rPrinted at the Stale Gazette Office—Trenton.]
THE AIR-LINE RAILROAD.
SPEECH
WILLIAM PARKY,
HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY,
BILL TO INCORPORATE THE SOUTH JERSEY CENTRAL AND AIR-LIXîT
RAILROAD COMPANY.
Mr. Parry, in introducing the Bill, spoke as
follows :
Mr. Speaker:—The bill, which, in accord¬
ance with previous notice, I am about to intro¬
duce, provides for opening a railroad commu¬
nication through the interior of our state,
where railroad enterprise has not yet com¬
menced. As a bill for a similar object has
heretofore been before the House, it may not
be improper to preface its introduction by an
explanation, giving the reason for again bring¬
ing it up for our considération ; the principal
of which is because it did not pass into a law
at last session.
The loss and inconvenience felt for the want
of such a communication is steadily increasing,
as the superiority of railroads over all other
modes of transportation becomes every year
more fully established. Experience has proven
that with steam power and railroads, goods and
merchandise can be carried at one-tenth the
cost that is required by the strength of ani¬
mals on common roads; and that the cost of
transportation must first be paid before the
producer gets any profit on his goods; that by
the introduction of railroads, the area from
■which agricultural products are carried to
market has been enlarged ten-fold, and instead
of the principal cities in and around New Jer¬
sey depending on our crops, as in former times,
their supplies are drawn from hundreds, and,
in some cases, a thousand miles beyond us.—
"While this great system of internal improve¬
ment is enjoyed in other sections, the people in
South Jersey have not been permitted to par¬
ticipate in it, but are compelled to depend on
the same modes of conveyance that were used
! before railroads were introduced. Is it not
the province of a wise government to ascertaia
what portion of territory has been negleoted,
and give it special attention, to supply the de¬
ficiency and restore the equilibrium, that legis¬
lative favors may be equally distributed to all
parts of the state ?
The great advantage of the Camden and
Amboy Railroad, to the section of country
I through which it passes, can scarcely be esti-
j mated, pervading all branches of industry, and
! facilitating trade and business. Land in the
! district which I have the honor to represent,
at the time of its construction was valued at
! fifty dollars per acre, but soon after the ac-
i coramodations of that road became manifest, it
I rose to double, and in some cases treble that
j amount. The same effect has resulted along
1 the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, which has
been in operation but a short time.
Immense tracts of fertile land, which had
previously existed as nature left it, have been
subdued, divided into farms, and sold to thou¬
sands of different purchasers, who would not
locate themselves on it at any price without
the convenience of that railroad. The wood
abounding there, which heretofore had but
little value, will now command three dollars
per cord on the road, and workmen are actively
employed cutting and hauling, grubbing, clear¬
ing, and preparing the ground for spring crops
where man never planted seeds before.
The argument heretofore used against the
Air Line bill cannot with propriety he brought
against it this session. Year before last, we
were told that by building the West Jersey
Railroad, and the Camden and Femberton Ag-
rîcQltural Road, it would in a great n"iea?ure
supply the deficiency existing for the want of
railroads, and obviate the neceiSity of passing
the Air Line bill at that time ; and tiie most
effectual means of securing their construction
was represented to be, the extension of the
Camden and Amboy charter, and to au¬
thorise the Joint Companies to subscribe to the
stock and endorse the bonds of other railroad
companies. The preamble to the bill reads as
follows: *'Whereas, in order to induce capital¬
ists to furnish the means, and to seek such in¬
vestments, it is advisable and necessary to
render all the bonds issued by said companies
80 entirely good that perfect confidence can be
placed in their undoubted security.
**'Thtrefw-e^ be it resolved. That the Joint Co*s.
be, and they are hereby authorised to endorse
the bonds that may be issued by the "West Jer¬
sey Railroad Co., and also the bonds of any
other company, for the construction of any
railroad in this state, of which they may hold
at the time one-half of the capital stock."
Although it was not generally believed at
that time that their endorsement would give
additional confidence and security to a new en¬
terprise, yet as we could not have the Air Line
bill, we took what was offered, and extended
the Camden and Amboy charter for twenty
years, and authorised the Joint Companies to
subscribe to the stock and endorse the bonds
of other railroad companies.
A year passed around with but little done or
Baid, except an occasional remark of disap¬
pointment that the work on the ^Yest Jersey
Railroad, and the Camden and Pemberton Ag¬
ricultural Railroad, was not progressing as it
had been represented it should.
