The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-08-08

The ambition of the Consolidated
Railway Companies-a thoroughly up
to-date operating trolley line TO
WrightsviIle Beach-is now on the
very eve of realization. The goal is in
plain sight and 1t will only be matter
of DAYS, almost countable upon the
proverbiaI two hands, before ii is
reached. Then, goodbye 10 the old
Seacoast engine. with it's unharmonious
puffs and snorts as it winds its way
laboriousIy TO and fro the city, ever
and anon making its presence felt and
its very existence irksome by showers
of cinders. In it's stead will be elegant
trolley coaches to skim quickly and
easily along TO the comfort and de-
light of passengers.
The elimination of this trolley line is
a big thing for Wilmington, and its
promoters, though, no doubt, prompted
and urged on bX self-interest, deserve
the very highest commendation for the
shrewd business ability and tact that
brought it TO a successful issue; like
wise they deserve thanks for the great
er prestige it will give Wilmington at
the bar of enterprise and progress.
The benefit the beach will derive from
the line can only be reckoned as that
popular resort advances steadily to the
front each year. 1t was a big under
taking-well thought of, we'll devised,
we'll terminated.
The merger of the Gas Light Com
pany and the Seacoast and Street Rail-
way Companies Is too we'll known to
need present ''Iehashing," but the
actual construction of the trolley line
to the beach, its preceding obstacles to
overcome, is a bit of history, as it
were, yet untold.
The official consolidation of the COM
panies went into effect the first day of
last January and at once plans were
commenced being formulated for the
suburban trolley line, as it will be
titled, as a distinction from the city
line. By dint OF perseverance, which
included the solving of many difficult
problems, the companies had work
started on the line June 1st, and then
Wilmingtonians awoke to a reality Of
their fOndest hopes and, with hearts
full of pride, watched the construction
go steadily on. Work upon the line was
not a tinkering here and there, with
much prOcrastinatiOn, but persistent
daily, and oft times nightly, labor until
the line reached It's present completed
state and readiness for travel. Even
with the movement, for the amount of
Indictment weather during the period
of construction was remarkably small.
The daily average force of hands
employed for over two months on the
rec instruction Of the-t track and erec-
ito of the trolley poles and wire was
125. The expenditure for this labor was
about $4,000.
TRACK AND ROAD, BED.
Aaout the first information the public
will crave, and naturally so, will be
relative to the security of the road to
travel This is really the cardinal fea-
ture of the lines construction and, to
use a tried comparison, it is as firm as
the Rock of Gibraltar. OF course, as is
we'll known, the old SeacOast track is
to be utilized, but it has been so
thoroughly Overhauled that it is almost
new. The track was carefully inspect
ed and tried nearly foot by foot. Its
gauge has been Iessened half an inch
and fully ninety per cent of the old
crosSties have been replaced with new
ones
The number of ties was also in
creased and now there are 16 ties to
the rail instead of IA, and each curve
is we'll fixed with Is ties. The
retimbering of the straight lines is all
of f1rst-class heart pine and on the
curves oak was used. The old 45 pound
rails still remain, but they were not
acce 2ted by the master OF construc-
ton until put to a severe test and
found perfect in every respect. The
track is also we'll bonded, while the
trolley wire is substantially erected
The track was perfectly resurfaced. On
the trestles the wire IS held aIoft by
bracket poles on the north side, thus
leaving an unobstructed view. The
work on the track was so systematioal-
ly conducted that the Seacoast train
was never deferred from making a trim
Even delays, which could not be. nre-
vented, We're few and of short duration
The work was certainly of a ra nid and
thorough character. Not an ,lI3 So;l,a
remains. All are new.
The switch at the juncteoa n at Front
and Princess streets has not vet
s,eeii placed, nor will it be this wear.
The other two switches or turn-outs.
have already been mad e One is about
opposite the second F.oll house and the
other is at Wrignts eille.
The entire work on the line was per-
sonally directed oy Mr.. j. P. Jones, the
foreman of construction, and he ably
performed his task. Mr.. Jones is a
Wilmingtonian and enjoys distinction
as a trolley road constructor He has
superintended the building of roads in
Buffalo, Baltimore, ST. Louis, Toledo
and South Africa.
FINE COACHES.
Another question the public will de-
sire answered Is about the accommo-
dations for passengers. This will touch
both the rolling stock and its sched-
ule.
The cars will be six in number-a
freight car, a combination passenger
and ba ggage car and four passenger
coaches. All of the cars have been
n uHeC