Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-01-04
For the Delaware Republican.
ORR RAHROADS.--No. w.


OUR RAILROADS.&C.. Nv.
In . former article described in general
way, the main features of the proposed evil
minpton & Reading Railrc hd, "i:s connections
with the peninsular System of roads, and the
P. W. b B. B. R. At Wilmington, and with The
great railroads Of Pennsy lvania at different
points The position which it thus assumes,
Of link connecting several of the great high
-evs nj trade - -t--s s-~-.-.-,s N. -
forming a direct means OF communication be-
tween sections of country differing widely 10
their character and productions, Is the point
of greatest interest and importance in conaec-
tion with 1t. or, as commerce depends upon tt Q
interchange of tue productions OF different To-
calities, it follows, that without interchangeable
products there CARRIE no commerce. Between
two neighboring points OF purely sgricultu-
raj district, Tor example, there can be but lit
tie trade, for the reason that the productions
being Identical or similar in character, there
can be no Involvement 10 transport them, OK.
cept to the more distant market On our own
Delaware Railroad, which trayerses oply an
agricultural district the staples OF its reu.u
nerative business are confined to two or three
articles, grain, peaches, lime and other ferdli
sers, beside passengers. Far different is the
case with any avenue of trade which pa sea
through . region of varied resources, aericul-
Iaral, mineral, and manufacturing; aud in this
view IL is that the success of the Delaware
r. affords us an argument on which we can
fairly rely, in estimating the probable future of
the Wilmington Reading R. R. For If a dis.
trict of country without mineral resources.
destitute OF manufactures, except of the most
simple kind, with a sparse population. and
col aiming much poer land, b. furnished the
materials tor remnRerative business c yer the
former, no much more probable is TIL SUCCESS
of our pr jected Improvement, possessing all
the three sources OF revenue in d large proper
ton The farming land through which il N 10 At
pass. is much OF II of the best quality and
brought 10 the best condition by gsnerati ons
OF high farming. The average price of land
per acre Is probably Eve times that of the land
in our own State, traversed by our Delaware
h. h., at the time u was built; and assume
that the proportion OF marketable products o,
the Two sections, is fairly represented BY the
price OF land. Yet The pred lcte of the sol
are but one, a"d that one, ths least impo ran
OF the source VI revenue, OF tie WILMINGTON
& Reading R. R. Let US suppose that IN,
Delaware r. R for the FIRST SO miles Of it,
course, reversed region OF agricultural re-
soOrf 90 several times as great as those it DOS
sess-d the time it was constructed; that IL
adcition It passed by the doors OF say 80 man
ufscturipg Embellishments, many or them 0
considerable Importance, all OF them certain
from their position 10 become customers of III,
road, because they are now obliged to conve.
their materials and productions for consids, a
BILE distances by the common roads.
Let ne suppose, also, that the proposed I'm
passed through region rich in limestone, an,
that by its means the unsuitable market Of III
peninsula conld he supplied with lime al
price less by one-tnird than that it now com
msnds at New CASTLE the point OF delivery /
the Delaware Railroad, that IL also conta 80
numerous beds OF iron ore, many Of them ltr
worked and Of known and excellent qualit,
atPresent excluded from the general use wn lei
their position and quality would eptitle then
20, If supplied with railroad transport alton
that 1t Interested in its course the three grea
Western lines Of trade and travel couyereipi
In Philadelphia, one OF Them being the princi
pal channel Of that very Anthracite coal trad
for which the larger cities are eagerly conten
ding, and are expanding large amounts q
money the other, OF the Luminous coal trad
Of the Broad Top region, now rapidly gro Y in
ip Importance, Let us imagine, lastly. that
terminated In direct communication wit
Reading, the "Iron Centre" as it has bee
called, OF Pennsylvania, and with valley lik
that OF the Schuylkill, of rich aud varied r.
sources, now anzlously looking for a new ou
let 10 tide water. Let us compare all thes
sources Of trade with the single agricultur,
element which induced the construction an
bss insured the SUCCESS of the Delaware Raj
road, and we may, think, fairly conclude ths
financial Success is far more likely to ensue |
this case than In the other. Aud yet thos
VINO are familiar with the subject will bea
witness that have not over-stated the rela
tive Importance OF the trade that is actual
waiting for the construction Of our railroa,
70 seiEeat once upon the new channel OF coz
municatioa, which will bring it to our door
Let ~ be remembered too that our PROPOSE
road has all the elements OF progressive d
Telopmept that can make the fortune OF al
line OF Internal communication whatever. II
increased facilities OF transportation TO ma
set, and the reduced cost OF raw material, il
Guiding coal-the great motive power of OF
modern industry-must result in causing ii
rapid extension OF tue manufacturing interes
that will be tributary TO us, while it will 10
ter agriculture and cause progressive In eYea
In Its products, and those OF the mills Al
quarrles in the neighborhood OF tho line T.
water powers on the line OF the proposed ro
ann teai ~ are as yet only partially OCT uni,
those that are developed in the hands o.
class of men who are enterprsiug and en-,
getic, who have prospered in their busine
and are ready and willing to extend il VIII
opportunity offers. The region, therefore.
ono that Offers the double Involvement of /,
ing already in want OF the railroad, and
having the capacity for further great develo
ment OF it's resources 10 tue future
WILMINGTON.