Smyrna times., 1877-06-20

The New RAILROAD. Civil Engineers
in the employ of the Delaware Railroad
Company are now making a survey from
Dover, via Magnolia, Frederica, Milford and |
Milton to Rehoboth. We are told that |
this survey is "for new railroad" The |
idea given out is that the Del r. r. Co., |
seeing their great mistake in running away
from the river towns, are now to atone for
their mistake by building new line to
strike the towns they thus avoided. In
other words they are to create competi-
tion against themselves, to rectify an origi-
nal blunder, if we are to believe the report.
But we think there are grave doubts in the
report. Much the largest portion of this
"new road" would be in Sussex county,
which is already traversed through its
entire length by two well-established, well
managed lines in a population of about
$4,000 people. Is there inducement, there
fore, to build still another road through
the same territory, with water navigation
in front of it and two other lines of road
back of it?
The survey above mentioned is for pur-
pose, of course, but there is not much dis
position to believe that that purpose is to
build a new line of road through the lower
part of the Peninsula, through q section
where the supply is already greater than
the demand, and the dividends too small
to be profitable on the capital invested.
We find disposition among the people
to believe that this survey is q mere matter
of policy. 1t is to effect union where
now there is competition. The Del. r. R.
Co. at one time negotiated for the Junction
& Breakwater R. r., and effected the pur
chase, but a flaw of some kind appeared
just as the final signatures were about to be
put to the contract, and the bargain was
cut short before it was consummated
Then the Old Dominion Steamship Com
pany, an organization with considerable
backbone, put in bid and got it, by lease
for term of years, if not by actual pur-
chase. This was a flank movement which
the Del. r. r. Co. was not looking for it is
said. The moment the road fell into the
hands of the Old Dominion Co. its character
was changed with reference to the Del. R.
R.; it became rival instead of feeder.
The steamship line was put on between
Lewes and New York, and in a year or two
the State built the Breakwater e. Frank
ford r. R., from Georgetown to the State
line between Sussex and Worcester coun
ties. Then, by a short link from Frank
ford to st. Martins, the B. & F. road wal
extended to the Worcester County Railroad
through Berlin, to Snow Hill. Then tn,
Worcester road was extended to Franklin
on Chincoteague Bay, in Virginia. B.
these links and connections the Old Domin
ion Co. has secured an extended line of rail
road south and reached the great oyste
beds of Eastern Virginia. Thus an impol
tant carrying trade is DETECTED from tn
Del. road to the Lewes steamers. Wha
was formerly exclusive territory for tn
Del. Co. has been gobbled up in part b
the Old Dominion Co.
And the two corporations seem 10 b
moving in their own interests, as if eac
were prompted by the other When it wa
announced that the "new road" was bein
surveyed by the Del. Co. there came tn
announcement that the o. D. Co. had sti
further extended its line from Franklin Vi
steamer to Onancock and the great sweC
potato region of AccOmac county.
steamboat, constructed especially for I'll
purro." has Just been put on this route,
hr.'' .cll and fish that formerly wei
to Baltimore to Franklin and thence
New York. And the further announc
ment comes, since the survey was starte
that the o. d. Co. is reaching out after Il
Dorchester d Delaware r. Il. 1t runs fro
Cambridge to Seaford, and feeds the Dc
road. BY constructing link of II or
miles from Seaford to Georgetown, the o
Dominion Co. could take it right on
Lewes, making it feeder to the steame
and give pretty direct line of railro
from the Chesapeake to the Delaware.
is said the o. D. proposes to do this, a
that stage line is TO be established at or
to open up the route.
The significance of this survey by [
Del. r. r. Co. is said to be this: 1t is p
posed to hold out the idea that the I
Shore road is to be built. If this shot
come to pass it would be disastrous to {
Old Dominion Co., and rather than try
stand out against such powerful corpo
ton as the Delaware, or P. w. & B.
with which it is not able to cope, it will
out. 1t is further stated that, with all [
push manifested by the Old Dominion,
line is not thriving, and it cannot thrive
IT stands alone. But the Del. R. r. Co.,
making it and its branches feeder to
main stem, could derive some revenue fir
it. We do not know how this may be,
such are the reasonings, pro and con, t
have started upon tho strength of
survey.