Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-01-19
The NEW CASTLE Rail- WAY.

Frank II. Herbert Advances Some Rea-
sons Why the Charter for the Proposed
Electric Railway should he Granted by
the Legislature.
Editor Gdsette d Journal. If charter for
the Wilmington Il New Castle Electrical
Railway Company is granted by the Cen
eral Assembly, it means q great deal for
Wilmington and our little city. IL would
build up Southern Wilmington. II would
enhance the value Of real estate along tile
whole line; would encourage people to
build suburban residences along the route.
1t would encourage industries 20 locate in
our town. II would open up again our
commercial trade, which was ruined by
what is now known as the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, by their exorbitant
charges for transportation OF grain to our
ports, delivering the same to Philadelphia
at the same rate.
can remember only few years back,
when our harbor was filled with vessels of
all classes waiting for their turn to be
loaded with grain for eastern ports. What
a change now 60 TO our river front and
look upon the scene, and what do you see
An isolated water front.
now ask the people Of our little city
how much longer are you going to submit
10 the control and monopoly Of this rail-
road company How much longer are
you going to allow a half dozen citizens Of
this town to dictate to you and the General
Assembly because they are stockholders in
SAID company? Let us go over the ground
and see what this railroad company has
done for New Castle in the last 50 years.
They have ruined our grain market, and
sent some Of our best citizens broken
hearted and bankrupt to the grave. They
have been fighting the prosperity of our
town for years, They have prevented in
dustries from locating here. They have
Il al
river front, and it is now in such a condi-
ton that should we have great storm ii
would inundate the eastern portion of our
city. 1t is an eye-sore and disgrace to the
community.
have been told that their receipts for
freight and passenger traffic average from
$4,000 to $4,000 per month, and yet its
passengers cannot get a glass of ice water
on hot summer day at the depot They
average about "a trains daily, north and
south, from this town, and would not even
erect II COW shed at the Battery station for
the accommodation of its passengers.
They have fought all oppositions in the
way OF competing lines, and SO far have
been successful.
fight the charter for our work. In the
name OF all Justice are not the citizens of
New Castle entitled to some privileges and
considerations Must this great corpora
ton continue to be the dictator of our
people? Must they submit to their I'M
reasonable injustice or will the members
of the General Assembly remember that
the issue of the last campaign was against
monopoly Can they in all Justice to their
constituents overlook that fact?
|. The charter members OF the Wilmington
& New Castle Electric Railway Company
are Delawareans, connected with no other
railroad companies. 1t will be an indie
pendent peoples line, and they are ready
to build the road as soon as the charter il
granted. 1t has all the backing necessary
to make the enterprise go. and if we do
not have the road in running operation
within reasonable time, the charter is to
be null and void.
Gould anything be fairor than this? We
will present petition to the General
Assembly, signed by every tax.paying citi
zen of this city Except about IL, who are
interested in other railroadsJ, praying for
q charter for the Wilmington Il Sew Cast e
Electric Railway Company.
FRANK Il. HERBERT.
New CASTLE, DEL, January 10th, 1898.