Evening journal., 1897-05-26
RAILWAY BILL DEAD.
Cannot Be Brought Up Again
at This Session.
DIED AFTER BITTER CONTEST
BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVES,
DEMPSEY AND WILSON-LAT-
TER SAYS ONE COMPANY HAS
EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO ALL OF
WGLMINGToNs STREETS.
san Correspondence Evenlng Journal.

Stan Correspondence Evening Journal.
Dover. May 26.--Just before the noon
recess Representative Dempsey calledup
the House bill to amend the charter OF
the Wilmington and New Castle Elec-
trio Railway Company
The amendment to allow the com
pany to go through Wilmington, pro-
vided 1t would only build one line. was
adopted by vote of 13 to 2, Mr.. McCul-
Tough, of New Castle, and Mr.. Wilson.
OF Kent, voting against ii.
Mr.. Donaldson offered an amendment
providing that county roads and
bridges should not be used without the
permission of the Levy Court, and in
formed the House that he offered il at
the request Of the attorney for the Levy
Court.
The friends Of the bill made no OBJ
lection to the amendment, and il was
adopted by unanimous vote.
The House then took a recess. until 2.
O'Clock.
When the House reconvened Repre-
sentative Dempsey made an address in
advocacy Of the bill. He said that he
considered 1t the opening wedge to
prosperity and competition through the
State of Delaware, and was a thing
very badly needed. There had been
propositions for relief to the shippers
in the lower part of the state, but one
by one, they went down in the House
If any of the members doubt what the
people want they can satisfy them
selves If they will go to the desk and
peruse the almost endless number of
petitions for the passage Of the bill. All
are clamOring for relief, and this is the
opening wedge for that which they
want. This company seeks the privi-
lege to run through the city of Will
mington to the Pennsylvania state
line, and also south through New Cas-
tie and towns below TO Smyrna.
Mr.. Wilson asked Mr. Dempsey what
guarantee was given that the COM
pany would build the southern exten-
sion. "All the guarantee we have" he
said, "is that they will build one mile
south for every mile north, which
doesn't mean much"
Continuing, Mr.. Dempsey said: 81
will answer that question with pleas
ure. This road has had many difficul.
ties to encounter. After four years Il
obtained a charter specifying thereir
that they would do certain things, anS
they have accomplished everything
They now have a first-class line II
operation between New Castle and VIII
mington. No road ever had more trou
BILE or experienced more difficulty il
getting a charter than this one. The,
said they would build a road, and thel
have built It. They have erected I
pOwer-hOuse, which is to run not onl!
the line between Wilmington and New
Castle, but also a line down the state
Most OF the members here have seeI
that power-house and know that wha
/ say is true. They have shown tina
they mean business, and that Is suffi
cient guarantee that they will live NJ
to all they say.
when the point was raised as d
whether or not the company woul
come south, we offered an amendmen
to meet that objection, and met the oh
jectors more than half way by stipu
lating that one mile should be bull
south for every mile north, and the
they would not vote for it. Then tn
objection was raised that the compan
intended to grid-iron the streets c
Wilmington. We again offered a
amendment specifying that they shoul
go through the city by the most direC
route, and still these people would NJ
support the bill. In fact, we have r.
moved every objection. On the sam
ground we could have refused the char
ter Of the Delaware Central railroa
7 and required a guarantee that thos
back OF it mean business. Then yo
voted for a charter fer road to ru
= all around Wilmington through tn
fields and highways to cut up farm
and trample private interests, regar'
less of what the result might be.
- You voted unanimously to let tn
other road run everywhere. Now yo
say we can go anywhere in the stat
but must not go through Wilmingto
What is the reason for that? Al
citizen or taxpayer has as muC
right as any other citizen or taxpayI
to do basiness in Wilmington. So HI
a corporation the same rights as al
other corporation. Therefore, ] clai
that the New Castle company has ju
as much right to go through Wilmin
ton as any other company"
l. Mr.. Wilson inquired If he consider
d the mostdirectrouteto to beFourth sire
Ie to Market, and then run a line parall
p, with Market street.
l. "The company" said Mr.. Dempse
~ Iuucl lCttIA II Jul III anu nldi htl oNAtN
lr before it becomes an independent roa
F. and after it gets there the Street al
e Sewer Department will give It the me
direct route through and out of the cit
rs / don't know why you grant privileg
to certain corporations and refuse pri
ileges to the one which the majority
the citizens of Delaware are in favor
3D., the one which is the most feasible a
- best charter which could be granted
relieve the farmers Of the state of I
% oppression and discrimination of t
~ Delaware railroad. Any man, IL
20 will use his judgment, can readily S
~ that any line through Peninsula II
-. this, TO compete with the existing Ii
- would be a great benefit to the peol
~, of the Peninsula and the Peninsula
-. self. II would bring the prosper
which the citizens want and should {
~ Joy. The people in the upper part
% the state are unanimous for this ro'
u ard il we desire we could get ten, TIVE
ty, yes, fifty times as many names
- petitions as we now have.
-, Are we going to go home and say
III orr constituents that we were DOW