Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-01-13


satisfaction of the members Is the feeling
of all. Messrs. Bradford, Townsend and
others, of the Republican side, express
themselves gratifed with the fairness
shown in the selection of Repub-
licans as chairman of three of the
committees, and the distribution OF Repub-
licans upon the other committees. The
chairmen of the remaining ten commit
tees are equally divided between the Kent
and Sussex members, and Speaker
Williams has done his level best to put
the right men in the right places.
DOVER, Jan. 1.-THE opening wedge of
temperance was seen in the Senate this
morning in the introduction, by Mr.. Belts,
OF memorial from the Monthly meeting
of the Society Of Friends at Wilmington.
The memorial does not suggest any partc-
ular legislation, but merely calls upon the
Legislature in general terms to take some
action for the suppression of intemper-
ance. Mr.. Bradford has duplicate
memorial, which he proposes to present in
the House tomorrow.
On to-day week the State Temperance
Alliance meets inthis. town and the temper
ance campaign will then begin in earnest.
The business of the Alliance will be the con-
sideratiop aud adoption of bill providing
for the enactment of a local option law.
Judging from observation, however, such
bill will have no more chance in this
legislature than June bugs in January.
THE RAILROAD LINK.
Hoping to examplify the early bird
adage, the Delaware Western has alredy
introduced a bill contemplating the con-
struction of the Delaware link of the
Baltimore d Ohio's new through route to
Philadelphia. That the B. d o must and
will have such route is not questioned.
That 1t may use the Delaware Western as
link in that route is contamination
devoutedly to be wished.
Nothing more is to be said yet with
reference to the unexpected move embed.
led in the Newark, Wilmington
and State Line bill. OF the
bill introduced in the Senate this
afternoon by Mr., Belts is rsilroaded sue
oessfully through, and l can learn of no
reason why it should not be, it may have
the effect of preventing the success of the
State Line railroad project, in which event
the b. d o. will be necessitated either to
utilize the d. u w. or to avoid Delaware
entirely. The subject is an interesting
one and future developments are anxiously
awaited.
Some halfway assurances have been
given legislators that the b. & o. and
Reading roads are ready to take hold of
this link as soon as it can be built. Some
definite time for commencing and COM
pletiDg this and other proposed roads will
be required to be incorporated in the bills
or their passage will be opposed. This
n Il.
to lie dormant speculatively, waiting for a
purchaser.
Following is the text of Mr. Belts bill:
Supplement to an act entitled San act to
incorporate the purchasers Of the Wilmington
X Western Railroad"
Be ii enacted, dc
Section /. That the Delaware Western Rail
road Company be and it is here authorized to
locate and construct a railroad, beginning at
| such eligible point or points upon the present
| line of its railroad as may be deemed most
advisable and extending III southwesterly
direction to and into the State of Maryland,
and in a northeasterly direction to and into
| the State of Pennsylvania, and for this pur-
pose to enter upon any lands necessary for
locating, laying out or making the same and
for the erection OF station houses or freight
or passengers depots and shops and necessary
dwellings, and turnouts or to procure sand
gravel earth or stone for such use, and to
obtain title and right to the same in the same
manner as provided in sections IL and 10 of
the act entitled IAN act to incorporate the
Delaware 4 Chester County Railroad Com
pany," passed at Dover, February 9Th, 1857
and the amendments thereto.
Section 2.-For the location, construction
and operation of such railroad or railroads
the SAID corporation may from time to time
increase its capital stock and Issue the same
for cash or for work and labor done or
materials furnished, and generally shall and
may have and exercise all the powers
privileges and franchises and be subject to
such provisions and restrictions as are mem
toned and set forth in all such act or acts of
assembly as have been passed by the General
Assembly of this State relative to the said
Delaware Western Railroad Company or to
the Wilmington * Western Railroad COM
pany, whose successor it becomes and it
shall and may be lawful for the
said Delaware Western Railroad Com
phnyi Mt any time when it shall be
deemed expedient 10 to do, to operate any
road. 80 to be constructed, as its main or
principal line, and its present line to I,andeu-
burg as branch line and from time to
time to lay out, construct and operate such
branches or extensions as may be deemed
expedient, in the manner provided for in
section IL of said act entitled, 'An act to
incorporate the Delaware 4 Chester County
Railroad Company and said company may
railroad or railroads or lease its own railroad
upon such terms as may be mutually agreed
upon between the parties.
Section at shall be lawful for the said
corporation to connect any railroad or rail-
roads so built or to be built or in any branch
or branches, extension or extensions thereto
with any railroad or railroads which are or
may be Incorporated by this State or the
States of pennsylvania or MARYLAND, and at
any time or times when il may be deemed
eXpedient to merge and consolidate the capital
stock, franchises and property of such rail
road corporations i'll this State or in MARYLAND
and Pennsylvania or either of said States,
provided any such consolidation or consolida-
tons shall be made under The conditions pro-
visions and restrictions, and with the powers
and results mentioned and contained in Sec
tons T. 3, 6, Z, and Q, OF an act entitled
AN act to incorporate, &c.
POSSIBILITY.
There Is hint that the above
bill, though mainly meant to subserve the
purpose of a link in the through line to
Philadelphia, has within it the germ Of a
down-State competitor of the Delaware
railroad. Old charters are said to be in
existence for connecting points between
New Castle and Milford or Georgetown by
rail-, which, with the extension of the
Delaware Western 60 New Castle. will
give another line down nearly through the
whole OF the State and near the river and
bay, with opportunities for the establish
ment of great coal shipping port at
some point on the Delaware bay where
no trouble from ice need never be appre
hended. This scheme is talked Of as
somewhat visionary, more as possibility
than probability.
THE ELKToN & MIDDLRTowN RAILROAD.
Senator Harrington has received letter
from w. Ii Gilpin of Baltimore repre-.
sentlng The Maryland end of the Elkton Il
Middletown railroad, charter for which
was granted by the last Legislature. Mr..
Gilpin saws that sufficient stock has been
subscribed to go ahead with the work as
soon as the Legislature will grant certain
amendments to the roads charter, chief of
which is permission to cross the State line
above instead of below the canal. Under
the charter the route now crosses Back
Creek, the estuary of the Chesapeake upon
which Chesapeake city is situated, short
distance west of the State line.
This is proposed road, which is un-
doubtedly more of Maryland than a
Delaware project, aud towards which the
T., W. q b. Company appears to hold a
position OF utter indifference. Having
located the present line of the road some
time ago, the p, W. d B. now rests and
virtually says: you can go ahead and
build, or leave it alone, Just as you
please" AT least this ia the understand