When we assembled here again last year, we
were informed that their endorsement did not
give the credid to the bonds that was expected,
and in order to make it effectual it would be
necessary to have a little more legislation ; the
word endorse should be interpreted to mean ^var-
rantee, otherwise the contemplated improvemets
could not go on. In order to afford them every
facility to redeem their pledges, the required
legislation was granted ; providing, also, that
the state should not in any way be held liable
for the payment of any bonds, mortgages, or
other evidences of debt, issued, endorsed or
guarranteed by the said Joint Companies.
The way seemed again clear for the prosecu¬
tion of said works, and during the latter part
of summer the people were delighted with the
announcement that the Joint Companies had
negotiated a loan of $900,000—that the works
would certainly go on. A messenger being also
despatched to Europe for the money, confirmed
the belief that there was some prospect ahead.
But, unfortunately, the agent did not return
until about election time, last fall, with the in¬
formation that the war had so unsettled finan¬
cial affairs he was unable to obtain the funds.
Now if the ability of the Joint Companies to
borrow money depends upon the war in Europe,
need not expect their aid in building any
more railroads until the Al'ies take St. Peters¬
burg and peace is re.stored. But must the
farmers in South Jersey be debarred from con¬
structing railroads themselves to carry their
own crops to market, until that time?
It is well understood that many persons who
i had subscribed to the stock of the West Jersey
Railroad in good faith, having despaired of its
completion, have asked auJ obtained leave to
withdraw their subscviptions.
The principal reason that the Camden and
Pemberton Agricultural Railroads does not go
on is because the Managers of the Joint Compa¬
nies have it under their control; they gub-
scribed for a majority of the stock, but it is
believed have not cashed their instalments ;
the money by which the faint pretense of fu¬
ture operations is kept up, was obtained from
the instalments paid by individual subscribers,
who, having confidence in the ability of the
Joint Companies to carry out their promises,
united with them, but being disappointed, will
pay no more money on such terms, and now
prefer an independent railroad.
I am ready to show at the proper time that
the section of country through which this
Rail Road is intended to pass is capable of
sustaining a dense population ; that instead of
natives born leaving our State, as they have to
a large extent, and searching for homes in the
vicinity of a Southern or Western Rail Road,
multitudes would come here to participate in
the advantages of our genial soil, mild climate
and convenient access to the best markets in
the Union; that our population would rapidly
increase, the value of real estate advance,
and the revenues of the State be greatly aug¬
mented. For these reasons, I now respectfully
ask leave to introduce a bill entitled " An act
to incorporate the South Jersey Central and
Air Jiiue Railroad Company."
Speech of Mr. Parry on the final question, ** Shall
this BUI pass ?"
Mr. Speaker:—The applicants for this Bill
are desirous of constructing a Railroad from
a point on the Raritan Bay at least six miles
easterly of Amboy on a direct line through the
Central and Southern portion of our State, ter¬
minating on the Delaware at least thirty miles
below Camden.
Of all modern improvements there is none
more potent in the cause of civilisation, and
for promoting the welfare and happiness of
enlightened communities, than the increased
facilities for travel and transportation afforded
by the introduction of Railroads and Steam
power, that people may freely exchange com¬
modities with each other and mingle together.
Free circulation is an attribute of nature. The
dew drops from the mountains uniting their
strength, roll on from hill to valley,^ forming
rivulets and streams, and then majestic rivers,
carrying in their course to the mighty ocean,
the commerce of nations, and after perform-
ó
în<; tlieiv pnvt are throogli the impercep¬
tible though no less certain process uf nature,
carried up to purify the atmosphere and in¬
vigorate animal and vegetable life.
The harniony of the ph^'sical world depends
on the free passage of the elements of life
(air, water and light,) the health of all anima¬
ted beings, on the uninterrupted flow of blood
through every part of the system. The pros¬
perity of a nation, no less depends on its
means of conveyance into, out of and through
every part of its territory, and the whole State
must suffer by denying this riffht to any
portion of its citizens.
It is wisdom in a Government where rail¬
roads cannot be had without, to aid in con¬
structing them ; the United States have made
liberal appropriations to encourage the build¬
ing of them, and it has been found that one
half the territory might thus be well disposed
of, as alternate sections along a railroad would
bring more money than the whole would with¬
out such a communication through it.
