The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-24
ON RAIL AND CROSSTIE.
Local and General Gossip in Railway
Circles

The general contractors for the construc-
ton of the Alabama Midland railway, j. M.
Brown & Co., report their work well under
way.
The laying of new iron on the road be-
tween Buena Vista and Americas is pro-
crossing, the BuenaVista Patriot says The
iron has been hauled and laid along the
track as far as Eliaville and the track gang
have placed the iron a few miles from
Buena Vista. 1t is now claimed that the
Buena Vista and Ellaviile extension will be
completed to Columbus by February 1.
A st. Augustine dispatch SAYS: ''The st
Johns and Halifax and the st. Augustine
and Palatka road has been purchased by
the st. Augustine, and after Jan. l will be
run, together with the Jacksonville and st.
Augustine, under one management. The
drawbridge over the st. Johns river is
nearly completed, and vestibuled trains will
run into st. Augustine in few days. The
machine shops of the combined roads are to
be moved to st. Augustine.
The Valdosta Times says: "a gentleman
in Valdosta is in receipt of letter from the
secretary of the board of trade of Cedar
Keys, In which it is stated that theIbusiness
MEN Of that place were moving in the di-
rection Of building road from Cedar Keys
to Valdosta. A charter had been secured
and preliminary line run on the Florida
portion of the route. and large subscriptions
mad been secured They wanted Valdosta
to cooperate with them in the enterprise.
The Oglethorpe Echo says: "Now that the
grading has been finished Up. the directors
of the Lexington Terminal have turned
their attention 70 the securing of iron and
crosscies, and are making every effort to
have them on the roadbed as soon as posi-
bic Already more than half of the cross
ties have been purchased along the line of
the Georgia railroad, and negotiations are
going on for steel rails sufficient for the en-
tire line. The directors hope to have the
road in operation by March at the
furthest."
Mr.. j. W. Preston, chief clerk Of the
general freight department of the Central
railroad, has resigned mis- position, to take
effect Jan. /, and has accepted an i'm
portant and lucrative position with Still
well, Millen & Co. Mr.. Preston has been
chief clerk for many years with marked
ability, and will carry with him the best
wishes of his superiors and sa6ordinates
He has had charge, under Maj. Whitehead,
of both the claim and rate departments
So far as known his successor has not yet
been appointed.
Mr.. NJ H. Connal,y, Florida fire. light
agent CT the Nashville, Chattanooga and
st. Louis railroad, is rushing the orange
business in Florida. He SAYS that the crop
will not fall under 2.500,0 900 boxes. The
Jacksonville Times Union says Of him:
"Mr. NJ. H. Connally has just arrived in
the city from Savannah, and will at once
open an Office in the Aston building TO full
I'll the duties Of his recent appointment a.
Florida freight agent for the Nashville,
Chattanooga and st. Louis railroad. Mr.
Conually is well known north as a smart.
experienced railroad man, and was for
merly on the Central railroad of Georgia. "
The Times says that citizens of Valdosta
and Lowndes county subscribed about
$50, 900 TO the capital stock Of the Georgia
Southern and Florida RAILROAD Company
the notes being made payable when the
road was completed TO .Valdosta. Two
weeks ago the iron was laid to Valdosta
and thess notes became due. A number of
subscribers made proposition 10 the com
pany TO pay oneha,f cash and make that
amount a gift or donation, and receive
nothing in return but their notes fully sat
isted. In other words, il was proposition
10 the company to buy It's own stock at so
cents on the dollar. The Times is author.
lied TO say that the company has accepted
the proposition
A very interesting contribution is made
to the Railway Series" now in course OF
publication in Scri6ner's Magastne, by
Gen. f. 2. Alexander, president Of the Cen
tral railroad, who writes in the January
number on Railway Management lii
the course OF this paper Gen. Alexander
makes some very interesting observations
on pooling. He says; an the United States
the railroads had largely resorted 10 pools
before the interstate commerce law forbade
them. The result Of the law has
generally been very advantageous TO
the best lines. which, under the
pool, really paid sort Of blackmail 10 the
poorer lines TO mai lian rates II the pen.
alties OF the law can restrain such lines
from Relating and undertaking, TO be rid OF
the pool will be great blessing 10 the well
located roads. II not, then the roads will
be driven into consolidation for the end OF
lighting will be bankruptcy aud sale For
tunately, consolidation mas already gone so
far in many sections of the country that the
difficulties Of abolishing rebates have been
greatly reduced. And as far as II has gone
It has proved Of much advantage both TO
the public and 10 the ckholdAlan