The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-24
RAIL AND CROssTIE.

On and after this date a new schedule
Will De IN effect on the Savannah. Florida
and w estern railway. Train Is will leave
SaVa NAH 80 p. m, instead Of Pals o. IN .,
and No. will leave at so 0. m. train "a
Will continue to leave at 7:04 a. IN.
Hon. Theo Welch, in his speech at the
Montgomery banquet last wsek on, the oc-
caslon OF the final opening of the Savannah,
Amerlcus d Montgomery railroad
through to.Montgomery, gave some interest,"
Ing and significant facts co1cerniuy rail-
road construction. His subject was rail-
roads. Speaking Of the great prog
F res, In railroad putl ling he said:
1T wonl require an inquiry as to who
build railroads? Why are railroads builtp
What relation do they bear to the peoplel
| w nat duties do they owe to the people1
What duties do the people owe to themq.
We celebrate in a formal manner the
completion anu opening of the Savannah.
Americus and Montgomery raii~0ad. We
or MONTGOMERY are proud of our CITY
proud OF the fact that it is on the banks of
the Alabama river, but our pride is more or
less humbed when we remember that
Montgomery is but an incident to the
ALABAMA river. In the process
Of creation the great system
of rivers, which has made Alabama
famous, was left for the convenience and
SyAhASAb VA ulCu III Tue COURSE OF Time
Montgomery was started on the banks of
the Alabama river and, therefore, is but an
incident TO the river. True, either could
exist without the other but almost GER.
talniy the Alabama river would remain
without Montgomery; so Montgomery Is to
the Alabama river. l repeat, but al Incl
cent. The construction of the Savannah,
Americas aud Montgomery railroad is,
however, an epoch in the history Of Mont~
gomery. 1t would be an epoch 10 the his
tory of any city. whether it be New York,
with Its teeming millions, or Philadelphia or
the busy, laundering city Of Chicago To
each and all it would yet remain an epoch
The construction Of a railroad is in
fact great event in the history OF every
FOOT OF tue road so constructed. 1t permits
development in every sense Of the word.
otherwise impossible. l a u very much in
clined to believe that very few OF all here
p eSent recognize the mag itude of the great
work performed in the construction of the
Savannah, Americas and Montgomery rail-
road. So used are we to gr at combina-
lions, vast figures, that we f.il to compre-
bend what 1t means to build a road as long
as the Savannah, Americas and Montgon-
cry road. Perhaps we will recognize the
importance OF this " ork after a comparison
between it, SO far as miles are concerned,
and o,her railroads constructed in the
United States. We find that the Hudson
River railroad has hut 143 miles, New York
to Albany. while the Savannah, Americus
and Montgomery road, Montgomery to
Lyons, has 267 miles. with additional
leased or, at all events, con-
I trolled line OF Is miles to Savannah.
making total of 342 miles The New York
Central railroad, the great 4-track road,
Albany to lffalo, has but 297 miles, as
against the Savannah, Americas and Mont.
gomery road of 343. The Pennsylvania
railroad, perfect in its equipment, and
known over the entire face or the earth has
for its main stem, a distance of 343 miles.
Philadelphia to Pittsburg, but one mile
more than the Savannah, Americas and
Montgomery road. We find the Illinois
Central railroad, known for long time as
| one of the most prominent railroads III the
west, has but 365 miles, Chicago to Cairo
The Central railroad of Georgia, Georgla's
first great road, well known in the south,
has for It's main stem but 1879
miles, as against 342 for the Savannah,
| Americas aud Montgomery road Bear in
mind am giving the mileage Of the parent
road in each case cited. The Louisville and
Nashville railroad, not unknown to fame,
has main line Of 1856 miles, Louisville to
Nashville, as against 342 miles for the Sa-
vannah, Americus and Montgomery road.
The Cincinnati Southern road, with the tax
able property of a quarter of a million of in
habitants behind it. has a total mileage of
1856 miles as against 342 of the Savannah,
Americus and Montgomery road. These
figures speak for themselves and pronounce
at once the construction of the Savannah,
Americus and Montgomery road to be one
or the great achievements Of the age"