Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-01-25
OUR BAIL ROAD RoUrEs.-No. ".


10 the construction of the Wilmington and
Reading Rail Road, perhaps there will be none
found more numerous or widely spread in their
character than the benefits to be derived from
the lime trade. The Delaware Rail Road and
its several branches, as heretofore mention ed,
are now opening up an extended peninsula of
land mainly agricultural In its character.
In modern farming lime has become neces
sity, and everything that adds to the facilities
for procuring this essential article, couduces to
the general prosperity OF a farming country
This proposed new Railroad seems most pecu-
liarly calculated to facilitate the man ufactu ring
and transportation of lime to this extended re.
glon now inadesuately supplied, since it will
not only furnish convenient carriage for the
lime but will also materially cheaper the coal
TO be used BY the manufacture.
The western line OF the proposed road pass
near to and directly by several limestone quar-
ries, besides crossing the Baltimore Central on
which are many others extensively WORKED
The connection upward with the PhiIa. and
Reading Railroad, the greatest coal artery In
the world, will ensure q supply of that iudis-
pensible article for cheap lime burning--the
inexhaustibis beds Of limestone on and near the
line Of the road and but few miles above tine
boundary OF our State, and the ready connsc-
ton downward with the Peninsula Railroad
system affords, We repeat, happy cqmblna-
ton of circumstances in every way most favor
| able. The coal will thus find a new outlet, the
buried wealth Of the limestone beds be unlock
ed, and the kindly alluvial soils of our low
country smile with Increased fertility and pro-
| ductiveness, while those who invest their means
| In this noble Improvement will reap their share
of additional advantage from the magnificent
tonnage that will 60 over their route.
And here let me premise that the transporta-
ton Of building and manufacturing lime over
our new road will also be an item OF no mean
interest.
The annual consumption Of this article in the
city OF Wilmington alone lie large and will con-
| tinue to steadily increase. Add to this the
large amount now used in the surrounding
country and required for shipment down the
Delaware Railroad Into country where no
lime Is burned, and where rapid improvement
is soon to be the order Of the day, and we will
be able to torn some idea of the Importance of
this one article of building lime. Should our
| road be judiciously laid the main supply for
this constantly increasing demand will flow
down 1t and there will be no further need 10
60 to Baltimore or to the Schuylkill region
Our State possessed in Mill Creek Hundred q
few deposits Of lime rock equal to any in tho
United States. The we'll known manufactury
of lime by Messrs. Jackson l. Co., in Hockes.
sin valley 10 directly on the most western sur
veyed route. Notwithstanding the difficulties
they have to contend with am informed that
besides supplying large proportion of the
lime used IN Wilmington and vicinity they also
ship considerable amount down the Delaware
road and such 10 the demand for the article
that they are solicited for agencies ut various
points on that road which they are unable to
supply for want Of convenieuces for transpor-
tation. Mr.. Jackson assures us that with Rail
Road facilities they can readily produce five
times the amount now burned by them.
Here let me add that not only the low lands
OF Delaware will reap advantages in the article
Of lime, but the farmer of Mill Greek and
Chrisiiana Hundred will also be supplied With
lime 1t much cheaper rate.
II was considerations such as these above
enumerated, showing the Immense beneficial
results TO accrue TO the State at large, from the
construction Of the proposed road, that induced
one year ago, the application for an appropri-
alton from she State 10 aid of the enterprise.
Since this application proved unsuccessful, the
people are now left to their own resources,
which happily, are believed to DE entirely suit
hcient for the undertaking il the great protec
tive benefits are once fully understood,
AZ this series OF articles proposes to discuss
the relative merits Of the different proposed
routes, we will now proceed to view their re-
| spective advantages Is bearing upon the i'm.
portant branches OF trade now under consid
| GRAFTON. We are not aware that there are my
| linestone quarriss likely TO prove valuable di
rectly on or very near the Brandywins line be-
low Coatesville, and should that ropte be con-
! structed the supply nj lime must mainly GENE
| from the other routes of Railroad, the Balti-
| more Central and the main Penney lvania Cen
! trail Il. r. If from the former it ,rnot asa--
Barily and forever be taxed with sis miles extra
freight on the lime aed six miles extra on the
coal that burns it, since the Brandwine line
crosses the Baltimore Central six miles further
from tina manufacturers than the western route.
II on the other HAND the supply or any portion
OF II comes from the main Pennsylvania Cen.
| trail, then an extra distance averaging, perhaps
about ten miles Of carriage will be added be-
sides whatever distance the lime may be trans
ported on that road, which is by no means no.
ted for fayoring way trade.
To this aspect OF analrs on the 8randywno
| line, the western line presents a marked con-
trast. lu passing up the western line, we
first strike in our own State, the limestone val.
ley OF Hockessin and the man ufsetory Of Mr..
jackson just spoken Of. Proceeding upward,
we cross the Baltimore Central Railroad at
Kenuett in the vicinity Of two lime quarriss,
Messrs. Hoopes Il jackson on the east and Mr..
Hopes on the west, besides being, AS
explained above, six miles nearer the Brandy
wine line,y and TO the extensive quarries of
Hughs, Philips and Baker, and Others, near
and above Avondale, on the line vt that road,
and only four or FIVE miles distant from our
point OF Intersection with it.
Above the intersection Just spoken of, our
line passes near to the good agricultural aud
building lime formerly Of James Mills, also
Mr.. Swayue's. Thence, above Unionv'le, On
tho waters OF the stream draining Jsfers'
Hollow, are found OF easy access, Logan },
Pierce's and Edwards quarries which are
openings into what appears to be an extensive
deposit of lime rock Of excellent quality tT
agricultural purposes. Without further emu
meraton Of particulars, suffice it to state, thlt
the gentlemen In Chester County engaged q
the collection OF statistics, inform me- thu
they count seventeen mestone quarries d
that county within thr Q miles ofthe western
line, many or all OF which will be thrown inc
active operation by the increased facilities AZ
forded by the construction of the new railrosd
upon that line.
I The writer has dwelt at some length upn
this matter OF lime trade for the reason thatit
9 is deemed one of great and general importance
= 10 which 1t Is desirable to awaken an actiy,
8 interest amongs. the agriculturists and bald. |
= era OF Delaware. This railroad enterprise must
a on no account be suffered TO tall through, but
!, should at once be pushed to early completion,
j under the full assurance that the many and
Q varied interests to be served by it must insure
success financially and in every other respect
DELAWA RE.