Smyrna times., 1867-04-17


THE KENT COUNTY MD. RAILROAD. Our
Maryland neighbors, in their perplexitS over
their railroad projects, have BECOME somewhat
severed towards several matters and things in
this State. They are troubled and divided
among themselves about the northern terminus
of their Kent County Railroad (as well as
about the "wherewith all to commence it,)
and in their irritation have set to abusing the
Delaware Legislature, the Delaware Railroad
Company and " Intermediates in our State
in a terrible mapner.
The grounds Of their complaint against us
seems to be, according to the statement Of their
papers, that our Legislature passed an act re-
quiring the Kent County Railroad to termi
nate at Townsend, whilst they desired to ter
inmate it at Middletown; that by this act of
the Legislature, brought about by the avarice
and intrigue of the Delaware Railroad Com
pany and certain individuals, they are forced
to take their road where they don't want to go
or not connect it with the Delaware Road at
all; that this was done by the Delaware Road
to make the Kent County Road run three miles
further distance from Middletown to Town
send) over that road to secure the increased
benefits of this increased distance; and that
rather than be manipulated by these avaricious
Delawaresns they won't bring their Road into
Delaware at all.
When the charter for this road was asked
for from our Legislature, the design was to
make it tap the Delaware Road at OF near
Townsend, and the charter was SO worded.
This was regarded as the shortest and conse-
quently cheapest route. as well as the most
central for the Maryland portion. No other
route was suggested, we believe, until Febru-
AIRY. &c, when Maryland gentleman offered
to take the balance of the unsubscribed stock
(Sl9,0O0) if the northern terminus would be
at Smyrna. About this time the Bombay
Hook Road was on the tdpiS and with a view
to connecting the two together strong infu-
epce was brought 10 our Legislature to amend
the charter SO as to allow the Road to termi-
nate at Smyrna The amendment passed the
House but failed ia the Senate. This measure
was urged by the Marylanders and opposed by
the Delaware Road, notwithstanding it would
have given the latter the advantage of eight
more miles. The contest was finally termina-
ted between Townsend and Middetowu, tie
former being successful The Delaware hoad
having agreed to build the Delaware portic .
of the Kent Road, preferred Townsend as a
terminus because the distance to the Maryland
line is less than by any other route-about five
miles. But had the Kent Road showed de-
termiped front for the DIiddletown terminus,
at the proper time, it could doubtless have sue
ceeded, This would have been better then
than abusing the Delaware company now. II
seems to us that that company has been ex
ceedingly kind. and it should be commended
rather than condemned. And let our neigh
bors across the line talk as much as they may
about the inducements of other routes, univs.
the Delaware or the 7. W. & B. Co. lend a
helping hand their proposed road has a sim
chance of success, Neither the Della VAR 10 d
nor any Of its branches have paid szg.r.e.
within themselves, but as feeders to tue T.
w. & B. r. Il. (under whose fostering care
all the Peninsular railroads are) they are rem
dered profitable to both operators and stock
holders. .s
In order to rid themselves Of the Delaware
Road and all other ''entangling alliances, u
our neighbors propose to avenge the prOffered
assistance therefrom by refusing it and the
Townsend terminus altogether, They have
all at once come out strongly for the Elktor
route, which at first found but little favor witt
them. This is about 10 miles further thar
any other route mentioned, but it is stateC
that other pockets win bear the expense, an,
that the enterprise and industry Of anothe
corporation" are available. Is the p. W
b. Company going to support another rairoa
parallel with and only l5 or 20 miles from il
and 30 Or 40 miles long? Or is it a corpora
t.5u from Baltimore? To run this road b
the shortest possible route to the Del. Roa
may make it pay well /; but to run it the Ions
est possible route, to the 7. W, & B, Roa(
with the Delaware Road to compete with, doe
not present so fattering prospect Trn'
it runs through rich section of country; i
does a large portion of the Del Road, but
docs not pay, with all its advantages. An
how can one that attempts to compete with it
This move is Baltimore scheme, and frol
the tone of our Eastern Shore exchanges thel
is considerable enthusiasm in the movemen
The route from ElaoR TO within four miles
the Kent line is already graded, and has bee
fer years-a distance of niBeteen miles. Fro
thence to Massey Cross Rnads is6vo mil
where the Kent raad viii becogtinEed. The
it is proposed tounite with the proposed Quee
Anne's Road and thence with the propose
Paibot road and hence make second Eailroa
route up the Peninsula This would look w
on paper, but it will never be seen elsewhsr
Baltimore has slumbered too long. ses
H. ~.
Raoos A. Fotton have now e,,enad ,bo;r 40