Daily Republican., 1881-01-19
rhs Raiirsaa status.

The Railrsaa Status.
Whatever may be done at the pres.
ent session Of the Legislature in regard
10 eonferring franchises en- competing
lines Of railroads to traverse the upper
end Of the State and pass through VIII
mingtOp, it is doubtful If the citilsas
Of Wilmington will be benefited. The
Philadelphia, Wilmington and BAlti.
more Railroad Company has always
Disseminated wisely in favor Of VII.
mington, especially since Mr.. Hinckley
has been President Of the road. The
fare to Philadelphia, the city most Wis
tied by the people OF Wilmington,
is only dfty cents, not two cents .
mile, and by the purchase OF packages
and commntGtion tickets II is even lsss.
No competition line can carry passep-
gers at 3 cheaper rate except At great
less. In addition to this, the company
during the sun msr months runs the
steamer FELTON, tive trips . ssy, chArg-
ing only twenty Ave csnts Tor . single
trip or thirty cents for = round trip.
These charges for fare are in tact only
nominal, and scarcely pay the expenses
of RAINING the boat and for repairs.
Thus the people Of Wilmington are &C.
commodated BY both land and water
carriage, and II An opposition line Of
railroad was built 20 run through the
western section Of the city II could no;
Be expected that the fares between this
city and Philadelphia would be re-
ducsd, These facts which cannot Be
controserted have . tendency to peu-
tralize thinking people in the struggle
for q charter for competing lire ihA,
is anticipated. The tendencies Of the
times are 70 favor ali opposition to cor.
porAtions which sAvors Of monopoly
without taking into consideration
whether the monopoly Is wise one or
not, and henoe the favor with which
all opposition Is net.
We are Dot sufficiently posted 10
kns~ whsIner the railroad bills now
pending before the legislature will
pass or not. That they are both in the
interests Of the Baltimore & Ohio Rail.
road will hardly be denied. We are
credii8bly informed, however, that the
PhilAdel phia, Wilmington and BAlti-
more Railroad Conpsu viii no: oppose
the eharts.inE OF the proposed BAld
more and Ohio line through the State.
II the Legislature sees proper TO char
ter it, It can do 50, bat 1t cannot be ex-
pseted that the Philsdel phis, Whining |
ton Aud Baltimore road shall keep on
paying ab,u. s47,0Oo special taxes to
the State while an opposition line is
chartered to oppose it. There can be no
doub: thst If the charter is granted and
the new line constructed that the Phil
Adslphia, Wilmington and Baltimore
road will be forced to lease itself TO the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company for .
number Of years. Delaware will then
hsve two competing lines Of the ncst
pozertul monopoliss in the United
States running through her borders,
and both Of them will be asking for
special corporate privileges from the
Legislature. We 10 not suppose that
the people would be worse Of, bat With
the proverbisl easy virtue Of Legisls-
tures in the State IL Is mot hard 10
imagine the result. 1t Is with the Leg
islature to say whether the Pennsyl
yani. RsiIro,i Company shall take the
place of tbs Philadslphis, WILMINGTON
and Baltimore Railroad, and compete
with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
for the travel that is compelled TO pass
through the sts,s. for this viii D. the
result IL either Of the bills
now pending before that body passes