Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-11-20

The action of tine Wilmington Nal
leable Iron Go. in purchasing 40 acres
of land on the south side of the Chris
tiana River, in this city, and arrang-
ing to locate its plant there means more
to Wilmington, according to William
Lawton, president of the Board of
Trade, than is indicated on the surface.
In the first place, it is construed to
mean that the proprietors of the COM
pany, who are outside capitalists, have
come to the conclusion, after studying
the map of the entire country, that
Wilmington offers ths best commercial
facilities to be found anywhere. As
manufacturing and distributing centre
Wilmington has long been in the FORE
most rank, chiefly because Of its ad-
mirable location, which offers just such
advantages and facilities as manu-
faoturers in nearly all lines Of business
desire and need.
Wilmington has fine river front,
which, however, is only partially de-
yeloped. This, however, is due to the
fact that the Christiana and Brandy
wine Rivers, which are arms of the
Delaware, run right through the bust
ness centre Of the city and those who
are fortunate enough to own and con-
troll wharves and docks along those
streams find it convenient to take ad-
vantage thereof in preference to going
out to the Delaware. Now, however,
nearly all available space along those
streams, in the commercial section, ls
taken and the next step is to get out
on the Delaware, with series of
wharves, docks, warehouses and manu-
featuring establishments right on tide
M for nd fnlu fAp pnilaa from fha
ocean.
|, The Delaware River south from the
mouth of the Christiana, II wide and
practically free from instructions,
which, unfortunately for some of the
cities up the river, cannot be said of
| the stream north of this city. How
ever, this is not Wilmington's mis-
fortune, but she cannot help but be
sympathtic for her neighbors lin Penn
5ylvania. Having such an admirable
location on the Delaware River, with
two navigable tributaries running in
different directions through the city, it
can readily be seen how the natural ad-
vantages are appreciated by manufaot-
urers and shippers who have an ocean
| trade, and as nearly every large con-
| Germ handles goods either raw ma
l terial or the finished product-by water,
Wilmington is certainly a desirable
I location for them.
In addition to the magnificent water
advantages, three trunk lines of rail-
| road give all the rail facilities that
could be desired. Wilmington is on
the main lines of the p, b. & w. and
B. & o. railroads from Philadelphia to
l Washington and the South, and is the
terminus of the Wilmington & Column
lbia division of the P. & R. railway the
Delaware division of the Pennsylvania
RAILROAD and the Landenberg branch of
the Baltimore & Ohio, which runs
Unto a fertile section of Pennsylvania.
fThe p, B. & W. and b. & o. train out
i Iof the great New York; Boston,
Y philadelphia and Baltimore markets
irun through Wilmington, while the p.
I& r. line runs almost direct. from the
p sooal and iron fields of Pennsylvania.
y making short cut from the mines to
] tidewater. All of these railroad CON-
lpanies manifest desire to accommodate
the commercial interests of the city
and each company has network of
tracks in different parts Of town
wherever they are needed, and in order
TO accommodate the concerns which
( are not SO situated as to avail them
selves of trackage the railroad COM
panies have docks in which cars are
tugs the floats are towed to whatever
points on the Delaware, Christiana
and Brandywine Rivers at which the
cars are to be loaded or unloaded. 1t
is plain, therefore, that every facility
that can be desired by shippers is to
be had for the asking.
While the merchants and manufact-
urers have heen taking advantage of
the convenient location of the Chris
tiana and Brandywine Rivers, by build
ing along their shores, the railroad
companies have been running tracks in
every direction over the unimproyed
lands in South Wilmington, between
the Christiana and Delaware Rivers,
and now that section is as we'll equipped
for traffic as the manufacturing and
shipping districts. As matter of fact,
there are still sections of the Christiana
and Brandywine banks unimproved,
leaving ample room for several large
manufacturing establishments, but,
Judging from the demand for wharfage
in the business section of the city, in a
few years there will be very little un-
improved property along either stream,
while the Delaware will add its quota
ofimprovements. From present indi-
cations, there will be great demand
shortly for the land in South Whining
toi tudb 10 uoW anu dlSO
similar demand for the land east of the
Brandywine.
Mr.. Lawton is enthusiastic over the
contemplated project of the Malleable
Iron Co., which he regards as one Of
the most important steps in recent
years in the advancement of Whining
ton. He also notes with pleasure that
4 there have been number of valuable
L additions to the commercial interests of
Nthe city in the past two years. In con-
Wersation with reporter of Every
!. Evening he said he realized fully that
L &iWilmington is one of the most pros
Il porous cities in the country and is
y getting large share of the general ex-
pansion of business.
1.-The Malleable Iron Go. IS new plant
here" he said. "is, / understand, to
be the company's principal establish
4 hent. The owners have several plants
e b different parts of the country and 1
a kave been informed that they have
&een looking about for some time for a
II &litable location for gigantic con-