The City of Philadelphia has liberally aided
in the construction of Railroads centering
there, and thereby secured a trade which other¬
wise could not have been obtained.
The Legislature of Missouri have recently
passed an Act loaning the credit of the State
to the amount of Eight millions Dollars to aid
in the construction of Railroads. The Gov¬
ernor of Georgia in a late message speaks
highly of the policy they had pursued in giving
liberal encouragement to the construction of
Railroads, which had caused the completion of
several important lines from which they are
now deriving large revenues, and their wealth
and prosperity is advancing, with the increased
facilities for transacting business, in a degree
that could not have been reached for many
years to come by private subscriptions without
public aid.
The following account from the Athens (Ten¬
nessee) Post, shows what railways do for far¬
mers. ''The farmers of three counties, Bradly,
McMinn, and Monroe, derive a clear profit this
year alone, on the siugle article of wheat, of
more than Íi200,000, from the railway. Their
400,000 bushels of wheat brings $200,000 more
than it would have realised if there bad been
no railroad to take it off. The price of wheat
continues at one dollar per bushel. One hun¬
dred and nineteen wagons unloaded at the
depot here on Thursday the Gth September.—
This county will export of the late yield of the
harvest, one hundred and sixty thousand
bushels, other counties along the line of the
railroad will do as well. The three counties
above named, from information now in our pos¬
session, will sell for export over 400,000 bush¬
els at an average of one dollar per bushel.
"Here then is the snug sum of four hundred
thousand dollars diffused among the people of
these counties for the single article of wheat
alone, the product of a single harvest. Before
the road was built these same counties did nob
export more than twenty-five thousand bushels,
and that was sold at an average of fifty cents
per bushel. In the meanwhile lands have
quadrupled in value, and the owners have ac¬
tually become rich by enhancement, almost
without an effort of their own."
The State of New Jersey is much better
adapted to raising wheat than Tennessee, and
much of the land to be accommodated by this
Air Line Railroad is far above the average of
the whole State. According to the census of
1850, the average yield of wheat in Tennessee
was seven bushels per acre, and in New Jersey
it was eleven, being 57 per cent, more, yet
the premium crop of Cumberland county, where
this Railroad is to go, was last year forty-four
bushels per acre, being four times as great as
the average of the whole State.
The following article from the Houston
Telegraph, will serve to refresh our memories
as to how goods are transported without rail¬
roads. It says :
"Not less than 4000 bales of cotton have ar¬
rived in this city in the last two weeks, on ox
wagons, giving employment to 4,690 yoke of
oxen, and G70 wagons and drivers. Besides
the above, there have been at least 200 arri¬
vals of wagons freighted with other produce.
"But let us calculate the amount of capital
and industry employed in hauling cotton alone.
Last year with a short crop the recipts at this
point were 38,000 bales. The loads range
from three to ten bales according to the roads,
but say an average of six bales, which is pro¬
bably over the mark, there were 6,3S3 trips
required for last year's business. Many
wagons make four and some six trips per an¬
num and many others but one, two or three.—
At an average of four trips there were 1,583
wagons giving employment to an army of team¬
sters, twice the number of men engaged in
whipping the Mexicans at San Jacinto.
"Each of these wagons requires an average of
seven yoke of cattle, which with regular team¬
sters are changed for fresh cattle several
times a year. Wagoners tell us it requires a
reserve team, as they are almost exclusively
fed by grazing along the road. At that rate
it required 25,000 yoke of oxen for the year's
business. Oxen are worth an average of $50
a yoke, and wagons complete $150 each.
The capital thus engaged is as follows :
25,000 yoke of oxen a $50, $1,250,000
1,583 wagons a 150, 237,450
Total, $1,487,450
''The cotton transport of last year was fully
forty per cent less than the whole transport
engaged in the trade ; there was a large amount
of corn, sugar and molasses, hides, wool, &c.,
brought to this market. There must be up¬
wards of two millions of capital engaged in
transportation to and from this city alone,
two-thirds of which would be useless if we had
about 200 miles of Railroads.
"We hope the day isnearathand when Rail¬
roads will be the peculiar institutions of this
city and of this state, when the ox shall give
way to the iron horse which travels with twea-|
ty times the speed of the ox and a thousand
times his burlben."
