Evening journal., 1907-09-27
Street and Sewer Directors Go
Over Wilmington and Edge
Moor Line
RODE In A SPECIAL CAR

Directors of the Street and Severe
Department and several other city o.
.ficials and a few guests this morn
ing inspected the new railway of the
wilmington and Edge Moor Company.
which is really an extension of the
Wilmington City Railway to the
Todd's Cut shops of the Pennsylvania
Railroad and through a section of the
Ninth ward that now promises to up
build rapidly. 1t is proposed to open
the new railway for public travel as
early next week as possible. but the
date has not been fixed definitely.
When it is in operation il will be pos
sible for employees of the Pennsylvania
Railroad shops TO go from any part of
Wilmington to their work for a five
cent fare. as a transfer system viii
operate betwean the City Railway and
the new line.
In the inspection party were Presi-
dent Thomas II. Melvin and Directors
George w. Sparks and OHM G. Gray Of
the Street and Sewer Board; Leslie Y.
Christy, secretary of the board; How
ard b. Griffith city engineer; William
G. Taylor, president of City Council;
Walter H. Hayes. counsel for the rail-
way company, end George N. Davis,
assistant counsel: Street Commission
er Frank w. Pierson. John H. Dandy,
William H. Swift, General Manager s
S. Hoff and Assistant Manager H. II.
Geiger. of the railway company, and
newspaper Representatives. The party
left Eighth and Market streets in
special car No. IA. elegantly furnished,
AID without much deav went over the
line.
Route Of Railway.
The new line connects at Vandever
avenue and Claymont street with tse
Wilmington City Railway. On Vande-
yer avenue. down to che railroad east
of Claymont street IS a siding for gem
eral convenience in unoading material,
etc. The inspection party proceeded
along Claymont street TO Twenty-sev-
unth street, where thev witnessed a
demonstration OF the thernic process
Cc welding steel rails. which dispenses
entirely with bolts and connecting
plates The rails are ahrazed- together
with steel formed by the chemical ac-
ton Of aluminium and iron filings,
fused under intense heat
The car proceeded along Twenty
seventh street to Edge Moor avenue
and along that avenue to the old Todd
farmhouse where workmen of the
railroad shops VIII alight from or
board the cars. as the case may be.
The car a short distance further
swerved into Bowers street, followed it
for a short distance, passed into East
lawn avenue. and swung into Clay
mont street. and thence into Thirtieth
street. which is followed to Thirtieth
and Market streets. where there is a
switch into the Riverview line. This
entire route makes a loop. Tracks
are laid on Claymont street and on
Bowers street from Nandever avenue
TO the city line. and 1t is possible 70
operate a belt line should travel neccs-
state It in the new section.
The route of the new railway covers
three miles and excepting on part of
C.aymont street there is not a dwelling
along the entire railway excepting the
Todd farm house. until Thrtieth and Mar
ket streets is approached.
Directors Took Notes.
on the trip Directors Melvin, Gray and
Sparks took observations Of grades, the
necessity for drainage Improvements, paw
ing. etc, which will be of value in finish
ing the streets in the new section, The
railway is laid on street that have just
been built and opened and most of which
have not been used for vehicular travel
While grades have been established, curbs
have not been set or sidewalks have not
been laid. II was the general opinion Of
the inspection party that aside from be-
ing a convenience to the Pennsylvania
railroad workmen the new railway will
cause a tremendous building boom in the
Todds farm and surrounding section
through which it passes. The new railway,
with its belt line possibilities sufficient &c
meet any development Of the Ninth ward
section, made favorable impression upon
the inspecting party
Z twenty Minute Schedule.
Manager Hon Is now arranging a sched-
ule for the railway. one car will be kept
running regularly on twenty-minute
schedule between Vandever avenue and
Claymont street and Thirt!eth and Market
streets. connecting with every other car
at those points for transfer service. In the
morning and late in the afternoon trip
per" cars will be put on to handle the in
creased traffic caused by the workmen
going to and from the railroad shops
Some OF these "trippers" will go to Thir-
tieth and Market streets. and others will
go 10 the southern and western sections
OF the city. as traffic may demand.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company