Evening journal., 1905-10-06
f.aILROAD WANTS
STREET VACATED
continuation First Page,

that not a dollar OF this money was
spent for the benefit Of the Philadel-
phia, Baltimore and Washington Rail-
road Company or. as it was then
known. the Philadelphia, Wilmington
and aBltimore Railroad Company but,
on the contrary, show that the widen
ing of Water street. from French
street west, and the laying out Of Rail-
road avenue. was exclusively for the
benefit OF the Wilmington and Western,
now known as the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad. and the Wilmington and
Reading. now known as the Whining
ton and Northern or Reading Railroad.
Among the records OF the city also
appear the continual and vehement
protests OF the Philadelphia, Whining
ton and Baltimore Railroad Company,
through its president, against the pro-
iected and intended widening Of
Water street and laying out OF Railroad
avenue. It was then and has always
continued to be a detriment 10 the
philadelphia, Wilmington and Balti-
more Railroad Company inasmuch as
IL has taken away from the railroad
company a large percentage Of the
business OF Wilmington, which Is done
by the other two railroads who.
Through this widening OF Water street,
secured an entrance TO the city. It
certainly, therefore. seems unreason-
able to request the Philadelphia, Ball
ltimore and Washington Railroad COM
pany to refund to the city s620OO
which was spent by the city for the
benedt of two other railroads.
The only portion of Water street
owned by the city. which the railroad
company is asking to have vacated, is
the part from French street east to the
old line Of Walnut street. The rail-
road company owns all the property
on both sides Of this portion OF Water
, street, and. inasmuch as It owns all
the property beyond Walnut street.
Z this one square Of Water street In
. nothing but a blind alley and is not
used by any portion Of the public. The
I object Of the railroad company in ask
ing for this vacation is to erect a large
Z land commodious passenger station
/ which shall be a credit to a city OF the
4 size and commercial Importance pi
! Wilmington.
1t was also stated that all trains dc
I mot now stop at Wilmington. An ex-
, lamination of the timetable OF the
h railroad company shows that "A trains
o lnorthhound, pass Wilmington every
: day. and AZ trains. southbound, and
that every one of these trains Is sched-
= luled TO stop here. OF the northbound
= trains five trains do not take passen-
4 gers for Philadelphia. but only foi
Z points east o Philadelphia. OF th'
o lsouthbound trains. three trains do no
n bring passengers from Philadelphia
l. These are through trains betweei
e Washington and New York, and. as
!. lmatter Of fact. they all stop at vii
! lmington practically every day, eithe
e to take on or let OF through passen.
a lgers.
T. can only say in conclusion, tina
- the railroad company recognizing tn
T. reciprocal obligations between the cit!
o lof Wilmington and the railroad, de
sires. as I have before said. TO secur
the vacation of Water street east o
n French, TO enable it. at the expenditur
u lof a vast sum of money, to complet
a public improvement and erect pas
senger station which will, they believe
u be for the convenience OF the people O
Wilmington and a credit to the city.