Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-05-02
PENINSULA BELT LINE.
Work Begun on New and Important sys
tenn of Railway.

tenn of Railway.
Work was begun at Chesapeake City,
Md, Tuesday on new trolley belt
line which will touch the Delaware
River, the Atlantic Ocean and Chesa
peHke Bay. The combination consti-
tuting the circuit includes 40 miles of
trolley traction already in operation
and 100 miles which are to be built
The consolidation is under the title of
tho Peninsular Traction Co., and the
capital represented in the total invest
ment for construction and equipment
will te So, 600. 600. Thomas F. Deegan
Of the Drexel building. Philadelphia.
the railroad contractor who was identi-
He'd With work preliminary to the ex-
ploitation of the American Railways
Co., has been engaged ia the pro
motion of the peninsular combination
for the past year. 1t was only yester-
day. when work was actually begun.
after charters covering all necessary
rights had been obtained in the States
of Delaware and Maryland, that the
news of this important development
In rail transportation was made public.
According TO one of the promoters,
the Peninsular Traction Co. g lines.
starting from Wilmington, is to connect
WIN ANONathB IL luiidb AWAY WIN
Elktou, Md, miles beyond; with
Chesapeake City, Z miles farther: and,
six miles away, touches Chesapeake
Bay at Northeast. Md. as the terminus
of its south este-n extension. The
other circuit reaches from Wilmington
TO Delaware City, 10 miles; to Chesa-
peake City, Md, IL niles: to Cecil
ton, Nd, 8 miles: TO Middlstown, IL
miles: to Bombay Hook, Is miles to
Dover, via Smyrna, is miles; to Mil
ford, 20 miles; to Rehnbuth Beach, on
the Atlantic coast below Care Hem
lopen, 30 miles. a complete belt line
is thus made, and its service is to be
supplemented ey steamers plying rsgu-
lsrly, on the south between Chesapeake
City and Baltimore, and, on the north,
between Delaware City and hilade-
phia.
The entire road is chartered to carry
freight as we'll as passengers, and it is
designed to give direct transport alton
to all farmers in the section who have
hitherto had only wagons to rely on.
The population II will draw upon
for its revenue numbers in all about
250,OO0.
The surveys, fully competed before
the work of construction commenced,
showed that the regular rae Of speed,
exclusive of all stops, could be main
tanned at % miles per hour, without
difficulty. Twice this speed is quite
feasible, but the, ordinary express run
ming time of railroads has been deemed
sufficient. The fare will be one-half Of
the steam railway charges. All pas.
scnger cars will be yestibuled, and
supplied with smoking compartments.
In addition to the three powerhouses
which will supply electricity to the 40
miles OF road now in operation, as
many more will be built. The road
will be operated on the high tonnage
principle. Contractor, Deegan is now
engaged in a study of the Ganz Cascade
system, which permits of the direct
transferrenoe of the high voltage 10 the
motors. The largest feature of the
colnpany's business will be in the
moving of freight. Delaware Is ex-
peoted to furnish peaches and canned
goods; Maryland, canned tomatoes,
grain and oysters.
The people interested include promi-
nent Philadelphians, as well as Della.
wsreans and residents Of Maryland.
Local people interested in the Will
mington Il New Castle and New Castle
& delaware City railways bay they
know nothing of the projected belt
line, and, 70 far as they know their
companies are not directly interested.
There appears to be an impression here
that while portion Of the proposed
system in Cecil county, Md, will be
built this summer there is nothing
definite concerning the construction OF
the remainder of the lines mentioned
above.