Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-09-27
NEW RAILROAD PROJECT.

A uew railroad proIeot is on foot
which is OF special interest to Whining
ton, as 1t ia UNDERWOOD one OF the routes !
under consideration oontemplates a ter
minai here Of gigantic proportions. The
story comes fiom Pittsburg, Pa, and IT
is said that the Carnegie interests are
back of it, the object being to control
road from the Pittshurg district to
the Atlantic eeaboard, chiefly for tho
handling Of the products Of steel
works there intended for export trade.
Recognizing the vast financial re-.
sources which Mr.. Carnegie and his
friends control, the announcement is
looked upon by some railroad mon as
a strong bluff to force reduction in
the rates on manufactured products
from the Pittsburg district destined for
the export trade. The steel inauufac-
turers have been endeavoring all sum
mer to secure lower rates on their
freight going through aeaboard cities
for foreign markets. So formidable
have been their protests against exist
ing rates that President Cassatt OF the
Pennsylvania railroad, who is said to
control the action of the lines to the
seaboard, will, Ii is said, take up the |
question and endeavor to secure q set |
Element. Prominent interests nssooi
ated with the Carnegie company de-
clare that the project 10 build the new |
railroad will be carried out, no matter
what action may be taken by existing
lines.
| Most of the people associated with
| the steel and iron concerns in the
Pittsburg district firmly believe that
the project has already assumed definite
shape. A man from that city. in CON
versation with reporter a few days
ago said: al do not regard the an
nouncement made by President Charles
M. Schwab OF the Carnegie company.
that Mr.. Carnegie has decided to build
railroad to tidewater as bluff. There
Is room for a new liue. The roads out
Of Pittsburg during the past Is months
have been unable to handle with the
expedition that it demands the inn
mense tonnage that Is moving out of
that district toward the seaboard. This
tonnage is not going to decrease, as the
export trade of steel products ia just
in its infancy. 1t is bound to grow,
as all practical men agree that this
country will dominate the steel husi-
ness of the world, and the thousand
aud one manufactured products which
follow such trade will supply tonnage
that the present facilities cannot
handle. This condition may be few
years off, but 1t is coming, and Mr..
Carneeie's whole career shows that his
success is due to his preparedness for
business when it comes. F"
1t is apparent, therefore, that some
thing definite 10 on foot and there is
every reason to believe that the Carne-
, gle millions are to carry out the pro
ject. The chief thing now to be
settled, 80 far as can be learned, Is the
most advantageous route that will reach
i terminal OF the proportions desired.
This being the case, 1t seems, from
a what can be learned, that Wilmington
, ia looked upon By some of the parties
v interested as one of the most desira-
BILE places for terminal, for the reason
), that from York. Pa, to which point the
!. line from Pittsburg would probably
a run. the grades would be much lighter
! to Wilmington than 10 Baltimore, Nd.
a which is also under confederation, anc
/. tirst-class terminal facilities could bt
4 acquired here at a nominal cost.
i. An effort is being made to interes
! the projectors in the Western Maryland
"a railroad, which has terminal in Bal
II timore, with view to having tn,
4 Western Maryland made portion o
!, the new line and Baltimore getting thu
a business as result, but this matter j
# by no means settled, and the fact tina
it is not settled gives strength to tn
belief that the Pittsburg people pro
poso to run line Just where they wan
n it, regardless of any Inducements whicl
IL NAV Be held out by people who wan
the line to come their way. Therefore
ID il they decide that they want a rul
q. over the lightest grades possible. whic
g. will. of course, guarantee the best tim
10 in transit, there ~ every reason to be
TO lieve that Wilmington stands yer
or good show of being selected as the tel
Of miDal point.
pr For some time 1t has been rumere
that the Philadelphia a. Reading Raj
la way Co., which has had control OF tn
tn Wilmington & Northern road since tn
iii first Of the year and with it the mag
nificent terminal facilities on the pelt
IT, ware River which have been operate
he for some time by the local compan.
ed contemplated making extensive in
or proyements at the Delaware River pie
with view to utilizing it in conne'
as ton with the company's export au
as import business, hut whenever repr
as sentatives of the company we're que
eS toned on the subject the reply hi
ir been that the facilities were ample 4
,as the present business and no immedia
iii extensions were contemplated, Thi
,st however, referred to extensive in
;iv pl oyements. Some minor changes ha
been made since the new company can
.sh into possession of the pier and q
ne business has increased considerable
MI Much material is now being receiy
err. there from foreign ports aud shipp
az. to points in Pennsylvania, in ado
m. tion to the shipments TINT are made
id. parties in this city, and the pier is
Law lively place, several steamships bel
lad there at one time frequently. t
ian Reading company has not, howev,
,at diverted any appreciable portion of !
, nj foreign BUSINESS through Wilmingt
,et and no change has been made in
At {; policy in that regard.
Now it is limited that there 10 a p'
sibility of the projectors OF the N
line making a deal with the Readi
70. people for terminal facilities here,
idea being to have the two roads VIC
; NJ 10 conjunction, SO far as the river e
ros- is concerned. What foundation thu
,iob is in this report cannot be- learned,
ill none of tho local people connect
,lue with the Reading line can give any
nut. formation.
At any rate, should tho propos
Inc. line come to Wilmington it is lik
'hev that tho terminal would be somewh
city 10 the vicinity OF the Philadernid
,ton Reading pier. There is much availa
Vest river front in that locality and /,
N is understood that the property could
end acquired at reasonable figure. Sr
,wn, able piers and slips could be BIT