Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-06-25
WILMINGTON AND WESTERN B. B.
Favorable Report by the Board of
Trade.
This Route between Tide Water and the
Great West Practicable.
The Board Of Trade Resolve to Organ
ixe, at once.

A special meeting OF the Directors OF the Board
of Trade was held at the rooms on Tuesday the
16th to consider the Wilmington and Western
Railroad enterprise The Committee appointed
to investigate Its practlcability made full and
satisfactory report which we give In full. On
motion the following preamble and resolution
were then adoptcd;- 3
WHEREAS, A special committee OF the Board |
of Trade was appointed to investigate and report |
upon the feasibility of constructing q railroad,
leading from Wilmington, Westward, via or near |
Oxford, Chester county, Peach Bottom, at the
the Northern Central Railroad, there to connect
with railroad completed to Gettysburg, and
thence to and via the Pittsburg and Connellsyille
Railroad, or otherwise extended to the great
West; and
WHEREAS, Said Committee upon personal ex-
animation of portion OF the route between the
City of Wilmington and tho Susquehanpa River
and upon an investigation of the whole subject,
have reported fayorably; therefore
Resolred, That the Board Of Trade of the City
of Wilmington impressed with the great impor-
tance of this new Railroad route to the West,
both for local interests and rs great through
line, hereby recommend to the Commissioners OF
the Delaware 81 Chester Co. r. Il. Co. to organize
said company with the view fairly to investigate
the line byopening this important link Of connec-
tion with the tide water Of the Atlantic ut Will
mingion.
The following is the report of the committee,
which consisted of George G. Lobdell, j. I.
Head, and Francis Barry =
To Edward Belts, Esq, President of the Board
of Trade, of the City of Wilmington:
| The Committee to whom was referred the fol-
lowing resolution, offer this as their report:
| Res0lved, That the Board of Trade of the City
of Wilmington deem it proper TO investigate the
/ a,,A tipnlt " of Rn
| road from Wilmington to Oxford with a view to
| best develop the local trade in that direction,
and at the same time to make the proposed di-
| rect connection with the West and with the
| Pacific.
The resolutions embrace three points for con-
| sidoration:
LIST. The prsctlcability of constructing road
between the points named, the character Of the
country considered.
I'd. The local trade which will be developed
along the line of the road.
3rd. Tho Importance of the proposed road,
forming as 1t will part of the great system of
railroads which are to connect the Atlantic with
the Pacific
LIST. From hasty exploration of the route, and
from information derived from persons acquaint-
ed with the country, we believe 1t is practicable
to construct a road from Wilmington to Peach
Bottom, crossing the Baltimore Central road
about two and one-half miles Southwest OF OK
ford, "a survey of the route may show that IL Is
practicable to cross nearer Oxford on which
there will be no adverse grades of more than Sc
feet to the mile.
An exploration made by member Of the Com
mittee, Messrs. John g. jackson, Z. NJ. Bye and
A.Gawthrop, accompanied by Washington Dunn,
Esq, Z. E. exhibited tho following: There ap-
pears to be a very practicable route commencing
in the vicinity of Wilmington and passing thence
on or near the most Westerly line already sur
veyed for the Wilmington and Reading Railroad,
leaving the valley of the Christiana by tho way
of Richardson's, or Little Mill Creek, thence by
II direct and easy line crossing Red Clay Greek
between Marsballs rolling mill, and the mills OF
William G. Phillips Il Brother, and continuing
the same course to the vicinity Of Milltown, in
Mill Creek Hundred.
Bearing to the right, or northwestward, ncar
Mill Town, it ascends the direct and open valley
!. Of Mill Creek, by easy grades to the source ol
that stream in the limestone valley of Hockessin,
passing, on its way, several mills and factories
, From the head waters of Mill Creek the route
! again bears to the left, assuming the desired dl
old Newport or limestone road, reaches the heat
waters of Broad Run, tributary of White Cla,
Creek. Shortly after passing the summit 1t cross
es the State line, and enters Pennsylvania, ant
. by mears of the Broad Run valley passing d. M
9 Browns and the limestone quarries, 1t reache
g the east branch of White Clay Creek, about hal
! mile below Chandleryille. At this point tn
reconnaissance leaves the surveyed line abov
spoken of, which turned up White Clay Greek
Crossing the creek the route continues the direc
tion already assumed, passing from the east t
a the west branch of White Clay Creek, through
j, remarkable lateral valley, crossing the Yves
:, branch above Pitner Osmond's factory, and
: short distance below its junction with the middl
: branch. The west branch here changes Its drec
- ton to suit the line of the desired rairoad ant
II exhibits beautifully direct and open valley, N
A which the proposed route will readily pass, b.
g the merchant grist mill Of Hatton Mercer, on th
IS same direct course as far as Evans mill. AT th
a last named point, bearing slightly to the left o
9 southwark, the route leaves the waters of Whit
y Clay Creek, and crossing the New London road
, about one mile from Kimbleyllle, passes over
y summit and reaches the waters flowing Into 81
Il Elk Creek Descending tributary OF the Bi
. -, S.,s,.'s. -, ,,a,,,. MI,
q E,on, ~ no;n, .hare ava two routes. ono {
II - ~. -...,..,,.a .na ro...s ,n,n Mar,
Ii -. = a,,..,,o,,.,,o -, ,,,,. account .s
.,, .'au, "s ,"H,.,s.,a,, rsor, ,hot s,a,e
e "ou'u ''fu"o 0s'''a''o-
he We think another route, equally as good, ca
:, be found by ioiiowlng tr'putsfy oi oi. I'' :
which emptes ihto thas stream az OF near Ne' W.
If ardsohs Mi'l' on the mes'' anu s''iAias h.s
4. Elk at or near iayiors iahnery' 'heh ionowiu
Sc that stream hy Gibbons and Woolehs Mlils'
ne proper place OF crossing' al OF hear wnero vi
D. OF the tributaries empties lnto IL on tne we
IN side by following these tributaries IL Is thous
u there VIII be TWO favorable routes' winch ;"
~ cross the Baltimore Central Road, one norm al
r the other South, and both near Nottingham s'
of tion from which points there are Two very iaVo
in aoie routes TO the octoraro' tne lower one
t; ing BLACK run, tributary ol lhe oc'oia'o' al
crossing IL al or near biackourn foru' IL 10 II
u certain, however, That there can DC louuu ihfe