Middletown transcript., 1893-04-15
RAPID TRANSIT.
WANTED BETWEEN MIDDLEToWN
ODESSA AND THE ADJACENT
MARYLAND TOWNS.
THE NEW ROAD TO ELKTON.
1t will Branch Off From the Penn
sylvania at this Point and Make
an Air Line to Elkton The Repeal
of the Charter of the Narrow
Gauge Road to odessa-Prospects
for the Electric Road.

No one can dispute the fact that railroads
open up new territory and enhance the
value of property along its line. This fact
becomes more apparent each day, and in
this age of improvement every village and
hamlet has ambitions of some day seeing
this connecting link of civilization bringing
them in closer touch with the great outside
world.
1t has only been n few years since
electricity has been adopted as motive
power on railroads, and it will only
be few more years before every town on
the Peninsula will be connected with one
endless thread of wires
Improvements are coming all the time
and the greatest of these is the railroad.
Ihe protestatioils against it are but the
selfish chickering's of persons who stand IN
their own light They cannot see beyond
the narrow limitations of their barnyards
or the hedge fences that surround their
farms.
For years there has been talk of building
a railroad to Elkton, but it has never taken
definite shape until the present, and only a
few days ago charter was granted to the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, and
workman will be put to work Immediately
to grade and build the road.
This new connecting link between Mid
dletown and the great centres of traffic can
not fail to have its beneficial results to us.
1t will give US more direct route to Balti-
more and do away, in all probability with
the junction at Porters. The people from
the Delaware City branch will change cars
at Middletown for Baltimore. or else 60 to
Wilmington, and it will shorten the dis
tauce between Middletown and points
south and that city about Is miles, giving
us direct communication with trains on the
Maryland Division for Baltimore and
Washington. The Elkton branch will be a
feeder for both the Delaware and Maryland
Divisions.
ELECTRICITY ON DELAWARE CITY BRANCH
There is probability that as soon as this
new branch is finished and in operation
that steam as a motive power will be taken
from the Delaware City branch, and electri-
city substituted for it. Then another elec-
tric road will be built from Delaware City
to Port Penn and then connect with The
Kirkwood and st. Georges electric road
By this means communication can be es
tablished between McDonough, and coming
on down to Odessa, there striking the O.
and NJ. and thus establishing direct com.
munication between Middletown and the
inland villages that now have no Other
mode of travel than by wagon.
With the Accomplishment of this great
project, new future lies open to Middle
town. Property will advance, business will
increase, and new industries can be in
duced to locate in our midst.
THE o. NJ. NARROW GUAGE.
The charter granted to the incorporators
of the Odessa and Middletown Railroad
Company for a narrow guage road has been
repealed. Reasons for this action, as set
forth by Senator Watson, are that the
people along the line, as well as the road
commissioners, are opposed to it. The
company is tied up with injun ctions and
the project has virtually lapsed. The new
projected electric railway is to run ovel
this route, and the people of Middletown
and Odessa want to clear the way for it
hence the action in regard to the narrow
guage charter.
The pill for the electric road will come
up for final action before long True, a re
monstrance has been sent down, signed by
| few men, who hold their own Interests
paramount to all others. This has, how.
ever, been counteracted by petition signed
by double the number of our largest tax
payers and business men, the latter beint
a unit in favor of the road.
Let us have it by all means. Let not the
friends of Improvements and electric road
leave the bill die for the want Of backing
Give it boost Send committee down t.
Dover to look after it and and see that
does not die for nourishment.
| Give us the electric road and rapit
| transit.
There was an effort to have the bill passe'
on Thursday, but Senator Pyle stated tha
he had a remonstrance with long list o
signers" against the use of the highway TO
the road. This remonstrance was possibl,
signed by so or 40 persons, the majorit.
of whom have always been arrayed agains
every effort that tended toward the i'm
proyement of Middletown.
There is no other objection to the bill s.
long as they keep off this particular road
and the remonstrance says they can go any
where they choose for all it cares. Their
are no objections to the use of the road be
tween Middletown and Warwick. Evi
IDENTIFY the farmers along this roue appre-
ciate the increased value of real estate tha
| will come with the electric road, and in
stead of placing obstacles in its way ar
doing all they can to make it go.
1t is thought that the authority to lay tn
tracks on the highway will be expunged j
committee unless the friends of rapid trar
sit rally to its support.