Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-06-04
OUR FUTURE ASSURED.
LESSONS OF THE GREAT ALLI-
ANCE.
Colonel Wadley's Southern system
Some Interesting Facts-The Rapid
Development of Railroads I'm GeOr-
gia and the States Prosperity.

2l0 ana Lne states ErOsperltYs
Under the nom de plume Of "Kent," Mr..
R. W. Knott. the accomplished CORE
spondent of the Louisville Courier Journal,
who has been travelling with General E P.
Alexander, looking after railroad news,
furnishes that paper the following letter
from Savannah, which will be read with
great interest, as 1t contains much valuable
information:
SAVANNAH, June 1.-The railroad map of
the South is, as Col. Cole has remarked, not
yet completed. Great changes have in the
past two or three years taken place, and
these changes have all been for the better,
serving the people more efficiently and more
economically, and bringing also better re-
turns to the stockholders of the roads.
In no section of the country has the ten
dency towards consolidation been stronger
than in the South, and vet nowhere do the
people have the benefit of greater or better
regulated ompetition-regulated not hy the
Legislatures nor by Congress, but by self
interest and the natural laws of commerce.
In the Southeast there are, at this time,
three great combinations seeking to secure
the business Of that section and doing what
its wealth. One is the Richmond and DAN
vile combination. which has a continuous
line from Richmond to Atlanta, and which,
it is said, intends to build the Atlanta and
Alabama, not to the coal fields around
Birmingham, but to MeridieD, and thence,
in the course of time, to New Orleans. Col.
Coles plans have been fully described of
late in the Courier Journal, and it is not
necessary here to make more than a passing
reference to them. He has secured the ac-
tive cooperation Of several wealthy capital
lists in the East, and is now busy extending
his connections and solidifying his system.
Judged by any standard, the greatest of
all these combinations, and the one in
which Louisville is most interested, is the
LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE.
The triumphs Of the management of this
corporation have been continuous for two
years. L. is the dominating influence in the
most populous and progressive States of the
South. 1t has been of inestimable service
to the South both by what it has accom-
plished and by what its success has induced
Others to undertake. Its lines of steel,
owned or controlled by lease or alliance,
cover the country from Norfolk to New
Orleans, from Louisville to Pensacola, from
st. Louis to the sea. Americans are so used
to large figures that they have ceased to
have meaning, and in this case 1t would
give the reader only faint conception Of
the extent and symmetry of this combina-
tion to say how many miles of road is under
It's management.
Take the map and consider the situation.
1t penetrates the mineral regions of Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Virginia;
its main stem passes through Kentucky into
the heart of Tennessee; It's lines go direct
to Memphis, Nashville, Chattanooga, and
will soon be in Knoxville, and on to Mont
gomery, Mobile and New Orleans; running
down its line, you see cars loaded with the
valued products of the great South, moving
In one direction or another; whisky, fine
cattle, tanbark, lumber, iron, coal, cotton,
hemp, fruit OF all kinds, tobacco and oil.
1t is 8 wonderful transportation system,
serving a country Of marvellous natural re-
sources, and full realization of its extent
cannot be reached until you travel over 1t
day after day.
But while this corporation was moving
It's lines from the Ohio to the sea, another
system was forming on the seacoast and
stretching into the interior. The railroads
of Georgia have of late reached great pros
perity and power. The State is wonderful
lY rich, and it has been fortunate in its citi-
zens, who have gradually worked out great
conceptions in spite Of numerous obstacles.
The principal railroads in the State are the
Georgia and the Central of Georgia OF
the first General E p. Alexande was Presi-
dent until be was induced to go to Louis
vile, and Col. PblniZg succeeded him. OF
the Central William NJ. WadIey has long
beer absolute dictator, and he has succeed
ed in creating very powerful organization.
1t seemed for long time uncertain whether
the L. and n. and the Georgia roads were
to be antagonists or allies. When Wadley
do 70
ing and purchased the Montgomery and
Eufaula, it seemed that there was to be a
contest, and that Louisville was to be ex-
GUIDED from Georgia, and Louisville mer-
chants looked on Mr.. Wadley as a
very dangerous man. But wiser counsels
and after DR.. Standiford and Mr..
Newcomb secured possession of the Nash.
vile and Chattanooga, 1t was plainly to the
interest of each to reach better under
standing Of their mutual relations. Mr..
Newcomb came very quietly into Atlanta,
held a short conference with Mr.. Wadley,
unfolded his plans to him, said he was of
the opinion that mutual interests demanded
co operation, instead of antagonism, and
left him to choose. Mr.. Wadley was too
farsighted and too wise to reject an alliance
of that kind, and thoroughly good under
standing has existed between the compa-
nies ever since. About the same time Gen.
E. ?. Alexander, who had brought the
Georgia Road out Of all its difficulties to a
high state of prosperity, WAS made Vice
President Of the Louisville aud Nashville,
which strengthened, more than anything
else could have done, the position OF the
Louisville and Nashville in Georgia.
Yet these arrangements, while satisfactory
for the time, were not of character to in
sure anything for the future. New roads
were building and new combinations were
and it has been considered essential
for the Louisville and Nashville still further
to strengthen itself in Georgia. 1t reaches
Atlanta from Chattanooga via the Western
and Atlantic, which is free to all, but be-
yond Atlanta it was dependent upon the
good will of its allies, which might or might
not be perpetual. The interests at stake
were great, and the Louisville and Nash
Vile Is not disposed to take any risks or to
trust to the future what should be provided
for to day. The key to the situation is
THE GEORGIA ROAD.
The main line Of this road extends from
Atlanta to Augusta thence to Port Royal
is line in which it has large interest.
From its main line 1t also has branch to
Macon. 1t owns controlling interest In
the stock of the West Point Road, which
runs from Atlanta to West Point, from
" hich place the Western Alabama, in which
1t has half interest, extends its lines on to
and from there to Selma.
The Central Georgia (Wadley's road) has
also a large number of branches and con-
nections. The main line runs from Savan-
nah to Macon, thence to Atlanta. 1t has a
branch running from Millen to Augusta, and
Col. Wadley also controls the line from Al
bany to Eufaula, AID from there to Mont
gomery, which is the famous Montgomery
and Eufsula Road.
These two roads have q fine local as well
as through business, are built In level
country, are capitalized on very small ba-
sis, and are operated at a very light expense.
Each constitutes very valuable piece Of
and operated one against the
other, could do irreparable injury. Either
In the hands Of rival to the Louisville and
Nashville could be used most effectively
against the upbuildiDg Of Its business Ia
Georgia, and deprive it of many advantages
which It expected from a number of fits
other acquisitions, and consequently 1t was
very desirable SO to arrange matters as to
make it impossible that either the Central
DR. the Georgia should fall into the hands of
rival corporations. This has been accom-
Dlished. The simple fact has been announced
that the Louisville and Nashville was Joint
lessee with Col. Wadley in his lease of
,he Georgia Road, and this letter Is written
hat your readers may understand the full
significance of that lease. If it is clearly
1t will be seen that no more i'm
Dortant acquisition has been made by the
Louisville and Nashville at any time than
when it secured half interest In this lease.
L makes anv organization of hostile inter
ssts in Georgia impossible, and secures an
open pathway for all time from the Ohio to
,he coast. The lines Of the Georgia are also
20 situated as to have strong influence all
over the State, aud especially does it
strengthen the Louisville and Nashville to
Atlanta. It certainly does not exclude all
dvals, giving monopoly; this, even IL the
road so desired, is not possible. At Atlanta