Birmingham age-herald., 1895-07-01
WITH THE RAILROADS.

"The demand upon us for cars just at present is so great that we are glad to see Sunday come so that we can catch up with orders said Assistant Superin- tendent B. NJ starks of tho Louisville and Nashville to an Age-Herald re- porter yesterday. He said that this in- creased demand for cars for coal and iron was so pressing that they were d5- ing business like a negro lives. He spoke encouragingly of the situation in this district, and expressed himself as conli- dent that good times had come to stay. Up to clock yesterday morning the Louisville and Nashville had handled fof the past week 750 car loads or water melons.
 The Gigantic Southern.
 The Southern Railway company is pur- suing policy of acquiring other lines in the south, which Is beginning to att tract general attention anu cause much comment, says the Manufacturers Rec ord. When the reorganization of the old Richmond and DanYllle was effected, but a year ago, il was supposed that the mileage controlled by that operation wouid not be much increased. and that the Central of Georgia system when placed on another financial basis, would be operated separately, but on harmon ious lines with 1t.
 Later developments, however, show that the Southern is endeaVoring to bring about much larger combination than was supposed, and the indications are that it is planning to control as large a share as possible of the transportation facilities of most of the southern states. few figures will illustrate this The Southern proper, including the reorgan- 1zed portions of the Richmond and Dan Vile, the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia and the Louisville Southern, Gftf11 1T.ysfcsa however, the Southern has acquired con trol of the following.
 Alabama Great Southern Chattanoo- ga, Tenn, to Meridian, Miss, 23SB miles: thattanoogd Union, 42B miles; Georgia Southern and Florida. Macon to Palatka, 2e5 miles; Atlanta and Florida Fort Val ley to Atlanta, 105 miles.
 u Other lines, which, it is claimed the Southern is negotiating either to have In very close traffic alliance or to control are:
 New Orleans and Northeastern, Me- Iidlan to New Orleans. 196 miles: Flor 1da Central and Peninsuar Columbia, S. C., to Tampa, Fla, and branches. 9a5 miles; Atlantic Coast Line, Richmond to Charleston $. G. and branches. l34O mics; Hartman Coal and Iron. 20 miles; central of Georgia, 262O miles
 T. lhls glVes the Southern q total mile age Of 5105 miles acquired and 5121 as possibly in prospect by traffic arrange ments and control. or over 10000 miles in all. If it consummates all these schemes 1t will largely control the Flar- Ida tourist traffic from the north by ~ way of Washington. shutting off tho Plant system at Charleston It will nave its own seaboard terminals at Hampton Roads. Wilmington Charles ton. Savannah. Fernandina, Jackson vile, Tampa, Brunswick. West Point and New Orleans, being shut out only from the ports of Mobile and Pensacola east of the Mississippi river North of Florida and east of the Mississippi river the Seaboard Air Line. the Norfolk and Western, Illinois Central, Louisville and Nashville, Mobile and Ohio, Flaglcr and Plant systems and Chesapeake and Ohio would be the important railroads not under its control. In Virginia. the Car olinas, Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama - it would control a large proportion of the freight and passenger business.
 There is no danger, however, of the Southern, If it should so desire ever en- tirely controlling the south's railroad business. There are too many roads be- yond its control, and too many could be built ever for it to secure monopoly. The fear that some have expressed that the Southern would become all-powerful, and thus dominate the business interests of the south, is without foundation. It can never do this, even for a short time, without so overlooking itself as to bring about a disintegration