Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-12-30
RAILROAD FreHr.


LACE on Harmony EofWeen the w
& N. and r. a. q. O. III. M.
The Wilmington q Northern railroad
management and the Pennsylvania com
pany are apparently at loggerhesds, ans
as q result the travelling public which
uses those two lines In conjunction, ar,
subjected to the most annoying incon
venienGes. The two roads GROSS eaol
other at Ohadd's Ford and the passenger
trains on each line are scheduled TO max,
close connections. Formerly these con
nections never failed, the trains Of on,
road waiting when those Of the other ar
rived behind time. This agreement or ar
rangement, however, does not exist at the
present time, it having ceased severa
weeks ago. Passengers on either road
who desire to change at Chadd's Ford fol
the other line, unless their train IL Oh
time, are almost sure of having q long
wait at the junction the mex
train. A long stay at Chadd's Ford
under the best circumstances, is tedious
TO say the least, but at this particular
season it is unbearably annoying. 1t j,
stated by parties at Ohadd's Ford
that 1t is almost daily occur
renee to have passengers disappointed
a gentleman from this city complains
that he With seven fellow-passengers fol
Kennett Square and points west on the
z. d b. o. railroad reached Ohadd's Ford
junction by the w. q N. railroad In time
10 see the last car of the train they
wanted disappear in the direction of Their
destinations. As it was the last train
that night passing the station the party
was obliged to land at the station and
walk half mile TO country inn for &C.
commodations for the night. Several
similar incidents of the same annoying
nature are reported, and many others
after missing the Oxford train at night,
have overtaken the w. & N. train south,
which is aide-tracked below the junction,
and returned to this city.
The officials of the one road say that IL
is the fault of the management of the
other line and vice.versa, but the greatest
fault seems to lie in the lack of harmony
between the operations of the two roads.
The Pennsylvania officials hold that as
the W. d n, have the shortest distance
to cover its trains should run on its sche-
dule time. The greatest complaint comes
from those who have been left by the
Baltimore Central trains. It is stated that
the late train from this city on the
w. d N, road was held 80 minutes ON q
telegraphio order for the accomo-
dation of the president Of the
company who came from Phil
adelphia, and desired to go to his
home by his own line. That same even
ing, 1t is stated by q passenger, over a
dozen passengers for the Baltimore Gen.
trail railroad missed their Chadd's Ford
connection and succeeded in boarding the
south-bound train and returning to Will
mington. This sort of mutual disagree
ment between the roads is said to date
back to the time when the w. IL N. rail
road began hauling the freight and pas
senger trains of the Baltimore d Ohio
Railroad Company over Its line,
and giving the Pennsylvania great rival
an outlet, when it seemed to be cut out Of
connection between Philadelphia and
Baltimore. That the management of the
two roads are on the outs, seems further
illustrated by the fact that there are sep
arats ticket offioes at ohadd's Ford for
each of the lines, when until recently one
sufhced for both, and the agent even then
was not rushed. Travellers who are
obliged to use the two roads wish for an
Early adjustment of tine difficulties which
It present beset their journeys.
AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION.
An article in yesterdays EVERY EVEN
Nc attributes the missing of connections
1t Chadd's Ford to strained relations be-
ween the Wilmington d Northern and
Pennsylvania railroads. The Wilmington
4 Northern people say that they are not
aware that any hostile feeling exists. II
10 true that the Pennsylvania railroad
trains will not wait at Chadd's Ford more
than Ave minutes for the Wilmington &
Northern trains, although the latter wait
there 20 minutes or longer for passengers
from the Pennsylvania railroad.
On the occasion referred to, when IL
passengers missed the connection, Satur-
day, the 18th inst, the W. & N. train left
French street, Wilmington, 5 16 p. M, it
having been held four minutes for pas
aengers on p, w. II b. train Al from
Philadelphia, but had ample time to make
the Chadd's Ford connection at COZ. The
delay was caused by accident to freight
train engine which was unable to get on
n siding and held the passenger train over
10 minutes near the B. & o. junction. On
this occasion the w. & N. road made no
charge for bringing back the passengers,
who missed the connection, to Whining
ton and returning them to Chadd's Ford
the following morning.
The statement that trains are held for
the accommodation of any official of the
company Is entirely without foundation.