Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-01-25

OUR RAILROADS.&C.. I.
The friends of the Wilmington and Reading
Railroad have always hoped, and expected
that their road would participate to some ex.
tent in the Anthracite Coal trade Of Penneyl-
vania; and this expectation has been main
argument in its support. There are some
however who believe that the current Of that
trade is so firmly set in the channels in which
II now runs, that 1t can never be diverted To
such persons the facts and arguments set forth
in the following communication, are especially
addressed. II is furnished by q gentleman
resident on the proposed line, and deeply in.
terested In its success, aud one very thoroughly
acquainted with the subject of which he treats.
His argument appears TO put the subject In its
true light, and to make 1t certain that while
we are not to expect To divert the main stream
Of the Anthracite tloai trade from its present
course, yet that 1t may be tapped, and that the
wants OF the intervening country and the posi-
ton OF Wilmington, must make this 10 con-
siderable extent, coal carrying road.
WILMINGTON.
DEAR SIR :-In reply to yours, propounding
the following query: "Will the Wilmington
and Reading Railroad, when completed, be-
come to any extent q coal carrying road 2"
beg leave to say that in order to answer this
question fully, we must go back in the history
of the coal trade of the Schuylkill Valley to
lS4l, the period at which the extension of the
Reading Railroad was completed to Pottsville.
Up TO that time there had never been more
than 800, 900 tons OF coal cent to market from
the Schuyikill region Ia year, and many in
telligent persons doubled ii there ever would
be q sufficient trade from IL to support both
canal and railroad. But events have proved
that both avenues, worked to their full capacity
are unatle to accommodate the trade in its
present proportions, reaching nearly 3 ,ooO, 900
OF tons per annum.
The Reading Railroad is now enlareiug its
wharves at Richmond and preparing to lay ad-
ditional tracks, while the canal is worked to
it's full capacity.
The Wilmington and Reading proposes to
leave the Reading Railroad at Birdsboro', 40
miles from Philadelphis, and will reach Will
mington in distance of so to SO miles. so
miles II the route by Unionville is taken and
30 If the route is down the Brsndywine.
The difference In grades will add cents to
the cost of transporting q ton of coal to Will
mington over that of carrying it to Richmond
wharves.
When we take into consideration that Will
mington is 81 miles below Richmond. is below
the Horse Shoe Bend, and generally below the
point OF ice blockade, 10 it unreasonable to sx.
pect, in view of continued increase in the
Anthracite trade, that Wilmington will become
in few years a shipping port OF some impor.
tanee, both for Anthracite and Btuminous
Goals 2
1t is argued by some that the tendency Of
trade Is to concentrate the coal shipping about
the large cities; by others that State and City
pride will prevent the Goals of Pennsylvania
from being shipped at any point except Phla.
delpha.
Why should this be go Wilmington is
emphatically tributary of Philadelphia and
the growth Of Wilmington is the growth Of
Philadelphia.
We may learn much upon this point BY
looking at the history OF the coal shipping
trade Of Elizabeth Port in New Jersey. The
Delaware, Lsckawaua and Western Railroad
is an undoubted New York Improvement, and
managed emphatically in the New York inter-
est, and yot its shipping point is Elizabeth
Port in the State of New Jersey, which has
| grown up in a few years to be port OF sufi-
cient importance to ship nearly 500, 900 tons
OF coal per annum,
Cndoubtedly the shipment Of coal to supply
tue wants OF the Delaware Bay trade must be
done al once by Wilmington, and only a reiu-
sal of the Reading and Pennsylvania Railroads
to pro rata with the Wilmington and Reading,
Will prevent 1t in short time from becoming
port whence large ocean shipments OF An
thracite and Bitumiuous coal will be made
that 1t will be tue interest of both these great
roads 10 pro rata with US, eau readily be
shown.
That it will he the interest of the Reading
to pro rata in order TO extend it's Anthracite
trade over new district, will be seen by the
| following taLemeut OF distances and nninta
| TO winch the Anthracite coal will be distribu
tedtrom the line of the Wilmington and Read.
ing Railroad.
| By comparison OF distances from Potts
| vile, by way of the Reading Railroad aud
Philadelphia, 1.-THE present route of SUPPLY,
nd nv WA nj
Railroad, it may be shown that our Road must
furnish Anthracite coal to all consumers on the
different roads II will intersect, both eastward
and westward, as follows: On the whole ex
tent of the East Brandywine Railroad, from
Waynesboro to Downngton, and thence east
ward on tho Chester Valley Rc;.Toad TO a dis
lance OF IL miles before being met by tho sup
ply coming westward from Norristown; ON the
Pennsylvania Central Railroad from a point 8
miles east OF Downington to 20 miles west OF
CoateBville, or 90 miles. By means OF short
branch connecting with West Chester and the
Media Road, We must furnish coal to West
| Oh ester, and as far east as to within miles Of
Philadelphia, OF % miles
| On the Baltimore Central Railroad the range
will be from its eastern end, westward to within
miles OF Port Deposit; r fact making Port
Deposit almost ss good shipping point for
the coal of Schuylkill County, as for that Ol
the Susquehanna region. Ga the Philadel-
| pbia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad
coal will be carried eastward to Chester, and
westward a distance of 28 miles before it can
BIO met by the supply coming from the susque-
| hanna.
Let US recaptulate the distances over which
tho Wilmington and Reading will distribute
coal
Upon the Wilmington and Reading
Road, SO miles
" East Brandywine and
Waynesboro, IT 4"
Chester Valley Railroad, Ia
| The Pennsylvania Road 50 ="
| Philadelphia and West Ches-
ter Road, % +"
Baltimore Central, Al &"
Philadelphia, Wilmington and
Baltimore, AZ /"
Making total Of 249 mile
Besides the Peninsular Railroad of almos
equal extent.
The country to be supplied by these "a
miles of road will require for local consumr
ton, in fact now consumers, near 300 900 tor
Of coal per annup. Is IL at all likely there
, fore, that any railroad would refuse to pro rat
with a connecting road Offering such a trad,
and 10 addition the chance of competing wit
the Susque hanna region for the shipping trad
of Port Deposit LAUREL.
Correspondence of the Republican,
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
This CITY 60 long noted for nresantino Al