Smyrna times., 1858-03-18
Sixth Annual Report of the Directors of
the Delaware Railroad Company.
MONDAY, March s, 1853


Ihe meeting came to order, Jacob Tom
8 Esq, in the Chair.
On motion, H. B. Feddeman, was appointC
Secretary.
W Fresldent Harrington presented 10 the NEE
ne ing the Annual Report of the Directors, whic
On motion of Mr.. Grey, was accepted ar
e. ooO copies thereof ordered to be published.
sr The Treasurer's Report, as audited by tn
he auditors, was submitted to the Stockholder
and
81 On motion, the Report was approved.
= On motion, adjourned.
JACOB TOME, Chairman.
II. B. FEDDEMAN, Secretary.
REPORT.
TO the Stockholders of The DeIapare Rail
road CompGny:-The Directors have thu
pleasure to report, that during the last year the
road has been worked by our lessees with grea
regularity, satisfaction and success. No serious
accident has happened 20 any passengers; nor to
any others, except from causes clearly owing
10 their own fault, and not to the negligence OF
the Company's agents. The most dangerous
collision was that which happened at the Ken
ton road, near Smyrna, where the driver of a
team crossed before the train without observing
either it or its warning signals, and was badly
hurt. That 1t is the duty ofevery one so cross
ing railroad not merely TO look and listen,
out TO stop for the purpose of looking and list
enlng, is not merely the command of law, but
the dictate of reason, and of self preservation
Upon no other principle can the safety of tray.
ellers be secured.
Our road opened with the determined purpose
both OF proprietors and lessees, to serve the
public to the utmost of our ability SO as to se
cure their good will and patronage For new
road 1t began on scale, Ctwo through trains
day) which it was feared could not be main.
tanned; and it has been maintained only at
considerable loss to our lessees; the expense OF
"orElng the road and other charges, exceeding
lis income TO an amount which could not have
been borne if it were not restored to them by
the business derived from ours 10 their own
roads. 1t appears by their last annual report |
that the business derived from the Delaware
road to their lines produced an increase of rev.
enue to the amount of SIC. $50 65, but the ex-
penses of operating the Delaware road interest
on Its debt, and dividends, exceeded the recepts
on that road by $l4,4lS 3l-leaving notwith-
standing said loss, clear profit of $32, 1862 "a
10 the lessees. But this deficit on the Delaware
road proper would we'll have justified reduc.
llon OF the service, and a schedule was for n
short time formed reducing it to one and half
instead OF two daily trains; but this was found
to be SO nconvenient TO the lower part of the
peninsula that 1t was abandoned, and there is
now in effect two through trains daily 1t is
proper that the public should know that this
scale OF running, 50 promotive of their conve
lIence as at present kept up at an actual loss to
he company.
But we hope it is only for the present. The
Dad Is just starting, and it will take time for
he development of the business which belonrs |
o 1t, as we'll as for forming habits of travel for
BUSINESS and pleasure which the convenience O,
r2Vel will produce. The last year was very !
ad one for railroads generally owing to f. I
lancIal disturbances and other causes-a very
ad year. Yet the business and travel on our {
Dad shows fair increase, and it is observable ,
nat the increased travel is the greatest at those
oInts where the road has been longest opened. a
t is also gratifying to observe the increase and :
mount of local travel on the road from station
station, showing that the people are making
available for their every days business. Thus
ne travel between Dover and Smyrna consid- S
rably exceeds, and that between Milford sta
ion and Dover falls but little short of 1900
ersons. The details of this business will be :
cen from the annexed tables; which may be
ummed up generally as showing for the past
ear IS 600 passengers, 372 600 bushels of
rain, 10000 bushels of lime, 80 600 baskets =
t peaches, &c, 5000 buckets of berries, 5000
ushels of potatoes, 10000 bushels of oysters,
4, GOO tons of merchandise, &C., &c.
That such an amount of business springing
'om the opening of your road, and having
endency to stimulate to activity, should have
favorable effect upon the community, was TO
ave been expected and this is being realized,
OF only in the rapid improvement visible on
ne line of the road and in the increased price
f land, but in improved agriculture and the =
reduction of articles for market not heretofore
Many things also. the natural, as
yell as the cultivated product of the SOIL here =
ofore Improbable, are now being forwarded
y railroad to market and realize a considerable
evenue In return. The berry crop alone last =
summer amounted 10 many thousand dollars.
which came into the hands of the most needy
lass OF our citizens, and cost only the labor of
hose who would otherwise have been idle.
The business of our road is at present alto.
ether peninsular and local. Though very Z
romising as such, and perhaps demoustrative
ultimate profit as such, this is not the orgi v
al idea of the Delaware read aud we should m
OF permit its success as local road to make Of
8 lose sight of its original purpose as line of
trough travel. That it is destined by exten- c.