1 bave been thus particular in giving a des¬
cription of the mode of getting along without
railroads, for those who i.re well supplied with
them cannot feel the deprivation or necessity
of them, like others who, witnessing their great
benefits abroad, are still not permitted to en¬
joy them at home, and one of three things is
the certain fate of South Jerseymen. They
either must have railroads or depend on the
strength of animals to transport their crops, or
leave their fertile land uncultivated, as many
have done, and go to the West, where railroad
enterprise meets with encouragement. Can
any member of this body entertain a doubt
which would best promote the general interest
of the state ?
So well impressed with the importance of
Railroads are the people of Texas, that their
Legislature passed a law Jan. 30th, 1854, oflfer-
ing to any railroad company that would build
a section of twenty-five.miles or more of rail¬
road within the limits of Texas, a bonus of
sixteen sections (10,240 acres) of land for
every mile of road constructed and put in run¬
ning order. The Texans and South Jersey-
men have cause to hold railroads in high
estimation, the value of which, like that of
water, air and other indispensable agents, is
more deeply felt when not fully enjoyed.
It has been stated on good authority that
' ' money judiciously expended in building rail- •
roads well located, would enhance the value
of other property connected therewith, ten
times the amount," which may be set down aa
a maxim sustained by experience, for taking
the railroads of a whole State, good, bad and
indifferent, they give nearly that result. It
has been calculated that the people of Illinois
have expended fifty millions of dollars in
building three thousand miles of railroad, and
enhanced the value of their property three
hundred millions, and that the people of Ohio
in building their network of railroads embra¬
cing over four thousand miles in length, ex¬
pended sixty millions and enhanced the value
of their property four hundred millions thereby.
In New York, up to January 14th, 1853, by
the report of the Commissioners of that date,
the people had expended one hundred millions
of dollars in building railroads, which has
mainly contributed to give that state the su¬
periority over others, for what would New York
be without railroads.
It is interesting to observe the rapidity with
which a country becomes settled and improved
where the best constructed highways are pro¬
vided for the people. By a comparison of the
counties in the western States it appears that
those which are well supplied with railroads
far surpass in wealth and population all others
not enjoying them.
In West Jersey, where the people, so far
from "exercising the largest liberty," are not
gUowed to build railroads, they are entitled to
some credit for energy and perseverance in
making a proper use of the means withiu their
reach. Tbey have giveu much attention to im¬
proving common roads, and have built gravel
turnpikes enough to reach several times across
the State, removing the hills and raising the
low grounds, so as to preserve a gently undu¬
lating surface, which has done more to ad¬
vance the prosperity of that section, than any
other improvements ever made.
The price of farms rapidly advanced, some
fifty and some a hundred per cent., according
as they were near or more remotely situated
with regard to the improved roads. Tenants
would freely give a yearly advance on the same
farms they occupied before the improvement,
and still made a profit by what they saved on
the transportation of produce to market, one
horse conveying it with more ease and in less
time than two formerly. The roads were soon
thronged with travelers arriving to and fro,
who previously had entertained but a poor
opinion of our State. The hotels and board¬
ing houses in the villages along the line of said
roads, were soon filled by the numerous appli¬
cants, so that new buildings were required for
their acc mmodation, giving additionalemploy-
meut to mechanics, and a new stimulus to bus-
iuess of all kinds.
Many farmers, whose locations were former¬
ly too remote from market to make the cultiva¬
tion of fruits and early vegetables au object,
have since the construction of turnpike roads
iu their vicinity, engaged largely in the produc¬
tion of those perishable articles, which now
form an important branch of their business.
This is but a miniature of the benefits to flow
from this railroad ; what turnpikes have done
for a few townships, railroads would do for
counties and the whole state. There is proba¬
bly no section of the country anywhere, better
.adapted to the cultivation of peaches and otbe)
fruits, than the southern and central part o'
our state, which will be opened by this railroad.
Peach trees, which wear a yellow, sickly ap¬
pearance, only lasting five or six years, in old
settled districts, where the land is highly stim¬
ulated with manure, there maintain a dark
green foliage for fifteen or twenty years, and
during the fruiting season may be seen laden
with luscious fruit, beading their slender
branches nearly or quite to the ground.
When this railroad is constructed, thousands
of acres will be covered with peach orchards,
yielding annually at a moderate estimate, ten
times the amount at which the land can now be
purchased.
A degree of latitude is about equal to a
week's growth of fruit and vegetation. By
means of this railroad the crops in the southern
part of our State may be carried to New York
several weeks before similar articles ripen iu
that State.
