Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-09-16
THE BRANDYWlNE SPRINGS RAIL WAY.

uuou hniu ~ tub puullC UTeHb FeUuTuluP
the pending application by tho vii.
mington & Brandywino Springs Rail.
way 20. to the Street and Sewer DE
partment, to formulate the terms and
conditions that it may impose and ru,
quire before the exercise of the grant
which the General Assembly has mado
to the railway company, without n
knowledge by the press Of the facts in .
the case. and so many untrue statements
and absurd arguments have been put
forward by selfish opponents OF the
l'randywine Springs Company, that
ask the favor of communicating through
your columns statement Of some of tho
facts.
NJ uch has been said as to the large
expenditures made at Shellpot Park,
aud an idea OF injury attempted to be
developed 10y the creation Of another
park. Such arguments should militnto
against Shellpot, for the Brandywine
Springs Park was created and in use
years before Shelpot Park was dreamed
OF, and more money was expended and
hetter improvements made there than
thHro has bsen up to date at Shellpot.
Yet the owners have never sought shelter
for their Investment at the cost OF the
public.
1t Is my belief that. competition lie
the life of trade and that d business
that needs the protection OF tho State
is in tho hnndG of cowards. What
would lie thought Of an established
business house creating no industrious
lobby ia prevent another house of the
same character from commencing bust
nossS Ii priority gives rights or Ia a
basis for sympathy, then these attach
to the BraudywIne Spriucs Park, for IL
cxistsd long before Shellpot.
Before any effort WIS made TO secure
legislation in hohalf Of the Brandywine
Springs Company,appication was made
in writing to the Wilmington City Com
pany to extend is railway to the
Brandywine Springs. that the public
might have easy access TO an existing,
we'll improved pleasure ground. md
the only one at that tins adincen. TO
Wilmington. No response was ever
made by the Wilmington City Company
TO the application aud no move ever
| made by 1t 10 secure for the public the
advantages and pleasures offered al the
| springs. Az the Wilmington City would
not even notice US or our application,
we then sought the legislation that
was necessary TO enable us to help our.
selves and benefit tho public in build.
| ing a railway that would benefit the
city and it's business by bringing the
residents Of the two popuous hundreds
of Mill Greek ami ChristiaDa to it to
make their purchases. and give to all
easy access to a long established and
popular pleasure resort. But the answer
Of tho Wilmington City Company by
their acts was that of the dog in the
! Nc i,.n, IN
you and you shan't build ono for your
selves, We own the highways Of Will
mingtnn, its residents and those of the
adjacent hundreds arc our vassels; tho
State ia ours and no one in it shall oven
at their own cost improve their means
OF communication with DclawHre's
chief city except ny paying us tribute. !"
Our eiforts TO help ourselves wan met
with the vigorous and continuous OPP.
position of3 the interests that seek to
own Wilmington and control the access
of its neighbors to it.
The Brandywine Springs puople ap.
peaed TO the Legislature, and it is a
matter of pride With me To know that
the response was the pussags, on tho
first Gay of May. 1895, of IN act con
tanning tho following "That tho cor.
poratiun created by the act to which
this is a supplement ia
hereby authorized 10 build and extent
its railway from the points a. which
such railway intersects the boundary
line OF the city of Wilmington to,
through and along Green Hill avenue
TO its intersection with Sixth street
thence through and along Sixth street. "
Tho same act provides that the
"authurities for the time being having
control OF the streets of the said city"
shall prescribe tho terms and conditions
upon which tho franchise granted by
the State should he used These terms
and conditions we're agreed upon in 1885
by the representatives of the railway
company and the then members Of thu
Street and Sewer Department, which
fact is well known by Mr.. Wiley, tho
secretary Of the commission and by its
memherH Of two years ago. II is row
sought 10 thwart tho action OF the Gen
eral Assembly as expressed in its act Of
May lat. 1870. by inducing the present
mombers OF the Street and Sewer DE
, partment TO abstain from prescribing
tho terms and conditions upon which
the franchise granted by the Stats can
he used, and 10 60 back IN the agree
ments Of its mem bers Of two years ago.
Powerful Influences are being used to
produce these results Scarecrows oil
imaginary liabilities are being used to
induce the Street and Sewer Depart
ment TO rcpudIate the privately OK.
) pressed views OF it's present members
and lepudiate the agreement of former
mombers. and az far us i can surrender
} the public rights in the streets of The
city 10 n would.be monopoly.
ADMIN hnva faifh in 1.,ln =,
office holders, and believe that til,
! members OF the Street anu Sewer De
partmunt are too honest and recognize
public sentiment and right too fully Il
7 be entrapned 10 tho pitfalls that arr
being industriously prepared for theil
! ruin: and feel sure that without fur
ther loss of time they VIII formally pro
scribe az tho terms and conditions upor
t which the States franchise TO The
! lirandywinG Springs company can bt
used those agreed upun between thu
! railway company and the department il
I 1891.
Q Much has been said as 10 exclusive
] rights baing vested in tho Wilmington
0 City Railway to the streets of Whining
Q ton. This ia denied Tho Generu
Assembly has repeatedly repudiatet
D any such exclusive right. in that Il
. has pissed some hall. dozen Legislative,
I acts granting tho uses Of streets in tn,
Il city Of Wilmington unrescrvedly fol
h street railway purposes two of which
+, companies, ths Front street and thu
u Eighth street, are daily using thu
i franchises 80 granted. Lawyers of grea
i. ability aud experience claim that suct
an exclusive grant, by reason of helms
L I IN mi a fan 4