Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-10-15
TO START sEAsHoRE TROLLEY.

In an interview the other evening former
Assemblyman William J. Thompson, of
Gloucester City, said that the long-talked
of trolley line connecting Philadelphia and
Atlantic City will be completed and in
operation by May 1, 1905. 1t will be a
four track electric road and work upon the
construction will begin within the next
thirty days. Already some Of the rails
have been laid on the seashore end Mr..
Thompson says that surveys have been COM
pleted, the right Of way obtained and con-
tracts entered into for the entire work.
Mr.. Thompson says terminals have been
obtained and plans drawn. Ferries will be
operated from the foot Of Market street
and from the foot Of South street, Phila-
pelphia, te Gloucester, where the rail line
will start. In Atlantic City the station
will be at the corner Of Florida and Allan
tic avenues, two blocks below the Reading
Railway.
Facilities will be provided for hand ing
virtually an unlimited number of passen-
gers, and local travel from Philadelphia
and vicinity will be offered every induce
ment.
Trains will be run every fifteen minutes
during the busy season, and flat rate of 81
for the round trip will be maintained
The project of building an electric line
to Atlantic City has been under contempla-
ton for some years, but had never gone
further than the Incorporation of the Della
ware and Atlantic Railroad Company.
There matters rested until about five
months ago, when P. B. Shaw, of Williams
port, became interested in the enterprise.
Mr.. Shaw is largely interested in trolley
lines in Central Pennsylvania, and through
his influence the greater portion Of the stock
has been subscribed and the Delaware River
and Atlantic Construction Company in
corporated.
He was made president of the company
and pushed the enterprise with energy. In
compliance with the requirement. of the
general railway act of New Jersey, $104,-
600 Mr.. Thompson says, was deposited with
the State Treasurer at Trenton, prelimin-
airy to securing right Of way. All Of the
preliminaries were pushed to completion
and contracts call for the immediate begin
ming OF construction. Others identified
with the construction company are W. W.
Hepburn, Of Grove; Wilbur F. Sadler, Jr.,
and number OF Philadelphia financiers.
The road will be virtually an air line. It
will run direct to Clementon, eight miles
] from the Gloucester ferry, from whence it
will parallel the Reading, keeping to the
south, but within quarter Of mile Of
that line, for the entire distance. Being
only fifty-two miles long, the promoters
assert that it will be from six to eight
miles shorter than the present steam lines.
Mr.. Thompson says that the Market
street ferry will adjoin the Pennsylvania
ferry on the south, with water front of
about $50 feet. He purchased the site
from B. F. Clark three years ago for that
pun poSOs LIZ pkCSAUCAo VI uaiC AOtAhO0d
company, he said, is Gustavus Muller, the
well-known brewer.
! The estimated cost of the construction Of
the road is SIS, 200, 600. Two Of the tracks
will be for passenger service and two for
freight. Both express and local traffic will
be catered to and it is expected to make
the run from Philadelphia to Atlantic City
in less than hour. Three big ferry boats
will be used in the transfer Of passengers
between Philadelphia and the Gloucester
terminus.
The road for the entire distance is to be
built over private right Of way. Numer-
ous stations are to erected, and an immense
power plant is TO be built half way between
Gloucester and Atlantic City.
4