The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-19
MUST COME T0SAVANNAH
THE MACON AND ATLANTIC'S
TERMINAL TALK


The Suspension of Work on the
Macon and Birmingham Road to
Push the Macon and Atlantic.
Just how near the Macon Telegraph is
| right in its statement that the Macon and
| Atlantic road is to diverge, leaving Savan-
nah to the north and making its seacoast
| terminus at Sapelo, is matter of coniec-
| ture.
The Birmingham Netos of day before yes
terday speaks as if with authority and says
the road will be built to Savannah, and it
does not mention Sapelo as being even re-
motelv considered as an objective point.
The NeCs publishes an interview with
Resident Engineer Truss of the Macon and
birmingham road, in which Mr.. Truss
states that the force at work on
the road between Birmingham
and Macon has been transferred
to the Macon and Atlantic. The Ne,cs says:
Resident Engineer Truss. whose headquar-
ters have been at Yatesville, Ga, stated that
Chief Engineer Wells had called on the sur
veying corps that was making permanent
locations between Lagrange and Birming-
ham. The party had reached Talladega and
was going toward Birmingham. The track
has been laid thirty-seven miles out of Ma
con, and is now having the finishing touches
put on it. Grading has been suspended.
TO PUSH THE SAVANNAH LINE.
1.-The object of all this is to build line
between Savannah and Macon, connecting
with the Macon and Birmingham and form
ing direct line between Birmingham and
Savannah. Other parties are also irving
to occupy the same field between Macon
ana Savannah, and it is the object of Col.
Sparks to build his line at once and get the
held. Accordingly, two surveying parties
have been sent off by the Macon and
birmingham and placed at work locating
the Savannah line. The contract for the
| Savannah extension has been let to McTighe
q Co., and work has begun.
"McTighe & Co. also have the contract
Tor the building of the Mac IN and Birming-
ham, and SO they have taken all their
forces off the latter road and put them to
| work on the Savannah and Macon in order
to rush the latter road through to COM
pletlon. 1t will be 1S5 miles long, and will
| Do finished within six months, as several
thousand men will be put on the work.
This Will be quick work, but as there is
little heavy grading to be done it can be
| accomplished.
las soon as the Savannah line is finished
all the forces will go back to the Macon and
birmingham, and that road will be rushed
through. Thousands of men will be en-
gagged in the work, and it will be built
rapidly. Within year and half the en-
tire line from Birmingham to Savannah
VIII be completed and in operation. This
Will give Birmingham another outlet to the
sea and a short line to Florida via the
Georgia Southern and Florida route"
THE sAPELo BLUFF.
The Telegraph of Tuesday, in announc-
ing that ground was broken on Monday ON
the Macon and Atlantic road, repeats that
Sapelo Is to be the terminus, and SAYS:
There is no doubt that the Macon and At
lantic railroad will have Sapelo Sound for
the Atlantic terminuS. The route laid out
Tor the graders fully indicates the course
the road will follow" Referring to the
work of construction, 1t SAYS:
1.-The first work was begun Monday morn
ing at point on the east side of the Ocmul-
gee river four miles from Reed station and
about twelve miles distant from Macon.
The first section was eight miles in length,
and extended to what IL known as the
stone church" Seventy men and seventy
hve teams were set TO work on it.
The sub-contracts have all been let for
the work, and it will be pushed forward as
fast as men and mules can do it.
"a party of engineers is at work locating
| the bridge which will have to be built
across the Ocmulgee for the road. 1t will
| probably cross the river at a point about
| two and a half miles from Reeds station.
| A draw will be placed in it to accommodate
steamboat navigation on the river.
LAS now located the road will run about
four miles north of Dublin. This will be
disappointment to the people of that town,
who sent a delegation to Macon last week
| to confer with the managers of the road
and offer right OF way through the town
| and county
Grading was also begun Monday at Soft
kee with a force of forty men and about as
| many teams. The road will Join the Georgia
Southern and Macon and Birmingham rail-
| roads at Soffkee. The indications are. there
fore, good for the rapid building up of the
little town with the queer Indian name,
which. In the Seminole language, means
homlny, and suggests plenty to eat'
| MUST COME TO SAVANNAH.
Those int rested in Savannah as stock
holders in the Macon and Atlantic Construc-
ton Company are not inclined to be quoted
as to the companys plans. One of the
principal stockholders In the company said
yesterday that the Macon and Atlantic
wants to get to the seacoast and prefers to
come to Savannah, but he intimated that
the company has not been able TO secure
reasonable offers of terminal property.
The gentleman was asked il an effort has
been made to get such property, and he
gave an evasive reply by saying: "They
know about what terminal property here
will cost them. They do not feel like pay
ing fancy price for terminal property, and
they may go where they can get it at a
reasonable price. They have plenty of
money to put in railroads, but they don't
want to put it all in terminals"
The gentleman went on to say that if it is
the policy to organize terminal company
here to dictate terms to railroads then no
more railroads will come to Savannah. The
South Bound, he added, is coming in with
out any water frontage and must pour its
traffic into the lap of the Central from pres
ent appearances, and while this may be
to the advantage of the South Bound
rather than disadvantage, as it is not a
rival of the Central, the Macon aud Biz
mingham and Macon and Atlantic cannot
afford to come into Savannah in any such
way, as these roads will be recognized rivals
of the Central
THE WATER FRONT NECESSARY.
The Macon and Atlantic. while it would
be feeder for the Ocean Steamship Line if
Savannah is made the terminus, can
not afford TO be dependent on the CentraI's
wharf terminals, as it would be in better
position to make traffic arrangements by
owning its own wharf property, and if it
cannot get such terminal properties at
| ~