Evening journal., 1908-04-23
ROUTE
has ITS BEAUTIES
Ride From West Chester to
Wilmington Will be Full
of Interest
SCENES ALONG THE LINE

The West Chester Local News says
the proposed route of the West Chester
and Wilmington Electric Railway is
through a beautiful secdon of country
and the ride win be one of the most
delightful that can be taken.
Descriptive Of the route the News
says:
I'm its day the Wilmington pike was
much used. When West Chester want
ed any peaches or watermelons its
dealers and hucksters made trips over
the hills to Wilmington before daylight
and came here with the then luscious
Delaware fruit. 1t was the main
artery Of the fruit and vegetable sup
ply Of West Chester. Citizens, too.
who wanted to visit Wilmington on
business used this highway. Our base
ball clubs. and Wilmingtons, too,
Travelled uD and down the pike
Then we gradually obtained round
about railway facilities to reach VIII
mington-slow. and tortuous and tire
some. but used because they were
cheaper and a trife more convenient
than drive down the one-time pike
which had degenerated into a very bad
dirt road. Some still drive, but the
number who have been down the Will
mington pike" as it is still called, is
comparatively small compared with the
number who have occasion to visit the
city at the confluence Of the Christiana
and our own Brandywine Creeks.
But Just the same 1t is a straight
path almost for a trolley line, a route
through a charming country, dotted by
small villages. fine farms and pic
turesdue scenery. II is the ideal route
for an electric railway to connect the
two sister cities. for, although West
Chester is in Pennsylvania and VIII
mington in Delaware. we have much in
common. West Chester residents have
numerous relatives aud friends in the
Delaware metropolis; we need the lat
ter's cheap markets for produce which
II can supply, and we want a c4eap
means of travel for those who have
occasion for other business between
the two places.
All along the pike, from West Ches-
ter to Darlington's Corner, the trolley
line would be dotted en- either side
with houses Of large or less degree.
The historically inclined passenger,
who knows his geography, can point
out to the uninitiated Brandywine Bat
tlefield to the southwest, where a ter
ra-cotta monument stin stands, the
spot where Lafayette was wounded
The route runs on past the fine Mar
tin mansion and MANY others, and the
trolley hum would cease, soon after
leaving the Concord crossroads, in
Brandvwine Summit. ut the junction
with the old Baltimore Central Rail-
road. This is to be the central sta
tion Of the proposed new line. If the
plans Of mice and men-including Tom
O'Connell-do not gang aglae here will
be located the power house, and exten-
sions of the proposed line will head
toward Chadd's Ford on the one side
and Media on the other.
The remainder of the proposed trolley
route grows more interesting. The pas
sengers begin TO smell Delaware cir,
and while he views new scenes he's
over the line and perhaps is held Up
at Perry's Tavern. This is a land
mark TO the West Chester hucksters,
who watered their horses and wet their
own whistles many a time there It
was always a busy hostelry.
Talleyville next. and down the gentle
slopes toward Wilmington the car with
glide.
A panorama Of exquisite beauty is
before the passenger. The broad Del
aware lies IN the distance and the ships
Of the s<as ride I'D and down after or
before the long ocean voyages. The
rural scenery is forgotten as the grand
er view breaks on the beholder. Else