The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-20
A GIGANTIC RAILROAD SCHEME
4 COMBINATION OF THE BIG SOUTH
ERN SYSTEMS LOOKED FOR.

Thought to BE Back of the Move
IneRt and Working to Fix Thing.
so That All the Systems Wiu.Have
TO Come In-The biggest Anti-Rnte
Cutting Plan of the Age-The south
ern's Recent Movements brought
About the Talk.
II there is any reliance to be placed in
rUmor the south has witnessed the begin
ming of what may be one of the most gil
gantic railroad combinations the country
has ever known.
Ii is a fact that such a thing ,as the
union on business basis of all the Zig
rsilroad systems Of the south is being
talked of, and according to a well known
railroad man who has just returned from
New York, the indications point to the
fact that there is something more behind
the talk than idle gossip
The beginning OF this expected combina-
ton of vast extent which Is to take in
the entire southern territory, If carried
out along the lines now talked Of is the
Southern Railway Company, which hes
stretched out arm after arm, and has been
continually gathering In new territory
since its organization.
1t is natural that such a scheme. If It
is on foot, should crcp out at a time when
the Southern railway purchases a control
ling interest in the Georgia Southern ana
Florida, and follows this up by a COM
bination of interests with those Of the At
Iantic Coast Line, through which it finds
a seaport outlet at Norfolk, Va. Espe-
eislly is this true when followed up by
the report that negotiations are now
going on looking to a union on a bust
ness basis of the Southern and the Louis
Vile and Nashville systems, and the fur
Their fact that the Southern is soon to
exert its control over the Central railroad
system by virtue of being the holder Of
all the stock in the company, as Will be
the case after it has been reorganized.
1t will readily be seen that this condition
of affairs in the railroad world woul1
effectually bottle up two of the LARGEST
systems in this section Of the south, name
~ the Florida Central and Peninsular
and the Plant system, and they would
have to find a way into the combination
in order to let themselves out of the hole
With the Georgia Southern and Florida
the Southern is going to take the haui
over that line into Florida, whenever it
is possible to do so. This leaves out the
Florida Central and Peninsular, so far as
the haul from Columbia southwark on a
great deal of the business is concerned.
The alliance with the Atlantic Coast
Line can be used to shut off the Plant
system in that direction; that proposed
with the Louisville and Nashville woull
shut out Mr.. Plant in the other direction
as his only other possible outlets, the
Georgia Southern and Florida and the
Central railroad will both be in the hands
OF the Southern, which is said to be the
prime mover in this talked of combina-
ton, and which IT is believed is working
for it might and main.
The indications" said a well known
railroad man who has given the situation
some study, point decidedly 10 the fact
that such a movement as the above is on
foot. There is no doubt that the big railroad
systems of the south are tending toward
combination with one another, and that
the Southern Railway Company is back
of the movement. / believe that what
has already beer done in this direction
in quiet way by the Southern will be
followed by another acquisition to that
system within six months, and l do not
believe it will be two years before the
whole project has been accomplished and
these railroads are together under one big
management L have reason to believe
that this is pet scheme of President
Samuel Spencer, and that he is working
to that end for all he is worth"
What could be the object of such an
organization or combination. Does not
the Southern Railway and Steamship AS
ISOLATION afford the roads sufficient pro-
tection?' he was asked
mo, it seems not" he replied 'Tbe
idea is to stop all of this promiscuous
rate cutting that has been going on
throughout the south for years. and the
only way to do it is for the roads to get
together themselves under one big man
agoment, and have the business properly
apportioned and divided. The association
never has been able to prevent rate cut
ting and the use of unfair methods in Sc
curing business, and the probability is
1t never Will. Besides this there are other /
matters to be taken into consideration
The business has got to be done, and with
all the railroad properly in such a cornbi-
nation properly capitalized, and a proper
system of rates established in conformity
it IS believed that such a combination
would put them all on a better basis
believe from what have seen and heard /
that this is the end toward which the big |
railroad interests are working and those |,
at the head of the movement are fast nut
ting themselves in a position to dictata /
to those who are not inclined to enter into |
such scheme. For instance, with Mr. |
Plants lines bottled up at both ends what |
can he do but come in on the same basis !
as the others and take his share of the /
proceeds"
In Ayers Sarsaparilla, people have a