Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-03
MARCUS nook,s VIEW INDUSTRY.



Isapid Completion of the New OIL Re-
finery--for a shipping Centre--The p,
w. g. BIS Branching Rights.
The site OF the new oil refinery below
Marcus Hook, on the Delaware river, is u
scene of busy activity these days says the
Philadelphia Record One hundred and
fifty men are at work building the refinery
and the wharf property. and another large
gang is pushing the construction of the
Crescent Connecting Railroad, which was
recently chartered TO build q connecting
line from near Boothwyn, on the Balti-
more " Ohio railroad, to the river front.
The road has been located and the grad
ing finished as far us the Baltimore turn
pike. one mile. The iron is on the ground
and the rails are being spiked down for
that distance. The company has located
branches across the Farson property to be-
yond the western road. and also three
branches to the Delaware.
The new refinery is making such prog
ress that it will soon take its place among
the many new industries of the port. OF
the $50 feet of bulkhead along the river
front 80 feet are driven and finished up to
the third row Of timbers. The wharf is
also well under way. OF the three 80, 600
barrel tanks that arc to be built on the
ground the bottoms Of two are in place,
and all the iron for the three has been
shipped from the west. The work is under
the supervision of Joseph d. Ellis. of Phil
adelphia, who is pushing it with all vigor.
Arrangements have already been made
Tor a large export trade. The first tank
steamer for cargo of oil has been char
tered for March LIST, but from present indi-
cations the new company will be ready to
ship by February LIST. as the three tanks
are to be finished by January LIST. The
right OF way for the pipe line from the
Delaware to the West Virginia oil fields is
being rapidly secured MS far as the Susque-
hanna river, west of which it is under
stood that it has already been taken up.
The expensive terminals which are being
| built on the river front are not to be de-
voted entirely to the oil trade, Arrange
ments are under way for the reception
| there of 10000, TO $1,000 tons of foreign
iron ore, which will be shipped to its dcs-
| tination by the connecting railroads. As
far as possible. it is said, the new company
| Will seek to secure return cargoes for the
vessels that go out with cargoes of oil.
In connection with the fight between the
| Reading and the Philadelphia, Whining
ton a. Baltimore railroads, growing out Of
the latter's efforts to cross the Reading
property to reach the new refinery, a most
| important point was made on Saturday in
the argument before Judge Clayton, at
Media, on the bill in equity filed by the
| Reading against the other company
Thomas Hart, Jr., and w. b. Broomall
counsel for the Reading, showed that the
Philadelphia, Wilmington & Baltimore
Company has no branching power what.
eyer under it1 charter, though the rights
of way for the company's recent extern
sions have been taken up in Its name.
u was contended for the Philadelphia
| Wilmington q Baltimore that it has the
branching power under an act passed on
March 18th, 1869, to enable railroads, ca
mails and slackwater navigation companie.
to straighten, widen and improve theil
lines; but this was denied by the Other
side. The novel point raised surprised tn,
court, which withheld its decision. Upol
this will depend the legality of no les,
than twenty-seven branches of greater Of
less length laid by the Philadelphia, vii
mington & Baltimore railroad between
this city and the Delaware State line.