The daily gazette. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1874-1883, 1879-09-11
FIRST EDITION.
THE -. W. X. IL.

THE IDEAS OF TIE nUILDERs AND
THEIR NEAR APPROACH TO REALIzA-
TIoN.
The recent Interest that has been rous-
ed In wilmington concerning the DelS-
ware Western. Railroa,i, caused by the
plan now being looked into with vie
u max ng thi, city the terminus of a long
Hue, with that r. al as the home end,
makes brief account of the ideas Of 1he
builders OF the road interesting at pres
ent.
The road was built with three id-as,
which at hat time were good ones and
lOoked feasible.
First.-TO develop the local trade of
New Castle and Chester counties and
bring II toward Wilmington.
SecOnd.-To join the Pennsylvania
Railroad and bring the vast amount of
freight that goes to PhilaIelph for
OCEAN shipment to, Wilmington.
1hird.-Toformaa Continuous all rail
route to the west, through the southern
part of Pennsylvania.
The first idea vas realized almos, as
soon as the first ira ran over the line.
1t went through fine agriculture co,in-
try, which was already increasing as a
manufacturing sc ton. ave are there
fore of the op,nion that there will be
sufficient local trade to pay q fair divi-
dend on the crst of the road, indepen-
dently Of the immense trade which must
pass over it, If the road is extended To
connect with the roads leading west"
thus read a certain committee report,
and time has shown the hop they built
on a local trade in fair way to be real
zed. The road pays . dividend TO its
stockholders vt this time.
The T. cond was TO make the shipping
oint Of the great PeDnsy lvania line for
ty miles nearer the sea, and more than
pne d awback presented the realization
)f the plan at that time. The road was
to run to Oxford, Pa. and, connecting
with the Lancas er and Quariyvill
railroad, run into the Pennsylvania
road at Lancaster. b 1t about that time
The T. 4 ID. X. X. scheme was originat-
I'd and before the idea held by t build
ers of our road could be developed into
reality line was run down from Pom
eroy to Delaware city. The failure Of
lie utterly reckless scheme is known to
all, but 1t somehow got the favor of the
Pennsylvania Railroad. One thing and
,uothrr kept back the consumm ati"n Of
this plan and for the time being it was
dropp d. 1t is neai er to-day though as
every one knows.
The third p an was an a rail line to
the West ,and at that time it was consid-
Ell ed the most important. The road was
to conn It with the York and Peach
Bottom Railroad at Oxford hich was 10
AIRY ii on 10 York, and other routes
were TO take the course on to the coal
region and through to the West. The
Peach Bottom roa !, unfortunately for
The stockholders of the ID. w. Railroad,
was made narrow-guage road land prac-
Jically put an end to that project.
The road at present, by right of way
)niy, has connection with the Penn
sylvania Railroad, and not only to the
'oal fields but to the West. And OIL
this connection hinges the rather i'm
vortant negotiations now going on. The
ate article published in the GAZETTE,
which made the mater public, was al
hat time not clear enough TO give Ger
ain matters plainly or positively, owing
Othe fact that /. e question could MOI
he got at TO a certainty. Since then,
however, mu, h has been learned. One
hing is the identity of the gentlemen
who have bee,i looking into the feast
oility of the plan Of bringing the great
amount Of rade 10 Whining an Instead
II Philadelphia, 1t was id in the ar
| ;icle that who they were was unknown.
1t has been armed Il at they are parties
.onne ted with the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company, who seeing the grea
benefits that would arise by making
Wilmington a terminus of the line,
AVE entered into the spirit OF the pro-
ject. There was only one thing In the
way Of bringing the enterprise to reality
md that is not formidab now. If II
VS. entirely removed there would be
iothing in the way Of he accomplish
menl Of the idea, TO which, even now,
distance does not lend the chief en-
'hantment. Considering the great ad-
vantag' TO the Pennsylvania Railroad
advantages 1t cannot secure any
where else-it is likely that the ID. W.
r. II. wi | soon make Wilmington the
Gus of great region 1t can hardly
DE more than few years distant at the
/ fartleSt,