The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1890-12-26
FOURTH EDITION


There Is about to DO inaugurated a
movement that will gridiron the city
In a great measure With city railways.
The arrangements are being made
/ through Councilman Franklin Il.
Cotton on behalf of syndicate OF gem
| tlemen of capital and influence that
| must insure success, On Wednesday
\ Mr.. Cotton, trustee for the syndicate,
purchased from the McComb estate
and others 2,2Ol shares of the 3, 1875
shares OF stock owned by the Front
Street Railway Company, Tor the pur-
pose of increasing the lateral lines Of
! the road SO that It will keep pace with
I the fast growing demands of the city
! The purchase Just made will create a
/ revolution In city railroading and the
contemplated new lines will bring the
eastern and western parts of the city
into close communication so far as
city railroadlng can do IL and what is
commendable In this connection the
whole system will be operated by
electricity as u motor.
The syndicate as soon as organized
Intends to run the present Lancaster
avenue line on out to SilyerhroOk, to
the Lancaster avenue station on tho H.
y .. Railroad, and in addition the line
Is to extend east as far Us Eleventh and
\
sions east and west 1t Ia contemplated
TO construct line out Maryland
avenue, and still another up Monroe
street, with Il purpose Of extending It
out to the wester suburbs
The new syndicate will consider the
idea OF running double tracks through
out the whole system wherever per-
missable. Tho old stables ut Front
anu Union streets arc to le removed
to the western end OF the line at
Silverbrook, where an electric light
plant is to be established. When seen
by u representative of the REPUBLICAN
MIR. Cotton said 1t WIS the intention of
the company 10 commence work rs
soon rs the winter weather breaks up,
and by midsummer the work will be
well under way.
The first election OF directors OF the
Front and Union Street Railway Com
pany was held Mt the Artisans Savings
/ Bank February II, 1881, and resulted
as follows; H. 5, McComh, William
e. Gibbons, Francis N. Buck, Phillip
Plunkett, John IL. Tatum, L. +. Walton
and George w. Bush. On the same
day the directors elected George W.
Bush, president; Edward I. Taylor,
secretary; Phillip Plnnkett, treasurer
A harter OF incorporation was OBJ
| t'dllbi Fbhihhy ~ 100 ms lhiu III
capital was $4,000 which has since
been increased to $4,000 In shares of
80 each.
On April 20, 1881, William Wharton
Jr., of Philadelphia, contracted to build
the road at the rate Of 81, 100 per mile
for singls track, -. 81 per foot for
The cpryed ,art x the track apd ~ per
foot for gutter plate Samuel 4 Pl;te
WIS appointed superintendent May 2
1881, The rOadl was completed 10 its
present length. "a little more than one
and one-thlrd miles, and cars first run
on saturday morning, September II,
1881 The first outfit included four
| cars and twelve mules The company
now own seven ears. The office and
stables are located at the west end of
the line.
The officers of the company are.
George w. Bush, president; s. A. Price,
secretary and stfperiuteni VI T.. r.
Taylor treasurer - nsctors
are Phillip Plunkett,8~ ltum, h,
J. Mackay, M. D., Miliia.n ,ths, Jos.
Pyle and james G, McGomb.