The sun., 1898-01-20
AGANSTDAAWARE FARMERS STIR OVER RAILWAY DEAL
The Pennsylvania Railroad
Company's Latest Scheme.
TO ANTAGONIZE HUSBANDMEN
Determination Against Shippers b.
Waterway In the Matter of Grain
transportation to Philadcl-
phia Elevators.

puIh LutSdtOrSs
1t has been learned that during the
past week there has been much uneasi
ness shown throughout Delaware by
local buyers and shippers Of grain, caused
by the fact that the authorities in charge
OF the elevators at Port Richmond Phila.
delphia, have declined to receive grain
shipped by steamer or vessel
Those in charge of the elevators say
they have been compelled to adopt this
measure, as the space is rapidly being
taken up by inferior wheat left for stor-
age. This far-fetched and nonsensical
story was for a time accepted by those
who were not inclined to investigate
matters, but throughout the grain dis.
trict of Delawarc-that is, that part
having water communication with Phila-
delphia, either by steamer or vessel
the true facts of the case are now known
and the hand OF that great grinder and
enemy of the Delaware iarmcr-thc
Pennsylvania Railroad Company-can
now readily be seen, and it looks as il
that corporation held the trump cards
On the Schuylkill river there is large
elevator, but this is not used by the
Delaware river boats plying the lower
streams. All grain shipped from the
various points in Sussex, Kent and New
Castle counties, by vessel or steamer, to
Philadelphia, intended to be put in stor-
age, is sent to the Port Richmond
elevator.
Many buyers and shippers in the
lower counties OF this State did not know
until recently that the Port Richmond
elevator was owned and controlled by
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
Such. however, is the case, and while it
is operated and supposed to be managed
by Il local company, nevertheless the
Pennsylvania railroad owns control
ling interest now and by purchasing
such is putting Itself into IL position
whereby it can dictate terms to the
shippers and Buyers OF grain, who have
been shipping by water.
The elevator is to be enlarged so as to
hold lOOO,OoO additional bushels Of
wheat, and work upon the improvement
will be commenced at once.
The water leg has been taken ont. and
when the proposed improvements are
finished it will be seen he building will
be minus a water leg, thus all grain ship
ped to this point mast hr transported by
rail, or else sent to Philadelphia bv
water and sold from he wIarvcs.
The taking out OF this water leg and
the refusal Of this grinding corporation
to receive for storage only grain
that has been shipped by rail is great
outrage upon the Delaware farmer and
grain buyer. The PENNSYLVANIA Rail
road Company is being ro,nIIy de-
nounccd ali over the State for tins out
ragcous piece OF work. TO Il reader
who does not understand what the shi D.
ment Of grain by water means to the
Delawar, farmer and grain buyer, this
compulsory shipment OF DeIawarcs
well-known cereal by rail, does not
amount to much more than Il shrewd
move on the part Of the Company to in
crease their dividends ut the expense of
the buyers and shippers OF gain fir IN
Delaware.
For years past this has been an i'm
portant industry in Delaware. The vari-
GUS water courses throughout the State,
connecting with the bay and river, are
navigabc almost the entire year, and
many citizens Of the State are interested
in sailing vessels and steamers which
navigate these streams and carry freight,
principally grain, peaches and other
farm produce to the Philadelphia
market.
The difference in freight rates in some
communities for grain is 3 cents. At
Drawbridge, John b. Dorman is the
heaviest shipper, as the boats can no
longer carry the grain to the elevators,
he now has several Thousand bushels on
hand that must be shipped by rail, which
will lessen his profit from | to =! cents
per bushel. At Milton, the numerous
buyers Of that section, ship their grain
to Philadelphia by vessels. This import
ant grain centre il on the BrOadkiln |.
River and now nIany sailing vessels are
idle.
At Milford, the Mispillion River, the .
steamer Endeavor, owned bv the Dcnncv
Bros, has been withdrawn, as, now thnt
she can no longer carry grain, she will
not pay expenses. Numerous sailing
crafts also ply these rivers carrying grain
to the elevators, at Port Richmond.
Frederick is another important grain
shipping centre, and besides the steamer
Frcderica, engaged in this business, there
are three schoOners that will now be
compelled to lie idle at their docks.
Probably more buyers have been caught
with grain On their hands at this point
than any otl,et, nnless it is the buyers at
Lebanon, who ship by the steamer Mary
u Citizens. Here grain is shipped by
parties for Dover, Camden, Magnolia
Bowers and Wyoming, and in fact the
whole of Jones creek depends upon the
cheaper rates afforded by this well-known
water course.
Smyrna has two steamboat companies
engaged in buying and shipping wheat
the Brady Steamboat Company and
the PhiIadcl phia 4 Smyrna Trans porta- ;
ton Co. The Pennsylvania Railroad
has been bitter against both these com
panies for some time, as owing to that
great rivalry which exists, grain is car
ried for practically nothing. The Brady
Company carries grain for u cents per
bushcl and has IA considerable amount
on hand that must be shipped by rail,
while A. +. Jardinc, Of the Tunsporta- ,
tion Company, is caug ht for 5000 BUSH {
els. The same state of affairs exists at ,
L:.l r 10, /