Daily Republican., 1882-10-21
The Baltimore and On1O Project.

We regret to see the SGanu lakeh NY
the Morning News in opposition to the
City Council granting the right OF way
through our city to the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad. While nothing can be
said against the present management
of the P, W. & B. branch of the Penn
sylyania Railroad that is no reason
why the city should refuse to give 9TH
er railroads chance to enter into COM
petition for the carrying trade of the
ci,y. That the road is to go through
the Western part of the city where
there are but few manufactures now
instead of being an objection to giving
it the right of way, is the strongest ar
gument in favor of it. Nobody ever
yet knew of railroad passing through
q city that its track was not soon lined
with manufactures of almost every de-
scription. Instead of attracting trade
away from the southern part of the
city it would tuild upa trade of its
own. The argument that one road 1t
enough smackS very much of the prin
ciple that actuated the old farmer te
stick TO the old plan of thresh:ng wheat
with a fail instead of separating it by
the improved threshers and separators
In short the argument of the News Ii
BourbCuieh, and utterly at variance
with the best interests of the'city. il
Wilmington is destined to become
railroad centre why should newspapers
oppose it. What made Chicago the
greatest mercantile city of the west bu'
the great net work of Western railroads
that centre in that city? Nobody VT
presume will deny that the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad desires to come
through Wilmington, because 1t is a
benefit for that road to do 80. Whoever
knew of a railroad going where it
would he no benefit toit? But will tb'
benefit only accrue to the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad. viii it not be {
benefit to the city in the increased val
J ue of real estate2 In the increase o
manufactures?
In building up solid population II
the Western part of the city? VIII l
be no benefit to the city to have larR'
depot at Delaware Avenue and Scot
street, and the line from that down tt
the Brandywine lined with new manu-
factories? Wilmington might as vel
have a hundred thousand population
when the next census is taken as sixt!
thousand, and nothing will contrlbut
more to bring it up to that figure thai
to permit the Baltimore Il Ohio rail
road to 90 through the Western part o
, the city. Why drive this railroad OF
in some other direction, to build vi
other towns when it extends to us tn
} first offer?
Look at the fate of the towns dowr
the peninsula that fought off the Del
aware railroad. Smyrna would no
have it coming near her borders an'
7 now she has Clayton as competitor.
Odessa would not have it and Mid
dletown took away all its trade.
Camden fought it and now Wyomin
ghts Camden.
Frederica beckoned it to one side an
, now Felton, gives the cold shoulder t
Frederick. Milford turned its bac
upon it and now Harrington laughs
: Milford. Drive away the Baltimor
8 and Ohio through West Chester and i
q few years that town would be rlV'
of Wilmington.
i, We hope the City Council will liste
to no such old fogyism as comes groaI
ing through the Morning News tfol
>, the misty ages of stage coaches an
Conestoga wagons. Especially do v
r hope it will turn q deaf ear upon tt
b invitation to levy black mail upon o
u enterprising corporation that comes an
offers railroad simply for the right
10 way through the city.
10 Baltimore does Rnot suffer throug
, railroad competition, Philadelphia do
= not, New York does not, Cinclnna1
Chicago, St. Louis, Pittsburg and 9th
Is large cities DO not, why will Wilmin
IN ton suffer? She will not and thereto
a. we hope the City Council will not he'
~ n tate nor delay in granting the reque
u of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.