Thus it is that railroads equalise the vege¬
tation of a country, and latitudes are broken
down before the tremendous power of steam.
The Camden and Atlantic railroad is located
5
through the central portion of Atlantic county,
which contains 315,000 acres of land ; according
to the census of 1850 there were but 15,006
acres improved, leaving unimproved for the
want of railroads 800,000 acres, or twenty
acres of land lying dormant for every one
that was cultivated. The inhabitants there
had suffered so long for the want of railroad
facilities, that many worthy citizens being un¬
able to hold on to their inheritance, disposed of
it to their wealthier neighbors, and left the
State in search of homes in the west and south :
land was rapidly passing from the many to the
few, industry and enterprise were languishing
and the population decreasing, as shown by
the census of last year, which gives the popu¬
lation of the whole county as being 852 less
than it was in 1850.
The most fortunate circumstance that ever
happened to that county was the construction
of the Camden and Atlantic Railroad, which
has arrested that ruinous system and reversed
the whole current that was accumulating land
into large tracts of from 50,000 to 100,000
acres at a nominal price.
These large tracts are now being again di¬
vided into farms of from 20 to 100 acres each,
and offered to -purchasers at $20 per acre,
which is not yet one half of its real value.—
Land that will yield an average crop of 20
bushels of wheat, 60 bushels of corn, and 100
bushels of potatoes with ordinary treatment,
can there be had at $20 per acre. The com¬
pany to whom we granted a charter last win¬
ter, has sold out their 23,000 acres in small
parcels. Another tract which was surveyed
during last summer, containing 40,000 acres,
will soon be occupied by those ludustrious peo¬
ple who add wealth and prosperity to any sec¬
tion they adopt. The arrangement is so com¬
plete that beforeleaving their homes on the other
side the water, their lands here are selected
and paid for by agents aud friends to whom they
had transmitted the money in advance.
The great benefits to ilow from the act pas¬
sed near the close of last session, "to encour¬
age the agricultural developements of this
state and enable persons of moderate means to
become landholders," are now about to com¬
mence. A company has been formed and gone
into operation under its liberal provisions, aud
secured by several purchases 60,000 acres of
excellent land, abounding in the elements of
wealth, wood,, water, loam, clay, marl, stone,
minerals, &c., they are now ready to furnish
homes on advantageous terms to those who
make an early application. These are some of
the advantages which Atlantic county derives
from that railroad.
The county of Salem has an area of 205,000
acres, and according to the census of 1850, but
little more than 105,000 acres are improved,
leaving 100,000 acres unimproved ; yet such is
the industry and perseverance of the people,
that without tho advantages of any railroad,
the crops of last year are estimated to be one
million bushels of corn, and to have averaged
fifty bushels per acre, and 200,000 bushels of
wheat, and other articles, a large advance on
the crops of 18-30, which were as follows : oats,
227,000 bushels, potatoes, 248,000 bushels.
Buckwheat, 25,000 bushels, orchard products,
$37,000 worth.
The county of Cumberland comes next to
Salem ; it has sn area of 335,450 acres, and
according to the census of 1850, only 48,460
acres were improved, leaving 287,000 acres un¬
improved, for the want of railroads ; yet her
premium crops last year were such as would
compare favorably with any county in the
State—among which we find the following, viz :
Best field of white wheat, average produce per
acre, 44 bushels ; best six acres of sweet po¬
tatoes, amount of produce, $770.50.
If the natural advantages of these two coun¬
ties are such as to enable them to make such
an exhibit of productive wealth and industry,
with only 154,000 acres under cultivation and
without railroads, what may we expect when
this Air Line Railroad is built to bring into
cultivation the remaining 387,000 acres now
lying dormant, and give to the whole counties
a direct railroad conveyance to the best market
in the union.
The county of Cape May, although not on
the line of this road, will be greatly benefitted
by its construction, for her people by with¬
drawing their dependence from the Joint Com¬
panies and placing it on their own exertions,
have adopted the most feasible plan of getting
railroad accommodations ; and they will soon
have a branch to the Camden and Atlantic
railroad, which in onnexion with this road
will give them a direct communication with
and a choice between either of the markets of
Pennsylvania or New York, which will be of in¬
calculable benefit to that fertile county, which
has 161,500 acres of territory and only
14,310 acres of improved land, being less
than one eleventh part of the whole. The
counties of Burlington and Ocean have an area
of 885,000 acres, yet such is the deficienoy
of railroads, that the interior of those counties
cannot be brought into successful cultivation,
the amount under cultivation being only 160,-
000 acres or less than one fifth of the whole,
leaving 725,000 acres of land lying dormant
for the want of railroad facilities.
