Evening journal., 1914-10-19
GROWTH Of THE
state railroad
Former Judge Gray Tells
Veterans Of Early History
of Pennsylvania System
Mr.. MASSEY ALSO
DINNER SPEAKER

Association OF the Marylanu uNisio"i
Pennsylvania railroad gathered in the
grill room Of the Hotel DUPONT Sat
umday afternoon and attended their
sixth annual banquet. It was the most
important affair Of the kind ever held
by the organization and nearly every
department Of the railroad was rep
resented.
Guests of honor were former Judge
George Gray, George V. Massey, former
chief counsel for the Pennsylvania sys-
tenn and r. y. Brooks, who some time
ago retired as general superintendent
OF the Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington system. Mrs. A. Is. Haney,i
violinist, and Miss Edna Carpenter,
pianist, played several numbers during
the banquet.
Addressing the veterans, after being
introduced by f. b. John, toastmaster,
former Judge Gray said
you know II sometimes is the case /
when a young, inexperienced speaker
is called upon, he prefaces what he /
has to say by telling Ills audience !
how unexpected the call was and that
he had not had that notice which |
would have prepared lin to have |
something prepared. / wish / were !
young and could say this same thing, |
there is a whole lot in being young, /
yet there are lots Of advantages in |
being old and experienced. The man
whose record of life has been a duty /
well performed, of loyalty, whose city
pride has been awakened, that comes |
with increasing years; VIC find out
afterward that the competitor of life /
had lots of good as we'll as those
ideas that irritated So now l con-
graduate myself and ! congratulate
most of you that we have come to
a time when we can IN retrospect
look back upon the past, and take
into account the care that lies behind |
us It seems shorter as we get on
in years, especially 20 those Of us
who have arrived at the head of the
procession.
/ was brought up in the atmosphere
Of the Delaware Railroad; and, II you
will permit me to make a few personal
remarks, my father was President Of
the New Castle 4 Frenchtown Rail-
road, long before railroads were built.
The road from New Castle to Will
mington, seven miles long, marked the
beginning of the Delaware Railroad.
When ] was boy / was familiar with
that branch in the route between the
north and south, known as the New
Castle & Frenchtown Turnpike Com
pany. They started from Philadelphia
to New Castle by steam boat. There
they had line Of stages TO French
| town, Md, where you got boat
again to Baltimore. This stage route
over the New Castle & Frencntown
pike afterwards became the Turnpike
and Railroad Company, in 1892, the
first railroad in this State, and one OF
the first locomotives that ever turn
ed a wheel in this country. In the
years of 1854 and 1866, the railroad
commenced TO spread down the
Peninsula and went for seven miles
out on this this line to Porter, and in
1856 and 1857. the railroad reached
Dover. Then II became the Philadel-
phia g. Baltimore Railroad Company,
and after this a great many Of us know
about It.
Just think what has occurred
since you are a part of that peaceful
army that has been laboring to ad.
vance the great interests on this Pen
insula and from that somewhat re.
mote time up TO this, consider what
you have accomplished. l consratu
late you all and your compatrioti
who have built up this great public
work of this day: the work that hal
compared favorably with any in an.
other State or in any other country
"You have made this Delaware di
vision the pride OF our State. Yol
have had part in building up a grea
civilization like ours. Forces acros
the sea are now arrayed in destroy
ing the works of civilization. Let N
be thankful that we are still engaged
in this great work OF civilization AM
liberty and the protection of our fam
lilies is still safer In the eyes o
America, and let us also thank Go
that we have no War Lord in Wash
ington."
Following Judge Grsy's remarks. Nj
Massey said;
81 have listened with much inter
est To what my distinguished friend ha
said Hon. George Gray ana ! appro
ciate Il, but ] don't quite agree wit
what he has said in regard to the Del
aware Division; that that great high
way originally great highway an
now part of a greater highway an
now part OF the Delaware Railroad. ]
my memory serves me right, there wa
railroad authorized to be constmcte
from Dover then known as Jone
Creek. IL did not originate up in Me-
Castle county and Il was down in dea
old Kent county. A great railroa
highway to be at least eight and ON,
half miles in length.
1T was partly built. and that PAL
consisted Of $50 OF 200 yards in lengtl
consisting partly of n cut and partly
ill across the Hayes Farm. II was COZ
ceived as great railroad. The b
ginning Of the Delaware Railroad di
not find its place between Wilmingtc
and New Castle.
subsequently that charter vi
amended which authorized the constru
= tion of railroad on a north and soui
route 70 connect with the New Cast
and Frenchtown Railroad. Having livl
forty years in Kent county, ! am n
I going 10 let these gentlemen from I
i in New Castle county take anythii
D away from us. When I recall what h
. been done, sometimes have lingering
my mind an interrogation mark wheth
progress isn't sometimes made I
rapidly Mr.. Massey compared {
conditions OF railroading years a
/, with the conditions of today and dr'
Il. n picture that showed the railroads 4
not suffer by absence OF new inventio