Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-05-25
TO THE CITIZENS OF WILMINGTON,
AND OF THE REGION TRAvERsED
By THE WILMINGTON AND READ
ING RAIL ROAD.


"A By THE WILMINGTON AND REAL
ING RAIL ROAD.
VI Published maps now in circulation sho
o the routes surveyed for the line of the Wi
n mington and Reading Rail Road, and til
i connections which il will make with III
t several Rail Roads which 1t will intersec
c and, by their means with the great Ra
a Road systems of Pennsylvania and of tn
G West and North West ON the one hand, an
t the Peninsular SYSTEM" consisting of th
= Delaware Rail Road and its extensions an
, branches, on the other
The projectors of this contemplated in,
proyement offer the following estimates IL
the basis of their belief that the enterpris
| will pay the stockholders fair interest OF
their investment. While the great object i
to benefit the city of Wilmington, and til,
country through which the road passes, tn,
Directors are aware that they cannot expec
to carry it through, unless there is decided
prospect of its being paying enterprise
Indeed, it may be said with truth, that with
out financial success, it cannot be really and
materially useful TO the community. The
directors are fully of opinion, having given
much care and patient attention to the sub.
lect, that the capital involved in the con
struction of this road will yield fair dividends
to the owners, almost from the commence
ment, provided il be constructed and man
aged upon sound business principles, and
without the sacrifice of its means in bad
tlnanciering. Upon no other basis can the
present Board be induced to undertake the
work. and they solicit the subscriptions of
their fellow citizens and the confidence of
the public in the undertaking, with the as
surance that the capital subscribed shall not
be squandered in commencing work which
cannot he finished with the means availa-
ble
1t should be remembered that the region
to be iraversed by this road is one of great
resources, Manufacturing, agricultural and
Mineral 1t is both rich and populous, with
an enterprising and active population. II
the single element of agriculture has suiilced
TO produce the success of the Delaware Rail
Road, which passes through region of
naturally poor soil and sparse population,
certainly our enterprise has much greater
probability of success in its favor, when it is
considered that it connects the Coal, Iron,
Lumber and Lime producing regions of
Pennsylvania, with a new outlet to tide
water and to the Southern markets. that it
passes through a region rich in Iron Ore,
which it must carry in great quantities to
the markets of the Schuylkill Valley and
elsewhere, and that it will afford the means
of transportation for raw materials and
finished products, to numerous flourishinE
manufactures, now anziously waiting its
completion.
The most important items of Revenue of
the Road will be those enumerated below.
and leaving all others entirely out of ac
count, it is believed that income enough
will be realized from them, to pay interest
on the entire cost In the matter of Anthra.
cite coal, careful comparison of distances
and cost of carriage, shows that our Road
must be the means of supply to large dis.
lrlct OF country containing population that
now consumes some $50, 900 tons per annum.
The estimate of passenger travel is based
SR'AA tAN NttuHt ftdHtt hlIlftu az III several
Rail Roads in Pennsylvania traversng
country similar in character, an ample al.
lowance being made for differences of situa.
ton
other items are, Of necessity, more the
subject of uncertainty than these two. In
regard to the whole, the Directors would
remark that knowing well the bad reputa-
ton of paper calculations, y they have been
the more careful TO offer such figures only as
they are willing TO acknowledge in the
future, having no other interest in the pro.
ject than such as is common to oall-certainly
none to deceive their fellow citizens and
friends.
The following are the estimated receipts
per annum, MS arrived at with the help OF
friends well posted in such matters:
Anthracite Coal, 15O, 900 tons at
an average rate of Sl50, 900.
Bltumlnous Coal .........,.. ,........ $4,000
iron and Iron Ore e........................ $4,000
Lime Tor building and agricultural
purposes ............ ......,. 10000
Lumber, Slaves, .."............." 5000
Agricultural produce e..".,.,... ......... $4,000
Passengers. .,....... 10000
Gross revenue nue........,............ $2s5, 900
The cost of the road without equipment
is estimated at. one and half millions of
dollars, the annual interest of which is
800 600, If therefore the gross receipts
of the Road amount TO the sum named
above, and the cost of operating he two.
thirds of the gross receipts, ca large es.
timate), the annual interest can readily be
paid on the entire cost; and this conclusion
is confirmed by the opinion of Rail Road
engineers of experience, who think that the
Road can be readily leased at per cent on
its cost, as soon as it is completed
So far as Wilmington is concerned, it is
the opinion of tho Directors that no such
opportunity has ever before been offered,
and that the means are now within reach,
which, if embraced will add greatly to her
prosperity, and probably double her popula-
tion within the next ten or fifteen years,
adding to the value of property within her
borders, in the same or greater proportion.
Estimating the cost of the Road at $1,-
SOC, 900, the stock subscriptions should reach
at least SsO0,000 before any commencement
be made. Of this amount, from $500, 900,
to $4OO, 900, should be raised in Wilmington
and its vicinity, and it is believed that the
balance will be made up in Chester and
| Rprka poupfiee pannayl.,on;a