The daily gazette., 1881-10-21
FIRST EDITION.
AFTER THE AVENUE.
THREE RAILROADS WORKING
FOR A SOUTH-sIDE FOOT.
HOLD.
All Asking the Privilege OF Laying
tracks ON Christiana Avenue
A Conference With C0uuctI

| y
proceeded over on Chrlstiana Avenue .as
far as the location of tho Lobdell CaI
Wheel Compsny's new foundry aud
machine shop. The object of this meet.
ing was a practical consideration of the
Wilmington 4 Northern Railroad Com.
pany's petition for permission to run d
track on the Avenue from the city line
along The northeast side, 10 the Christi
ana Iron Company's rolling mils,to the
Diamond State Iron Compahy's Old
Ferry mill, and TO Johnson's forge, and
to connect this track, by sidings, with
these establishments.
The Wilmington IL Nortbern's appli-
cat ion is the only one that has been pre-
sented City Council, but on arriving on
the ground, representatives of ali the
railroads centerlng in Wilmington were
found to be In waiting. There were
President Ill. A. DUPONT, Superintendent
w. Ii. Thompson and General Freight
Agent l.. A. Bower, of the Wilm ngton
q Northern; Capt. VIM. II. Smith, and
Supt. ID. w. Connell representing the
Baltimore u and Delaware Western;
and President haac Hinckley and Di.
rector Charles Warner, of The r., w. q
b. r. X. The landowners along the
avenue we're represented by Mr.. Purdy,
OF the National Dredging Company aud
George &. Lobdell, OF the Lobdel Car
Wheel Company. or the City Council
all the members were present excepting
Messrs. Adele, Blake, Carmichael, Moore,
Rodney and Shaw.
| The Avenue was carefully inspected
from the Lobdell Co.'S rolling mill to
their new foundry aud machine stop.
AT the latter place Council held an ln-
formal gathering, and listened to the
arguments Of the Railroad magnaies in
favor OF allowing the Avenue to be oc-
| cupied by railroad tracks, almost from
end to end.
Col. DUPONT led OF with an argument
| in favor OF the Wilmington ~ Northern
claim. He said his Company had ac-
quired, from the Lobdell Car Weel. the
National Dredging and the G. r. l.
Companies right Of way for its track
| on the east side of the Avenue, but on
consideration he was of the opinion that
1t would be for the best interests of the
city to have The track right on the street.
Ii It was not so laid 1t would have to
cross the Avenue several times, in order
TO make necessary connections, aud
thus prove more OF an impeachment than
a continuous track. Our object, said
Col. DUPONT, Is simply to get in to The
bridge in the easiest way, without inter
fering with travel on the Avenue or
prejudiclng the interests of the city.
Mr.. Warner inquired of Mr.. DUPONT
what objection he would have to cross
sing in diagonal line, from the curve
in the avenue near the new foundry
and machine shop to the Christiana
avenue rolling mill.
Mr.. Lobdell quickly responded that
the objection was that there was not
room enough for tracks to pass be-
tween the rolling mill and the avenue.
President Sharploy, of City Council,
expressed the opinion that railroad
track along the avenue, with the con-
nections that would be demanded by
manufacturing establishments, would
cut it up very badly.
President Hinckley said "the policy
of the p, w. 81 b. r. II. has always
been to help ourselves, and in doing
this we think we are helping every
city or town in which we thus help
ourselves" He said he was not pre-
pared to say what the r., w. & b.
would or could do, but would simply
take the broad ground-in considera-
ton of the fact that the p, w. 81 b.
could do as much for the business in
terests of Wilmington as any other
railroad-that it should be granted the |
same privilege as the others in respect
10 the occupacy of the avenue. Mr..
Hinckley thought it was to the interest |
of this part of the country to have |
three railroads on the avenue, instead |
of one. There are objections to the |
laying of railroad tracks on public |
avenues, and he used to think Chris
tana avenue should be kept free for
public travel, but he understood that |
the plans Of contemplated improve.
ments would prevent this.
Eyes" spoke up Mr.. Lobdell, 1--WE |
we're going to put our new buildings |
on that bluff, Indicating the high
ground just at the bend of Christiana
avenue), but the other scheme stood |
in the way"
This was the second time Mr.. Lob.
dell had incidentally alluded to this |
'sother scheme" which evidently |
means a large and important improve
ment, but of what nature or extent he |
declined to say.
Captain Smith next spoke. He said |
the position of the Baltimore IL Ohio |
was about the same as the p, w. &
b. His company did not build rail-
roads for fun, but for profit. Hearing
that the Wilmington & Northern had |
applied for the right to lay track on
the avenue, he decided to simply ask
for the same permission, SO rs to ex-
tend the present Delaware Western
track from the Old Ferry rolling mill
to the new Lobdell foundry and ma
cdine shop. If all the companies were
given the privilege of laying track
along the avenue, it would occupy
about forty feet, and leave like width
for public travel. Captain Smith SAID
1t would be mistake to grant the use
OF the avenue to but one company, as
all thrcs of the roads extend in differ-
ent directions, and each would assist |
in developing and improving the
neighborhood.
Eyes," said President Hinckley, "a
healthy competition would be better |
for the city, if not for the railroads.
'sOh, we've always been able to take
care OF ourselves" responded the b.
b o. man.
President Sharpley suggested that
the three railroad companies buy,
grade and put in good travelling con-
ditiOn a atrip of lnud 40 feat wide bOr-