Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-13
THE CENTRAL CONTEST.
Rumors About the East Tenpessee's
Interest in 1t.

Rumors About the East TenDesSee's
Interest in 1t.
The rumor that the negotiations be-
tween the East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia and Norfolk and Western Rail-
road Companies by which the Norfolk and
Western people have obtained a con-
trolling interest in the East Tennessee,
may be connected with the movement to
secure control of the Central railroad is
creating some stir.
The fact which ia now pretty gener-
ally Known that Messrs. Brice & Thomas,
the controlling spirits in the East Ten
nessee, have been among the heaviest
buyers OF Central stock in New York
during the past six weeks, seems TO bear
out what was said by the MORNING
News day or two ago that it may be
that the 1900, 900 which was set aside by
the East Tennessee, at its last annual
meeting, for advancing the interests OF
the road, is being used to purchase con-
trolling interest in the Central, which ID
the only way it can prevent tue building
of the Birmingham extension, and that
through the alliance which the East Ten
nessee has formed with the Richmond
and West Point Terminal system
these two systems will have control OF
the business in an immense territory,
which they will take over their lines to
Norfolk.
A gentleman who is we'll posted in re-
gard to the present movement, 80 far as the
Central is concerned, said last night that
in event Of the Alexander movement
being successful, q majority OF the Cen
trail stock will at once go into the Rich
mond aud West Point Terminal Company.
Gen. Alexander, he said, has always
been very careful TO say that in event OF
his election he will manage the road
solely In the interests OF the stockholders,
but he does not intimate who large ma
jorlty of the stockholders will be If his
party gets control.
sit is pretty evident the gentleman
said, "that they will not be identified
with Georgia as the present stockholders
are. The MORNING NEWS hit the
nail on the head when it
said that the building of the
Birmingham extension means disaster to
the East Tennessee and its allies, and the
| only way in which it can be prevented Is
te gel control Of the Central. This is
just what Messrs. Brce and Thomas are
trying TO do. Gen. Alexander being the
! most available man by reason of his fam
! lily relations and other connections in the
South for the presidency, has been Sc
! lected. Mr.. Pat Calhoun, who was quite
| prominently connected with Gen. Logan
and others in the Terminal COmpany's
scoop of the Richmond and Danviile, is
very naturally one of Gen. AleXandeTs
| hackers, being closely identified with the
! Terminal Company"
There is a suspicion, although the re-
| port has been denied, in railroad circles,
! that the Pennsylvania railroad has been
! helping the Norfolk and Western in its
| scheme to get hold of the East Tennessee.
| The Pennsylvania has met with good
| deal of difficulty in extending it's system
| into the South. 1t is understood to have
fallen out with the Atlantic Coast Line,
and it now proposes building an entirely
! Independent line from Norfolk to Jackson
! vile. Because of its trouble with the
| Coast Line people and in view of the re-
! ported probable extension of the Balti-
more and Ono and Erie into
| he South, 1t has been thought the Penn
| sylvania would be glad to make an
| arrangement of some kind with such a
| line as the East Tennessee, Virginia and
Georgia. The Pennsylvania already con-
meets with the Norfolk and Western
/ through the Shenandoah Valley railroad.
| whose northern terminus is at Hagers-
| town on the line of the Cumberland Valley
| road. The Norfolk and Western road is
not interested in any steamship company,
but does own nearly all the capital stock
Vi lu6 CutudHuOdu dil6Ns n IulOuSu
freight line could thus easily be estab-
llshed between the Pennsylvania's lines
ana the East Tennessee, system by which
tine Norfolk and w estern would get 100
miles haul from Bristol to Roanoke, and
the Shenandoah Valley 240 miles, from
Roanoke to Hagerstown. 1t is argued
that in this way the PENNSYLVANIA could
get good foothold IN the South, and that
it could afford TO assist the Norfolk and
Western in its efforts TO bring about
lease.
The denial to this story is to the effect
that the Pennsylvania's policy is to build
and not to buy, and that the New York,
Philadelphia and Norfolk Will be extended
south TO Jacksonville, paraleling the
Coast Line system. 1t is not the In
tention at present to build a network OF
lines, but only one main stem, although
traffic arrangements will no doubt be
made with existing intersectng lines.
Whatever may be the outcome Of the
present seemingly complicated condition
OF atfaire, and whether or not the Penn
sylVanIa is 10 any way connected with
the Norfolk and Westerns negotiation
with the East Tennessee, 1t is pretty
generally believed here that the East
Tennessee and Richmond Terminal peo-
pie are behind the Alexander movement
to get hold of the Central, and that it is
for the purpose OF preventing the building
OF the Birmingham extension, as well as
to get control of valuable railroad prop
prtV.