
present
Although the menu was printed IN true
engineering fashion on blue print paper,
with decorations by Samuel knopt, state
aid director, il was impossible To most OF
tho diners TO determine whether the
specifcations were fully complied with,
SINCE these were couched in Hebrew
characters: but no item, so far as was oD-
seryable. was disallowed, good lndica-
tion that the courses spoke for themselves
batting average annexed showed that
this was the third similar occasion q onl-
missionors du Pont, Townsend and Mar
vel each earning a full l,OOO per cent
standing.
When the coffee and cigars stage OF
progress had been reached, Mr.. Marvel
alluded briefly 10 the CIVIC bodies present
AZ being collectively most important dis-
,ursinr agencies of the revenue of the
commonwealth. which intrusts millions Of
iollars TO their hands, and whose trust can
aest be executed through harmonious and
co-ordinated action on the part OF each
and all.
At Mr.. Marvel's request, Chief Engine
or Charles NJ. Upham gave a resume of the
present conditions OF the engineering
work under the control Of the department,
incidentally crediting this and the prevl-
,tis similar occasions with highly valuable
influence on the morale of the organiza-
tion. and then called on W. w Mack OF
Dover, assistant engineer; William r.
Hawkins. county engineer of the Sussex
Levy Court; George Hutchinson, testing
,ng,ncer; Samuel Knopf, State and direct
or: c. n. Conner, Dover, bridge engineer,
snd Albert Heisel, Of the Wilmington
Street and Sewer Department engineer
ing staff, who dwclt on features OF the
work with which they are especially
familiar.
The ability and services of Mr.. Upham
wrrr eulogised by Mr. Marvel, on behalf
II the board, who also paid tribute to his
fellow commissioner, L. Coleman du
pcnt a. being one who, more than any
other man who ever lived on the face of
the earth, has put personal energy and
private fortune into the enterprise of
building public roads.
Governor Townsend expressed his plea
sur~ in again meeting with the men who
are making history hsre IN Delaware,
predicting that the lapse Of year would
bring this State into the foremost posi-
ton among the States Of the Union In the
possession Of good roads, in proportion TO
population.
Duff A. Abrams, Of Lewis Institute.
chicago, a foremost authority In the
iceting and use of concrete road materials,
expressed his convection of the extent TO
which the Delaware commission have pro-
vided for the needs of the State IN the
most modern way.
Mayor w. G. Taylor spoke from OBJ
servation of the excellence Of Sussex
county roads and people; Presidents
W lltHrQ y. itt tAt aIai DOi
Board. Isaac Elliott for Levy Court and
Andrew l.. johnson for the Street and
Sewer Department, made appropriate
remarks apprecistive of the work of the
state Highway Commission IN II touches
their own field, and Robert II. Richards,
counsel for the commission, praised the
spirit Of cooperation shown by all con-
nccted with il as an evidence Of worthful
friendship that would prove of lasting
value.
4 hearty three cheers for Josiah Mar
vel. proposed and led by Engineer Up
ham. was the final feature of the occasion
MIR Marvel was surrounded at the
speakers table by:
Governor Townsend, Mayor Taylor,
former Attorney General Robert II.
Richards, Levy Court Commissioners
Isaac Elliott, James A. Buckson, Herbert
L. Ward, Albert Stetser, Boyd Mccoy
and James G.. Shaw, Harbor Commission
ers Willard A. Spaakman, Charles Warner
and Joseph Bancroft; Street and Sewer
commissioners Andrew johnson Charlie.
C. Rudolph, r. Henry Grier, Street Com
missioner Frank W. Pierson and Duff A.
Abrams Of Chicago.
Muse was Interspersed throughout the