Evening journal., 1900-06-18
GOULD'S RAILWAY
SOLD AT LAST.
Pennsylvania GetSPOSSeSSiOn
of the B. and D. B. Line
Now Controls All Peninsula Railroads
With the Exception Of The
Queen Anne
speeIal 10 the EvenIng JournaI.


Clayton. June 1S.-There was a furry
in railroad circles here late Saturday
night when Il became known that the
Pennsylvania system had purchased the
Baltimore and Delaware Bay railroad,
with headquarters in Clayton, owned
by the Jersey Central road. The pur-
chasing of This road has been cOnsid-
cred by the Pennsylvania officials for
some time past, as it will prove a valu-
able feeder to the Delaware division
under its management. On Saturday
the stockholders of the Baltimore and
Delaware Bay Company held their an
nual meeting in Chestertown, the meet
ing having been postponed several
times since May y. the first date set
for the conference between the two
companies. The proposed sale hung
fire owing to the price demanded. Con-
gresham John II. Hoffecker who was
a director OF the Pennsylvania road,
was largely instrumental in bringing
the sale to a close, through George V.
Massey as the matter wa placed in his
hands several months ago. and an
agreement was finally reached along
the lines suggested by Mr.. Hoffecler.
However, the man who had been sue
cessful in making the purchase died a
few hours before the sale was con-
summated.
The b. & ID. B. railroad is forty-five
miles in length, running from Chester
town to Woodland Beach. through q
fertile country. 1t was built in 1872 by
JAY Gould, being part of a scheme Oi
his to reach the South from New York
via ferry across the Delaware bay
thence to Chestertown. connecting
with the b. & o. via Colchester. Thi.
scheme was finally abandoned and the
aroad was leased by Fred Gerker. Fol
lseveral years it did paying business
carrying fruit from Chestertown, ant
intermediate points to Clayton an(
? considerable money was also made BY
running excursions to Woodland
Beach and thence to Cape May on tn,
steamer Thomas Clyde. Owing tt
washouts and the poor material uset
In construction, the road had an event
ful career 1t was finally purchased by
the Jersey Central, and extensive i'm
provements made The WOODLAND
, Beach end was repaired, new rails anC
trestle bridges put in and many thou
sands Of dollars spent in building tn,
large floating dock at the bayshore fo
the purpose Of running trains by float.
!, across to the Jersey shore The plaI
was to land fruit in the New York an,
Boston markets one to three hour
sooner than the Pennsylvania roat
could do SO. When the road floats an,
pier were finally completed the Penn
sylvania officials recognized in the Jer
sey Centrars branch a formidable rival
as at that time this section of tn,
country was the greatest peach distric
in the state, Delaware then being IA
nous for this fruit Some twelve year
ago during a severe storm that di,
much damage along the coast, the pie
and floating dock at Woodland wer
almost destroyed. Repairs at an enor
! nous expense were made Immediately
and the following Summer this prop
- erty of the Jersey Central was agail
! badly damaged by the high tides o
e the bay and the raging winds. Offer
e were then made by the Pennsylvania
E for the purchase of the line, but the,
were then refused.