The daily gazette., 1880-07-10
DELAWARE RIVER STEAMBOATS,
HOW AND WHERE THE RoATs RAN
ABOUT 1880.

HOW AND WHERE THE RoATS RAN
ABOUT 1880.
Some we'll informed river man is furn-
ishing the Chester Times with interest
Ing articles on "Steamboating on the
Delaware. The following is one of
them: Is
Abeut the commencement of the year
1880 trade, travel and opposition were
much on the increase. A railroad was
being made, extending from the Schuyl-
Kill, Philadelphia, at Fairmount, to the
Susquehanna, at Columbia in Lancaster
county, Pennsylvania, west of which
canals were being dug along the last
named river, thus opening trade and in
viting travel and commerce through the
great Western States. A railroad had
before been made, called the New Cas-
tie and Frenchtown, running from New
Castle, on he Delaware, to Frenchtown,
on the Susquehanna. And about the
same period the Delaware and lChesa-
peake canal, uniting the same grand riv-
ers, having its outlet at Delaware City,
had been completed. The latter advanc-
es made al least two additional steam
boats necessity on the Delaware, hence
the Robert Morris and the Ohio.
About the same period or little later
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more Railroad was being made between
Baltimore and Philadelphia and of
course portion thereof was put In run
ming order southwest of Wilmington.
Delaware, and the passengers coming
east required the steamer from WIZ
nington to- Philadelphia, upon this open
ing route, through the Southern States.
Within 10 the first half Of the same de-
cade there was heavy and a constantly
increasing travel from the eastern shore
OF Maryland, and from the south and west
as well. Also between Wilmington and
Philadelphia. The steamer Superior was
about the same time built to run between
these two cities. She sailed from Will,
mington In themorning for Philadelphia,
and returned In the afternoon of the same
day, stopping at Chester, If passengers
were in visiting Fare from Whining
ton to Philadelphia one dollar; from
Chester, fifty cents. At that time, the
only communication between the two
named cities was the stage; these hadto
be used when the Cbristiana and Della
ware were obstructed by the ice. The
steamer Wilmington was built for the
same route. She ran for several years
on the Wilmington and Philadelphia
route. Subsequently she was sold 70 20
South, and was lost on her way to the
land of flowers. We may herafter obtain
particulars from the marine insurance
companies.
In 1888, Captain w. Whilden, who is
said to have been the pioneer In the en-
terprise OF running steamboats, to Cape
May, built and ran the steamer Telegraph
from Wilmington, Delaware, under
a contract with the p. W. & B. Railroad,
which had comp pleted tract to that point,
stirting upon the arrival Of the train at
Wilmington, and returning each day from
PHILADELPHIA with the eastern passengers
coming south. This was continued for
some time, perhaps till the time the P.
w. DE- b. railroad was completed to Gray's
Ferry when Captain Whilden and the
Railroad company had a disagreement.
From that period there commenced a
fierce opposition between the railroad and
steamb boat lines, which continued during
the life of the veteran captain. At times
the fare was almost cut down to nothing
during the time Captain W. built several
other boats, and had In his employ Cap
tain O. Taggart and Captain Robson, so
long known on the Delaware.