Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1928-04-27
DELAWARE HIGHWAYS
Are VALUABLE ASSET
SAYS 1t. GOVERNOR
rCsntinned from fri paasl

concrete road. 1t is known, however
that they are not indestructable and
if by any chance we should find ou1
roads badly worn in rs years with
Is years more to go to pay back the
money we borrowed to build them
the people of the state would not be
in happy frame of mind nor would
the faith and credit of the state be
as sound as it is now.
Furthermore in times of general
financial depression, which may
come, there may be considerable
falling off in annual highway reve-
nues; if such time shall come an
undepleted sinking fund would en-
able us easily to ride out the storm.
l feel we are on the safe side, l am
in favor of staying there. AS mat
ter of fact have never heard any
one complain of the present motor
fees or gasoline tax"
Praises Senator du Points Help
In telling of the history of the
state highway system, Mr.. Anderson
told of Senator du Points interest
and of his roads in Delaware. Della
wares road contribution of $780,
900 for good system, he said, repre-
sents by far her most valuable as
set and furthermore, he added, it is
an investment which costs the state
nothing to carry
Continuing his discussion of road
bonds, Mr.. Anderson said:
There has always been a COM
Portable annual highway income
surplus, Furthermore it is the policy
of the Highway Department to play
safe in the matter of new bond is
sues, for example in 1927 we issued
only S75O,OOO although the 1926 rev.
enues indicated a sufficient surplus
to Justify the issuance of twice that
amount. This year we may lawfully
issue another S1,50O,OO0, but the de-
partment does not propose to exceed
one million. 1t is also to be noted
from the above figures that the rev.
enues of 1922 were the same as in
1921 in spite of the wide spread
financial depression occurring in the
latter year
Financial depression has never
so far reduced the income OF the de-
partment If, however, national
panic far worse than the panic OF
1921 should occur it will then be a
fine and opportune time to cancel
all or a part of our state highway
bonds held by the sinking fund and
thus reduce the annual fixed
charges for interest and principal
i ~ think fhnGn WhO
predict disaster have any tangible
facts upon which to base their fears.
I'm conclusion what shall be said
of the future work of the Depart
ment? There are about $500 miles
of public highway in Delaware. Only
II per cent of this mileage IS with
in the state highway system. In al
dition to this state system and for
all nractical purposes as an integral
part thereof New Castle county
with its own funds has from time TO
time improved about 200 miles OF
road in that county bringing the
grand total of improved hard sur
face road mileage up to over SOo
miles or over q per cent There are
still left about 5000 miles OF puDllc
dirt highway most of which IS I'M
passable during a part OF the year.
To nut all this unimproved mileage
under concrete would cost between
80 and 100 million dollars, which IS
about one-third of the value oil all
the real estate in Delaware. The ri
raj road problem obviously cannot
be solved with such high cost
roads,"
other points brought out by Mr..
Anderson are:
Last year the owners of nearly
$4,000 motor vehicles in Delaware
Maid SS45. 900 in fees (Which fees in
clude the cost of the tags and the
licenses and S632.OOO IN
gasoline taxes. the average amount
therefore per person for fees was
s1S and for gasoline tax $3.50, or
an average total of only $3.50 for
the pleasure, privilege and profit Of
riding for a year over 629 miles OF
modern highway in Delaware and 10
one knows over how many addition
al miles outside of the State.
"The average cost per mile for the
State roads, including over $50
bridges. over 1000 culverts and all
rights of way, was about $4,000.
"Under the supervision of the
Highway Department, $S25,4959O ,
has been spent in the city of VIII
mington: 1881, 531.22 in rural New
Castle: S7.O17 ,O69.74 in Kent county
and $7,764, 452.12 in Sussex county
New Castle county as whole mas
received about 100000 out OF the :
grand total expended, or approx
mately sc per cent.
"The assessed value of all the real
estate in Delaware in 1920 was =
5000 900 900, in 1926 it was $751;
OOO. 900 representing an increase OF
about % per cent in six years,
large part of which increase may he !
fairly attributed to good roads.
"From present indications the
1928 income will probably reach or
exceed S1,750,000.
s'The department is giving much
study to the problem of facilitating :
-rafic through or around the large
,enters of population. Wilmington !
needs a high speed super-highway ,
eading northward without intersec- =
ions or grade crossings, the brlcge =
approaches at Front and Market 4
streets should be widened and the =
general motoring public is entitled =
20 bypasses around Dover, Magno- I I
ia and Milford. Steps are being taxi =
IN to bring about these improve
nents. The public must, however, +
.ealize that all these problems can a
not be solved at once without finan- f
,ial danger. The department Will f
not be a party to unsafe and lavish C