A member of this house from the county of
Burlington owns 50,000 acres of fertile land,
well adapted to agricultural purposes, and
when the Air Line Road is built it can be di¬
vided into 500 farms of 100 acres each, to
make glad the hearts of 500 families ; fathers,
mothers and children nicely provided with
homes, which from its location cannot be dons
without railroads.
Another tract which I was assisting at sur¬
veying when this Legislature convened, has
since then been completed and found to con¬
tain 64,000 acres. There are many other tracts
that might be named, such as Speedwell, Mar¬
tha, Manchester, &c., containing from 10,000
to 50,000 acres each.
6
The four couuties of Salem, Cumberland, Bur¬
lington and Ocean contain an area of 1,425,000
acres of land, of which only 314,000 or less
than one fourth part thereof is cultivated.—
When we are permitted to build railroads on
our land to carry our crops to market, the
amount of land cultivated, the population and
■wealth of our counties will be doubled and the
revenues of the state proportionately increased.
This road will be about one hundred miles in
length, and will add from twenty to fifty dol¬
lars per acre, to the value of the land along the
route, extending its influence for many miles
on each side, but if we reckon the land within
ten miles of the road at an advance of ten
dollars per acre it gives twelve millions eight
hundred thousand dollars additional wealth to
the counties through which it runs, without any
coat to the State, but yielding a revenue in
proportion to the business done on the road.
No donation is asked for, nothing but per¬
mission to make a great State improvement,
to benefit all who use it and injure no one.
There never can be a more favorable time for lo¬
cating a road through this section of the State ;
the land is now held in large tracts by men who
are anxious for the road, aud will furnish the
right of way on reasonable terms, that their lands
may be divided into farms of convenient size
and shape, the lines of which can be laid at
right angles to, and parallel with the railroad,
the buildings all in front and woodland back;
fields all square, with a laue or drive-way ex¬
tending through the centre to the far end of
the farms, dividing the pasture grounds on the
one side, from the grain and cultivated crops
on the other. Five thousand farms, of one
hundred acres each, may thus be brought into
use, and greatly increase the products of the
state. Such an Air Line Avenue through such
an agricultural district—so free from mount¬
ains or difficult streams, having so small a por¬
tion of broken land unfit for cultivation, will
challenge competition anywhere. The average
yield of crops in New Jersey will compare
favorably with any state iu the Union, and from
the census report of 1850, the southern coun¬
ties give a greater yield per acre than those in
the northern part of the state.
The charter and suppléments of the Camden
and Amboy Company, which have heretofore
been considered in the way of other railroad
improvements, do not contemplate preventing
a railroad through this section of our state,
but only to prohibit all competition in the
business for which said charter was granted.—
The original charter, granted in 1830, defines
their powers to be all that are necessary to
complete an expeditious line of communication
for the transportation of freight and passen¬
gers between the cities of New York and Phila¬
delphia, and to prevent the construction of any
other railroad to commence and terminate
within three miles of the commencement and
termination of their road ; thus securing a belt
of six miles in width, between these two great
cities, which was a valuable grant ■without any
protection. But the supplement of 1832 goes
still further, and declares it to be unlawful to
construct any other railroad to compete with
them in business. Now, what is their busi¬
ness ? It is a principle well established in law
that the powers of corporations shall be strictly
construed to mean just what is expressed in
their charters, and not be interpreted to em¬
brace other matter by implication.
Their business, as defined in their charter
and supplements, is confined to the transporta-
ion of freight and passengers between New
York and Philadelphia, without any reference
to South Jersey. An attempt was made to in¬
clude this portion of our state in the preamble
to the extension act passed in 1854, which read
as follows: »'Whereas, the said Joint Compa-
I nies are possessed of certain exclusive privi¬
leges, which prevent the construction, except
by their consent, of any competing railroads
in this state between the Raritan River and
Bay and the Delaware River and Bay ; and
whereas to increase the rapidity and safety of
travel upon the railroads of the said compa¬
nies, the same should be made as straight as
practicable, and should be provided with a dou'
ble track.^' Thus assuming a control over this
great peninsula, between the Raritan and Del¬
aware bays, embracing three millions of acres
and about three-fifths of the whole state of
New Jersey, and holding out as an inducement
if we would consent to it, that they would lay
a double track. But it was not sanctioned.
