The Morning herald., 1878-12-16
A PENINSULA FALLACY.

THE EASTERN SHORE RAILROAD-A Lam
GUSHING ENTERPRIsE-A NATIONAL
ROUTE DOWN THE PENINSULA.
The great scheme Of national highway
down the Peninsula, from North to South
was entertained about the breaking out Of
the late war, but only ended in disa,
pointmsnt after an expenditure of mil-
lion or more of dollars.
The history Of this road, decree for the
sale Of which has just been granted by the
United States Circuit Court is interesting.
Its failure is due to circumstances rather
rather than to bad management on the
part efthose by whom it was controlled.
This road was simply an extension of
the Delaware Railroad and by that exten.
sion the one business artery Of the Penin-
sula was stretched ont from "Naamans
creek to Fsnns Island" almost. 1t
started at Delmar, the terminus Of the Del
aware road, and continued to. Chrisfeld
in Maryland, distance of 38 miles. 1t
was commenced in 1859 and completed in
| 1866.
The ideal object in the construction Of
this road was to secure, az We have already
said, great national route from North to
South, by meeting steamers at Seaford,
whence passengers and freight would be
Transported to Norfolk, Va, where they
connected with trains of the Southern
railways. Failure was the result of all
this but it was not owing to the fact that
the idea was unreasonable. The z. w.
& B. railroad, while its route was not near
so short, offered lower rates Of freight ano
passenger transportation, thus keeping the
success of the Delaware road away and
smothering what might have been in tho
end no mean competitor.
The Delaware road only reached to Del
mar, and thus matters continued till 1857
or '58. At that time, New York capital
lists commenced to dismiss the matter OF
building an air line down the Peninsula.
with the same object in view as that held
bv the projectors of the Delaware road.
The sylvania, Maryland and Dslas
ware people who owned stock in the roat
had just cause to be alarmed. Aid sws+
procured, the Eastern Shore road was
built and the the project of building tb
air line passed out Of the minds of men.
This was the second attempt to bolst'c
up the sinking cause and that failed. Tie
same thing that kept it back before ST |
continued. Few passengers were carried
on the fine steamers and the express trai 8
running to meet them and back agaln
scattered dust over seats that were most
lunoccuppied. Despite efforts to keep {
afloat the Eastern Shore railway never BIZ,
ceeded, the great national line of trav l
was not realized to a paying extent a. d
the enterprise has gradually died lie
many others of those years.
/ The bonded debt of the road is as { l.
lows: First mortgage bonds, $4,000;
accrued interest on the same 250, 900; 81 c.
end mortgage bonds, 187, ,25O; accrued :
terest, 125, 900; making a grand total o.;
$972,250. The annual interest on the
bonded debt of the road is $34, ,235. lis
net annual revenues are only about 81 $,
900. For period of eight years, IN er
the local management, the net earnings OF
the road were $205, ,O41.42. This sum y as
all applied to the purchase of rolling st Gk
, of debt TO the Philadelphia, Whining n,
& Baltimore Railroad Company.
The Harlan & Hollingsworth Comp ny
of this city, who were the plaintiffs in Inc
suit on which the decree of sale has. en-
granted, own large mortgages on the adj
and are largelys interested. They ! I've
never received cent as is the case will all
others who have given it aid.
| 1t is said that the Philadelphia, VIII
t mington s. Baltimore Railroad Company
will purchase the road wien it is sold. Ii
{ such be the case, then the route which was
intended by the owners of the Delaware &
Eastern Shore roads will be realized alter