The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-02-05
The Baltimore and Ohio New Road
LIVELY FIGHT IN THE DELAWARE LEGIS-
LArIkE, NTH SOME. AMI,SIs,,, AkGI--

'
bill was introduced in which the Della
ware Western Railroad Company wa
| authorized to locate and construct rail
road or railroads, beginning ut such eligi
bic point on points upon the present lin,
If its railroad as they might deem mos
favorable. and extending in 4 southwest
| h!lN direction to or into the State %
Maryland. and in Il northeaStcrly direc
ton to or into the State of Pennsylvania
with the proviSo that the powers anr
privileges granted by the act should be
come null and void unless the proposed
extensions should be commenced within
two years and completed within five
years from the date of the passa se there.
of. The bill also provided that the Della
ware ANA Western might lease its whole
line. or any part of it, and might connect
or consolidate with any road chartered on
to be chartered by the States of PennSyl-
vania or Mary land. In the matter OF
taxes the bill provided that the Delaware
Western Company should pay to the
State treasurer in lieu of taxes. a gross
annual sum of money. which shall bear
the same proportion to their gross receipts
that tie sum of twenty thousand dollars
now paid by the Philadelphia. Whining
ton and Baltimore Railroad would bear
tn the like business oil the latter company
Ton the same year. This bill was no
sooner introduced in the Seuate than
notice was given i'll the Rouse of bill
to Incorporate the Wilmington. Newark
and State Line Railroad. The patron OF
this road WIS William Dean, a wealthy
manufacturer of Newark. Del. but with
his knowledge and consent the rumor
was circulated that he was backed b.
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. and
that this was to bc a link in the new line
winch that company contemplated build
ing between Baltimore and New York
The Philadelphia. Wilmington and Bal
tilnore Railroad immediately commenced
operations to prevent the granting of
these charters. For long time they
iaboicd under the disadvantage of not
knowing Just which charter to oppose.
The Delaware Western was also said to
- il baltimore and Ohio scheme. But
n,,1 corporation kept its own counsel.
twists 4 week or $" the opposition lob
W i'''' .oSe name il not legion is at least
werr nrr,id mber. were at SEA. They
,,,ia.l,t ho tI,o oppose either for fear it
NH ,rn,,1i J., ;nng one. and to fight
ooth would pe lh',rudeut Inst when
every one WAS expect. -. 3D.. ,,,,,,,.',,.,.:.
OF the Newark and ST. ,'I pa.'T In .,'
startling news came to ~, >'';.;
forces that it had been VII ,, "pl''''",,
that the Baltimore and Ohio III ',f;r;'ii,'
announced their intention Of bu 10y,
new road via the existing line al. ,ne
posed extension of the Delaware rpiot-
ern. and were about to direct their eli
gies toward securing the passage of tina.
company'S bill. Letters were shown in
which it was asserted that the Baltimore
parties were authorized to purchase the
Delaware Western should the bill pass,
and that being done. the new route would
be at once built. The proposed route
was to strike the SuSqnehanna at or near
Pot Deposit cross the Delaware line
near Newark. touch Wilmington. thence
by wav Of the present line of the Della
ware Western to GIeenbank. and then.
crossing the Delaware line at Ntafsan' $
creek. near Claymont. so on to pilliatlel-
phia by the old roadhed OF the PiIiladcl-
phia and Reading. Following the letters
came VIM. Dean, who announced that
the Baltimore and Ohio had abandoned
the Newark and State Line and CSppused
the cause of the Delaware Western. The
reasons for this step were apparent. The
Delaware Western route would render
unnecessary the condemnation of land
for Il large part of the road and secure at
the same time certain valuable franchises
and property in the city Of Wilmington
now held by the Delaware Western. As
soon as the Philadelphia. Wilmington and
Baltimore became convinced of the gen.
uinencss of this move they began actively
tn, SET n work thtl ipiir,.nti.,l l,1,l,,-
that could be procured. Their counsel.
George Y. Massey. was invited to appear
before the Senate committee on corpora
tons. in whose hands the bill then was.
but he declined. saying his company had
no interest in the matter. while at the
same time all the we'll known powers of
the lobby worked against the bill in
secret. Their force. as now composed, is
an interesting study. though no one of
them will admit his employment by the
Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
when approached on the subject.
The Delaware Western WAS represented
at the time OF the Introduction of the
bill by Messrs. Whiteley, Bates and Hir-
guns. and the Newark and State Line by
MessrS. Bird and Grubb. Now that the
two plans are consolidated. thene gentle
men arc all working together in the in
tereSt of the bill. The reasons advanced
why the charter should not he granted
are. first. that the Baltimore & Ohio is
not interested in the road. ana that it is
only 4 scheme to put money in the peck
cts of the owners of the Delaware Vest
ern. In answer to this let ne say that
have seen the letters 80 which rete- in
Il former part OF this letter. and that. to
remove any doubt that may still exist, a
representative of Baltimore interests will
be here i'll person tomorrow to assure the
members OF the bona t!ie intentions of
the people there.
One reason. and the one by which the
opposition hope to influence the member )
from the lower counties. is that the road
does not affect any part OF the State but
New Castle county, and if they vote to
kill the bill and succeed. the long talked
of road from Dover to Milford will he 1T
once built. In this connection ii might
be well to state that the promise has
been made so often before that its au-
thenticity is sadly damaged
In reply to all this the Baltimore inter-
est is represented to thus piaiuly define
its position: The road proposed will be
built whether this charter is grant, q or
not. If 1t Is, 1t goes through Delaware.
1t will pay large sum of money annual
ly into the State treasury. 1t will give
employment to many hands. 1t will
bring to Wilmington and the State the
advantage Of competition i'll freight and
passenger rates. 1t will make Whining
ton one Of the principal stations on IA
road TINT promises to he buii4 in as good
Il manner as any in the country. with
steel rails, stone ballast ana the best of
rolling stock; and lastly, though by no
means least, that Ey granting this char
ter the State will strike at IA monopoly
whose power these scli-same lobbyists
have asserted on the stump during the
last campaign was too firmly fixed to be
overthrow. and SO iar-reaehing as to ex-
cite alarm lest it control the politics of
the State.
The fight has been bitter one. To-
morrow the bill will come up for a third
reading in the Senate. and there is fair
chance of its passing that body. although
All effort will be made to load it down
with amendments. one Of them being to
prohibit its consolidation with a..y ether
company. The real fight. however. will
take place in the House. in which the
LOBBYISTS have been striving for the past