Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-05-28

great truth which is not properly understood or
appreciated by the public at large, or we should
Mot hear of so many families going West, while
30 much land can be purchased in our State at
moderate rates and in healthy and de sirable
neiGhborhoods
WeNhave on several occasions, referred to
the Delaware Railroad as a line Of commune
cation whose Importance Is as yet but imper-
fectly developed or understood. Many persons
have contented themselves with knowing that
the peninsula lying east of the Chesapeake
Bay has yer been regarded as fertile in soil,
rich in resources, or prosperous in its progress,
and therefore have argued that road through
it could be Of no great value in commercial
point of view. Such persons appear to forget
that the peninsula is worthy of attention, not
80 much for what it is as for what it may be.
In the United States, railways are among the
pioneers Of civilization. Where they go, i'm
dustrial thrift, refinement and general improve
ment are sure TO follow, and where they are
absent the region either remains or becomes
neglected and iOrlorn. The flncst districts of
Pennsylvania, as we have recently shown, have,
for years, been abandoned to the primeval for
est, on account of the absence OF railway facil
tiles, while other districts, less rich in natural
resources, have, under the stimulating influence
of these iron bonds Of union, become wonder.
fully prosperous.
We do not expect one line of railway to do
this for the Southern Peninsula. But we do
think that the construction Of a system Of rail-
ways, taking the Delaware road us its princi-
pal stem, will cause great change in that reg
ion, and render the main line one Of the most
profitable investments in the South. In order
TO show the plan of action laid out by the en-
terprse Of the Delawarans for this purpose,
we will mention the several branch railroads
comprchended in the original design and the
views connected with each.
The Delaware Railroad commences at Red
Lion, on the Frenchtown and New Castle Rail-
road, the eastern portion Of which, from Red
Lion TO New Castle il uses to connect with the
New Castle and Wilmington Railroad to Will
ming on, in order to reach Philadelphia. This
New Castle and FrenchtOwn Railroad is q very
Old line, and formed, for many years, part of II
through line between Philadelphia and Balti-
more. 1t mad, however, fallen into neglect,
and was but little used recently, until brought
into the service of the Delaware line. Indeed
1t would have been abandoned long ago, but
for provision in the charter of the Philadel-
phia, Wilmington and Baltimore Companies,
which required thein to keep the road in oper-
alton. This obligation was removed by the
Delaware Legislature, as tho road was found
to be altogeth too deficient in business to pay
expenses The first good effect OF tho Dela-
ware Railroad has been again to give employ
ment to portion of the l. renchtOwn and New
Castle road, and make its occupation perma-
nent and profitable. Whether the rest Of it
Will also be resuscitated we are unable TO say,
Being parallel to the Philadelphia and Balti-
moro Railroad, and only five miles distant from
it, the region through which it passes could not
furnish sufficient business to support the run
ming of trains ; though if it were connected
with some more important object, perhaps the
regular operation of the road would create a
paying business. Frenchtown is on Elk river,
one Of the principal tributaries of the ChGsa-
peake Bay, and steamers formerly piled con-
stantly between that place and Baltimore. The
facilities thus afforded by the Chesapeake and
Its tributaries ruight ut some future day make
Frenchtown, in connection with the railroad, Il
valuable place OF shipment and transport for
the trade Of tin Chesapeake. OF this latter
Philadelphia has as yet but an inadequate
share. Yet the bay is the largest in the Uni
ted States, and all its waters, arms and rivers,
arc navigable for the largest class of vessel
clearup to the Susquehanna. II is the trade
Of tho great bay and its connected waters that
has built mp Baltimore and Norfolk. Wa com
municdte with il ut several points. First, by
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
Railroad, at ElktOn and Havre dc Grace, oil
Perryyille; second, by the Tidewater Canal
and third, by the Frenchtown Railroad. We
might do a large and profitable trade with the
region bordering tho bay, if Philadelphia were
but TO devote her energies to that subject.
The Maryland and Delaware Railroad is Tho
name giyent0 a branch of the Delaware roat
which is now in course Of construction. L
leaves the Delaware road at the Dover station
and runs southwest through Kent County, Del
aware, and Talbot and Caroline counties, Ma
ryland, to point in the ChOptank river, nea
the village Of Oxford. This line passes nea
the village Of Georgetown. Sandtown and Chap
potion, in Delaware, and Greensboro, Dento
and EastUn, in Maryland. The ChoptanI rive
L., f.,NA snI.
Chesapeake Bay expands at irregular distances
This section Of Maryland has fertile soil, in
high state Of cultivation. Its trade consti
klteA an important item ofthe commerce of tn
Chesapeake.
Talbot county, Maryland, had in the yea
1860 the latest date at which We can procuT
reliable statistics, 1881 inhabitants, and Car
oline county 1852. In the same year Table
county produced % ,4I6 pounds Of wool, 272
9GS bushels of wheat, 10 S29 bushels OF rye an
oats, 62i $50 bushels of Idhiln corn, as 81
bushels potatoes, besides other preducls.-
Caroline county produces12, S7g bushels whea
81 ,l3U bushels of rye and oats, 1856 500 bIsl
els of corn, II 1854 bushels Of potatoes, and
variety Of other articles. A great deal Of til
grain trade of the Eastern Shore Of Marylau
already comes to Philadelphia. And to she
the value Of this item in the commerce Of til
peninsula, we append m extract from a con
munication addressed to us by farmer res
ding in Kent county, Delaware, which adjoiI
Caroline county, Maryland
"Tho farm products Of Delaware have me-
er been appreciated by Philadelphia. Phil
delphians will make large advances to secul
the corn trade Of the great West, when 1t is c.
ceedingly doubtful if the entire States Of Il
diana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, N
braska and Kansas, send as much corn
Philadelphia as does the single little village
"Odossa," in Delaware. The grain sent fro
thnN fp ,t.A to NNr
iourhundred thousand bushels, all Of
grown in district equal to the half Of a S
milo circuit. This is by no means the be
grain growing district of Delaware, whose tra
would enrich Philadelphia, if it were proper
sought after. | cite it as single example.
philadelphia derives largo profits fro
Delaware. One single house mot tlrm) sc
over Sl50,000 per annum TO the citizens of /
little county Of kent, which contains on
about IL 900 inhabitants. These products q
purchased in Philadelphia, and the writer Gil
this as only one Instance OF the advantae
already derived by Philadelphia from ira
with Delaware"
The soil of Kent county is pretty much
tho same character as that of the adjoini
counties of the Eastern shore Of Marylan
but the people Of Delaware have, under
influence OF northern modes of cultivation,
ways been better producers than their neiG
bOrs. The influence Of Philadelphia has be
felt their to some purpose. Under the 81
stimulant, the Eastern Shore Of Maryland '
be equally prosperous. This is the purpose
Maryland and Delaware Railroad.
Another Of the projects Of which we hf
alluded to above is to construct an extension
the Delaware Railroad from its terminus
Nanticoke City, on the Nantcoke river, sol
ward through Sussex county, Del, and 81
erset county, Nd, to the Annomesic river
arm Of chesapeake Bay This region ha
mn 9TH % II