The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-25
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST IS. 1907.
Jhe BrandywIne Springs Road Not Yet.


We think the REPUBLICAN voices the
sentiment Of tho citizens Of Wilmington
when 1t says that the Brandywine Springs
Road has perfect right to enter our city
for their terminal, as the Legislature saw
at to grant the road the proper franchise.
The Legislature saw flt to grant the
Braudywine Springs Road the same priv.
ilegs 1t granted the WILMINGTON City Rail-
way Company, nothing moro or less, ex-
cep 1t gave the old company the exclusive
right, so their officers claim, to use the
strests OF Wilmington without having to
pay one dollar for the privilege. But no
other company has the same privilege oil.
though the Same power granted them the
right to build their road from Brandywino
Springs to the city Of Wilmington. Tho
Street and Sewer Commissioners we think
should grant this company the right to
enter our city on Sixth street and have
terminal whers thoy can land their passen'
gers. This much the Street and Sewer
Commissioners owe to the travelling pub.
lie who reside In the country and wish to
be taken into the heart of the city without
change Of cars OF the Brandywine Springs
read. The action in the matter appears
TO be that somebody besides the Street and
Sewer Commissioners have II powerful
Influence with the members of the Board,
Mr.. VIM. A. Pratt, President of the Board
10 now In the Klondke district surveying
railroad for Mr.. Preston Lea presidents
and superintendent Of the Wilmington
City Railway Company and Mr.. Willard
Salisbury, large stakeholder and attor'
ney for the Railway. This fact may have
no Significance, but the public don't al.
ways understand everything that Is done
by our public men. We should like to
hear our citizens express themselves at u
town meeting. for and against granting
the Brandywino Springs Railway right
to enter our city and have terminal, We
are not in favor Of granting any other
company the right to parallel tho tracks
Of the Wilmington City Railway line.
We don't want to see anything done that
would impair the usefulness Of the home
company, but we don't think the viii
mington City Railway Company has
right to the sole ownership Of every street
in our city, without rs much as payinga
dollar to the city for tho privilege. Every
paper In the oity with the exception Of the
REPUBLICAN, rides over the Wilmington
City Railway system and to this fact can
DO attributed their backwardness to say
anything in their columns that might
hurt the feelings of this corporation, or in
any way be construed to help tho
chances of the Brandywine Springs Road
Mr.. VIM. s. Hilles, attorney for the
Springs Road, can now SEQ what powerful
opposition he has to overcome to get the
consent of tho Street and Sewer Commits.
sioners to allow his road to have terml.
nal In the city. We think every new en-
terprise that has tendency to help vii.
Inington should DO encouraged. The CITY
Is surely not finished yet and nothing
should be done by our authorities to pre-
vent improvements from being made or
manufacturers from locating in our city.
A liberal spirit helps to build up any city
or community and this should DO no exccp
ton to the projectors OF suburban railway
lines from entering the city. The men at
tho back Of this Springs Road arc Della
wareans and have been successful after
several years in getting franchise to let
them build their road, hut the oppositio
Of the Wilmington City Railway has boon
sufficient thus fur 10 prevent tho Street
and Sewer Commissioners, Mossrs. Sim.
mons and Webster (Mr. Pratt being away
on surveying busine5s) from arriving at
any conclusion rs to whether tho streets
belong absolutely to tho Wilmington City
Railway Company and whether they havo
tho right to grant the Springs Road the
privilege asked for by Mr.. Iillles We
should think como amicnbo arrangement
could be entered into between tho Springs
Road and the Wilmington City Railway
Company, whereby both roads could agree
on some plan that would DO profitable to
both of them and accommodate tho people
% we'll.