Although that bill passed through the Senate
in hot haste, it did not succeed in this house,
the members of which, being fresh from the
people, could not with impunity so much disre¬
gard the public will.
We could not consent, at the same time we
were extending their charter twenty years in
length, to expand it over a hundred miles in
width, but had the preamble so modified as
simply to re-assert the exclusive privileges,
previously granted against competition in the
transportation of freight and passengers be¬
tween New York and Philadelphia.
Another attempt was made to obstruct the
building of railroads in ibis section, by a
clause in the bill as follows, viz : "Sec. 1. Be
it enacted, that it shall not be lawful before
the first day of January, 1869, to construct
any other railroad or railroads in this state,
without the consent of the said Joint Compa¬
nies, which shall directhj or indirectly be intend¬
ed or used for the transportation of passengers
or merchandise between the cities of New York
and Philadelphia, or to compete in business
between the said cities with the railroads of the
said Joint Companies."
Had that clause been retained in the exten¬
sion bill, it might be construed against this
act, for the subject ■was then discussed whether
it would not operate against southern travel,
which might go by way of Philadelphia and
over the railroads of the Joint Companies, if
there were no other route through our state.
But when the question was finally put,
7
Shftll the words * directly ot indirectly be
tended^ be stricken out," it was carried by the i
decisive vote of 56 to 3 ; showing that the Le-1
gislature of 1854, although williog to graut to
the Joint Companies every facility aud as much
time as necessary to do all the good possible
in straightening their curves and laying double
tracks^ it was not willing to deprive other citi¬
zens of the liberty of improving other parts of
the state, but left South Jersey untrammeled,
to be provided for by future Legislatures.
There is no legal difficulty in the way of pas¬
sing this bill, but this Legislature may pass it
as freely as any bill before us, without impair¬
ing the obligation of any contract ever made
by the state.
The Joint Companies well knew there was ¡
no agreement or coairact to prevent the construc¬
tion of railroads in this part of the state, or
they would not have tried to get such a clause
incorporated into the Extension Bill. They
fully admitted the absence of any such a pro¬
vision in their charter and supplements by mak¬
ing the effort they did to get one in 1854. But
they did not succeed !
Then where is the objection to this Bill?
They have admitted tiie necessity of railroads
in West Jersey, by offering to build them ;
they have acknowledged their inability to do
it, by calUng on the state for the passage of
acts to improve their credit abroad, so as to
induce ' foreign capitalists to furnish the
means. We have waited years for them to
build roads as they promised to do, but are
now informed that their agent was unable to
I borrow money in Europe, and has returned
1 without it.
I So that the only way left for the people in
West Jersey to get railroads is to put their
own shoulders to the work and build them,
which they are willing to do, and for that pur¬
pose this charter is now respectfully asked at
our hands.
Now, fellow-members from the northern and
eastern portion of the State, have you ever
called upon the members from the southern and
western coanties to aid you in getting any rail¬
road improvement, but what we have cordially
responded, and done all in our power to pro¬
mote the good cause, even though we were at
the time the greatest sufferers for the want of
I them ? Never! Then, can we not at this
crisis have your consent to make a great pub¬
lic improvement that will directly benefit us
and indirectly the whole State ?
The question being taken, it was lost by the
following vote :
Yeas.—Baldwin, Bartlett,,Barrido Bathgate,
Brown, Buckley, Cook, Doremus, Elmer,
Gaunt, Barker, Hatfield, Hoagland, Howell,
Jones, Keen, Kille, McDonald, Muchmore,
Parry, Pennington, Plummer, Kobins, E. C.
Smith, Tomlin, Wells.
Nays.—Barrett, Beatty, Beers, Budd, Col¬
lum, R. S. Demarest, T. W. Demarest, Demott,
Dutcher, Frambes, Gould, Herbert, Hopping,
Hutchinson, Lafetra, Obdyke, Osbourne, Rit-
tenhouse, Schomp, Sergeant, W, Smith, Schoon-
maker, Vorhis, Winans, Willever, Ward,
Wooley, Whritenour, White.