Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-12
The RaiIrosd Alliance.

roads, the entire system will be efectu-
ally worked under one management
from the West to Savannah and Charles
ton and intermediate cities" This belief
is based mainly on two grounds: the
steady rise in the value of the stock OF
the Central and Georgia Roads, and in
the fact that Mr.. Wadley, after his n
ference with the South Carolina Railroad
officials in Charleston. returned to Au-
gusta, and had a second conference with
Mr.. Phinizy, President Of the Georgia
Road. thereby indicating that his
Charleston negotiations had been salts
factory.
There is hardly q doubt that the
alliance is a fixed fact, because Of
other reasons more conclusive than
either of those above given. In
the first place, the alliance of the Geor-
gia roads is necessary for self protec-
ton, as we have already shown our
readers, because of the strong "Clyde
combination" which has been formed
outside the State for the purpose of
reaching from Richmond and Norfolk,
Virginia, down into the heart of the ter
ritory tributary to the ports of this Sec
ton, and by taking away our legitimate
business, building up those two cities at
the expense of our State and seapOrts.
With our roads disconnected and divid-
ed, this combination could stretch its
strong arms in this direction and, adopt
ing the tactics of Napoleon B~onaparte,
beat our lines in detail. United, how
ever, the Georgia roads are in position
to work tremendously together, and, by
presenting a solid front, to effectually
checkmate their rivals in their designs.
This alliance of the two Georgia roads
then being necessary, 1t becomes more
than ever a vital necessity to the South
Carolina Railroad to enter into the ar
rangement with them. The harmonious
understanding between the Central and
Georgia includes also control of the Port
Royal Road. Should the South Caro-
lima, therefore, fail to join them, it would
simply mean that Charleston would be
left out in the cold, and that she would
have to fight for herself against the
Georgia Railroad, which is one Of her
principal feeders, and to this, of course,
she would never consent.
In the next place it is also very neces-
sary for the Louisville and Nashville
Road TO work II harmony with this sys
ten. The Richmond and Danville-or
the DIFFERENTIATION, backed up by
the Pennsylvania Central, threatens to
be a powerful rival to that line. For its
self protection, and to ecure an ocean
outlet of its own for its legitimate West
ern business, iii important that it should
unite with and strengthen, while being
strengthened by, this Southern system.
Indeed, no other recourse is left it but to
unite heartily with that system. since
otherwise it would labor under disad-
yantages which would surely affect its
own system of roads very seriously, and
to this end it is stated and believed that
this line has purchased largely of the
stock of the Georgia roads.
These are the main reasons why we feel
satisfied that the triple railway alliance,
Of which so much has been said of late,
is virtually a fixed fact. 1t should be
borne in mind also that it is an alliance
strictly within the limits of the State
constitution. 1t is not a union of the
roads to defeat competition and ncour-
age monopoly, as prohibited by the con
stitutiOn, but it is an agreement for mu-
tual protection to the effect that while
each road shall preserve its autonomy,
it shall be worked for the common good
of all, and to this the stockholders of the
various lines have a perfect right to
agree if they see fit. As it is a union then
which does not violate the State consti.
tuition, it is to be hoped that the great
benefits to be derived therefrom to this
section, and to Georgia, and the great
danger which viii constantly menace
the welfare of the entire State, should it
not be effected, will tend to allay the
fears of those ever so ready to take alarm
at what they are pleased to term rail
road m~onopolies."
Since the above was in type. we have
received dispatches. elsewhere published,
which state, on the authority of General
E. P. Alexander, that the alliance be-
tween the Louisville and Nashville and
the Central and Georgia Roads was
effected one year ago, and has never
teen changed; also, that the bimonthly
meeting of the Directors of the Georgia
Road will be held in Augusta to-day,
when efforts viii be made to formally
complete the arrangement between the
Central, the Georgia and. the South
Carolina Roads.