Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-01-04
rFof the Delaware Republican
a III MI No No

RAILROADS.&C.. \.
Nh. EDIT r Having In an introductory 4,
lumber last week described the several pro
oscd routes of the new railroad from VIII
,inQton 10 the Reading Railroad and men, | !
toned the seversl points of Importance, the
of which will aid in selecting the .
most proper route, we proceed 10 consider y
st. The relative engineering features Of the l
iiferent lines as far as can be determined by
be well known con6guratiou Of the country
md the results OF previous surveys. Upon q
ursory examination of the map OF this section
" country and the location Of the City Of
an Engineer would very naturally
Isleot the valley OF the Brandywine as the
most natural outlet towards the Northwest and
we End that there have been made |
In years past several Typographical examina- |
tions OF that stream with view OF locating |
Railroad upon It. The Brandywine reaches
from lite mouth near Wilmington, consider
able distance beyond Coatsville and Downing
town having Its heed waters near TO the welsh
mountains on tine borders Of Berks and Chester
counties, and were II not for the necessity OF
leaving the stream to avoid the powder works
Of the Msssrs. DUPONT, would present COM
paratively uninterrupted valley throughout it's
whole extent. Leaving the valley Of the
stream to avoid the powder works as mentioned
involves considerable grade against the trade
Of the road and heavy work in crossing tribu-
bluffs, and places the Brandywine route, in
that particular, on a par with the more western
lines all of which necessarily have ascen-
ding grade against the trade at the place of
leaving the Brandywine higher up the stream.
The grade required 10 get out of the valley OF
the Brandy wine above the powder works, will
probably not prove quite 80 be- ss that re-
quired for the same purpose al = onville,
Lus ,pe former being nearer the ds..rr, ng point
~ tba a than laft that rain xvTl h
ably be 80 increased in weight by accessions
along the line, and from the Baltimore Central
| road, that the grade nearest Wilmington on
The Brandywine ronte will be quite as objsc-
| tiouable as the more remote Craze on the other
! lines. According to the report Of Mr.. Sewall
before spoken OF, the line Of the road by the
Braudywine route will be about three miles
longer than the nearest of the western liues -
Mr.. Sewsll made no survey Of the Brandywine
line, but taking Mr.. Dales' surveys and esti.
mates be makes Its cost considerably less tbau
either the Red Clay or Mill Creek lines. A more
reliable camparisou, of the relative costs of the
several lines will probably be had now the,
they are % be subjected TO thorough exnmina
ton with Q view to anal selection 20 we sr,
assured by the Directors and Eagiueers tina
they shall be- In comparing the ked Clay
Creek and Mill Creek lines we hnd that th,
latter being about three miles shorter than th,
Brandywine line, has also in the same respec
| a trfing advantage over the Red Clay Creel
line. After passing the Unionville Summit
which is common to both, the Red Clay Creel
line claims an advantage over the other 10 the
matter OF a moderate grade at one point 10 the
Mill Creek line not required on Red Clay Creel
while on the other hand the direction of the
Mill Greek line aud the /. y and favorable
curves required upon 1t, will, 10 the operation
Of the road, much overbalanee the one ohjsc-
| tiouable grade Just mentioned.
1t 10 also claimed by the friends of the Nil
Greek line that few er bridges and of less mag
n!tude will be needed and consequently leSi
perishable road be built on that stream thar
OF Red Clay Creek.
, In q comparison of COSTS Mr.. Sswall estl.
} mates the Western line at about twelve thous
/ and dollars cheaper than the Red Clay Oreel
line, while that part of the Western line belov
| dockcssin valley, connected by a cross lin,
I -"H- Marshalps Kaolin works, with that pal
. | of the ked CLAY Greek line above Garrett
{ Snuf mills, while it increases the length Of tb
. road something more than three quarters @
= a mile at the same time lessons the cost Of 1t
+. work about thirty thousand dollars, 1t beiu
o the cheapest of all the routes actually survey
: ed by him.
Il We come now TO the consid eration of II
o | relative advantages of the several routes
a arteries for trade and the conveyance of pre-
y duce and custom to the City of wilmingto
i. and TO this point the writer invites particul
attention and considers it right TO follow h
ia full conviction and take decided stand in Il
d ior Of the Western lines as distinguished fro
ia that of the Brandywine.
a 10 arriving at this conclusion The posi,ie
l., OF the city OF Wilmington as regards PhiiAde
n phis and the various railroad lines convergin
n towards that great emporium, as we'll as ID
. situation OF the surrounding country, its cor
= dition of development and the habits OF /
| all IN ha MT ut =
n Every merchant OF Wilmington knows hi
" wherever the farmer cells his produce there u
II invariablo tendency lie TO disburse the proceed
q 10 the purchase OF necessaries or Injuries f
|. bis family aud implements tor his farm.
Il |. 10 notorious that tho making Of the Bait
:, more Central Railroad from Philadelphi
At through Chester County has drawn aw,
IL hundreds that formerly thronged our stree
70 and dealt at the counters Of our merchants.
Z Had not the Delaware railroad been made
n about the same time the falling of of produ
N and custem would have been much more 8,
70 verely felt than 1t was. To recover from III
blow at her prosperity, Wilmington men ha
I. but to open their purses and invest moderate
"a in an enterprise that will douby pay then
Al But let them awake to their interests and S
ID to il that whit locating gran improveme
4. for on ultimately splendid through trade tb
a, have due regard to gathering bach again
in large share Of their old customers with MAJ
"a | new ores added.
a, The inhabitants of all that section OF COUNT
=, east of the Brsndywine and north OF the Sta
lv line have from time immsmoria been in 4
= habit OF driving TO Philadelphia market ezce
such as fall within the neighOorhood OF We
20 Chester aud attend that market there insteu
"a | Below the State line as they approach w
a mngton the inhabitants OF BraAdywine HUI
nv dred mostly drive to Wilmington market, q
h. the distance beiog short, will continue TO do
IT, North of the State line short distance com
IN in the new Baltimore Central Railroad nC
mr. atfording good facilities with their mari
10 trains for he farmers who formerly drove
,,o Philadelphia with their own vehicles, II v
m. be in vain to expect railroad up the Bran,
,se wine to draw produce or custom from the e,
= eide of that stream which belongs almost ,
- clusively to Philadelphia and West Chester
aS The facilities are already ample and ~ nab
All. of the producers already fixed They nsltt
e ~ need or want the new railroad for their arco
AZ mediation. The same arguments apply TO
"a farmers living on the west side OF the Branc
sn wine With gradually diminishing force as
advance westward. 1t is with Wilmington
y. this matter as it ia said with the progress
81 the world westward is the path OF empir
M. The we'll known tendency of large centres
trade like Philadelphia is to draw With graC
ally concentrating power. 1t is only by TAXI
advantage Of every possible facility that IL CT
OF smaller magnitude such as Wilmington, C
hope 10 retain her due share of trade and
"A huencs railway up the Braudywiue strik