The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-05-07
AFTER A TRUNK LINE.
A MILLEDGEvILLE DELEGATION
VISITS SAVANNAH.


and it Wants TO be on Through
Line Proposition to Lease the
Eatonton Branch-Meyor Cline Says
Mfledgeville Must Have the Middle
Georgia and Atlantic-Wcrk to Be-
gin at Ellaelle To-day on Con-
tract to Grade ID Miles.
General Manager McEvoy of the Middle
Georgia and Atlantic railway says that
work will begin at EIlsbelle this morning,
the grading of the road from Savannah to
Sandersville, distance Of 113 miles, having
been let to Martin s. Bro. 1t is tie inten-
ton Of the contractors to grade from Ella
belle both ways, toward Savannah and
toward Sandersville Ninety-six teams
win be put on, and between 200 and go
banda.
Mr.. McEvoy says that the line has been
located from Eatonton to Atlanta and from
Savannah TO Sandersville. Il has not been
located from Sandersville to Eatonton, ow-
ing to the Milledgeville complication.
Milledgeville wants the road TO come that
way and there seems to be q barrier in the
way. The Milledgeville and Eatonton road
is leased by the Central. and under the char
ter granted forty years ago it cannot be
paralleled within distance Of ten miles.
MILLEDGEvILLE AND THE CENTRAL
A delegation from Milledgeville. headed
by Mayor P. J. Cline, aud composed OF
Messrs. B. T. Bethune. w. T. Conn, S.
Barrett, w. II. Jewell, W. S. Brooks, and
George c. Smith, arrived yesterday mo RI
ing aud, after breakfast at the Screven I,
waited on Gen. E P. Alexander, president
Of the Central, with whoElFthey had
lengthy conference. Nothing, however,
was accomplished.
Gen. Alexander received the delegation
most cordially and was exceedingly pleas ant
and courteous. Ths delegation presented,
in an earnest manner, the fact that Milledg-
vile desires TO be on a trunk line, that 1t
has long been bottled mp, 50 to speak, on
branch roads, and that other cities no more
favorably situated have rapidly built up
when put on through lines, such as Am eri-
Gus, Albany, and Columbus. and the people
Of Milledgeyille feel that they must have
better railroad connections.
TWO PROPOSITIONS.
They wanted the Central to build from
Tennile 70 Milledgeville and extend the
Milledgeville and Eatonton branch from
EatOnton TO Social Circle on the Georgia
railroad. thus putting MiIledZeville on a
direct or through trunk line from Atlanta
to Savannah, or if not inclined 70 do that
TO lease to the people of Milledgeville the
Milledgeville and Eatonton branch. The
delegation did not ask the Central to take
the security of the Middle Georgia and At
lantic, but that the people OF MliledgevIlle,
who would become responsible for the rental
to the stockholders OF the Iilledgeyiile
and Eatont0n branch, from whom the Cen
tral have II leased.
Gen. Alexander assured the delegation
that legal obstacles are in the way of sub
leasing the branch, and that 1t is out OF the
question 10 do So Referring to the shorten
gf ffaf
Tennille To Macon and from Eatonton to
Social Circle, Gen. Alexander assured the
delegation that the Central VIII not sleep on
Its rights. This is, Of course, taken to mean
that if Col. Machen builds the Middle Geor-
gia and Atlantic the Central will shorten its
line something after the plan suggested.
MLLEDGRvILLE WIDE AWAKE.
A MORNING NEWS reporter had quite a
lengthy talk with Mayor Cline AID MIR.
Bethnne last night, and they say that the
people OF Mliledgeville ara wide awake and
realize that something must be done. They
believe that Col. Machen will build the
road, and they say that Milledgeville will
DO all in its power TO bring it to their city.
He will have their earnest support, and
they VIII feel very grateful to the first COM
pany to put Milledgevilio on through lice.
Mayor Cline said: You can put 1t down
as an established fact that MiliedgeviIle will
do all in its power to have the road come
that way. Rights of way and terminal
facilities will be extended by her people"
Col. Machen is in Philadelphia and it is
said that he IS there arranging for his rail-
road iron to be brought TO Savannah.
General Manager McEvoy says that it is
expected to have the grading done by July i,
and Mayor Cline said last night that work
Is progressing favorably between Eatonton
and Covington. From the latter point the
distance to Atlanta is but thirty-one miles
GLANCE AT THE SITUATION.
A gentleman who is well posted saws
that the Louisville and Nashville will build
TO Atlanta, and within two years will be in
Savannah. By some it is believed that Col.
Machen's plan is to go no farther north
than Sandersville, and from that poin,
build the road enthusiastically to Macon
This view is not shared by Col Machen's
friends in Savannah, who are positive that
Col Machen will complete the gap between
Eatonton to Sandersville as soon as the
Milledgeville problem is solved.
The more plausible story afioat is to the
effect that Col. Machen will build his road
so that Milledgeville will be on the line, anc
as the Milledgeville and Eatonton road /.
constructed in the shape of rainbow curve
the road can, it is claimed, easily be bull
by Col. Machen to Milledgeville in the
shape Of the other, without paralleling it,
TO BOOM TFE OLD CAPITOL.
The population of Milledgevile, Mr.
Cline said last night, is about 5000, but il
the Middle Georgia and Atlantic will build
via Milledgeville Mr.. Cline prophesies thai
the population will be doubled in five years
A movement is on foot there now. Mr.
Cline says, to establish cotton factory
with capital stock of 500, 900, which viii
be raised without difficulty. If the Middl,
Georgia and Atlantic should leave MilIedge
vile off its line it would be SO serious {
drawback that it will be difficult to over
come, The committee which visited Gen
eral Alexander was appointed by the board
OF trade of the city, and all the facts con-
nected with the recent progress of the city
were gone over carefully AMI it was no
disguised that Milledgeville will exer
every energy to get the Middle Georgia and
Atlantic to the city.
Col. Machen's return from the NORTH
is looked for about the latter part of the
week, and the delegation will again have 6
conference with him, and report the result
of the conference with Gen. Alexander
General Manager McEvoy was in consulta
ton with the MilledgeviIle delegation las
night. The party will leave this morning
for their homes.