The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-07
WILL TAKE CHARGE APRIL !
LEASE OF THE LYONS BRANCH To
THE GEORGIA AND ALABAMA.

IT Has Been Finally Perfected Be
tween Presidents Conner and Will
iamS-The Branch From Lyons 10
MeIdrIm Leased PerPetuaIIy, and
the Price Paid Somewhere Between
100000 and Ss5.OOO-A Trackagc
Advancement on the Main Line Be
tween MeIdrim and Snvannah-The
G.. and A. 10 Use the CentraI's EN-
tenSfve Terminals on the Same
Basis as the +. c. and P.-General
Manager GaBbett's headquarters
10 Come 10 savannah.
The Morning News is now In a position
20 state authoritauvely that an agree
rneut has been concluded between Presi-
dent II. ". Conner. representing the Cen
tral OF Georgia railway, and President
John Shelton Williams Of the Georgia and
Alabama railway. which secured for the
Georgia and Alabama railway, under per-
petuaI lease. the Lyons branch OF the Cen
tral railroad. extending from Meldrim, on
its main line seventeen miles from Savan-
nah. 10 Lyons. a distance OF hfty-eight
miles. the junction with the Georgia and
Alabama.
The Georgia and Alabama railway
has also concluded a trackage agree
ment with the Central Of Georgia
railway for the joint use Of the
seventeen miles from Meldrim to
Savannah by the two railways and has
also made an arrangement for the use OF
the extensive terminals OF the Central OF
Georgia railway at Savannah on basis
similar to that made by the Central Of
Georgia railway with the Florida Central
and Peninsular railroad.
The trackage and terminal arrangements
are terminable on twelve months notice
BY either side, but the lease Of the fifty
eight miles IS perpetual. This gives the
Georgia and Alabama railway a continu-
Gus line from Mont omery. Ala. TO Savan-
nah, Ca, $40 miles in length.
The lease and trackage and terminal
contracts viii take effect April /, 1896 ar
ter which date the Georgia and Alabama
viii operate its own passenger and freight
trains between savannah ana MontgOm-
cry as an Independent through line, sew
enty-fve miles shorter than by any other
route.
As a result of this arrangement. the
Georgia and Alabama railway avoids the
construction Of seventy-iive miles from
Lyons 10 Savannah, for which IL had al
ready provided funds, and upon which
work was begun a short time since, and
temporarily suspended pending the result
Of these negotiations with the Central
railroad.
The Georgia and Alabama has also
leased tract Of land containing about
ten acres Immediately adjoining the Cen
trail railroads yards, to be used as
switching yard, and for other railroad
purposes. This is the tract of land just
at the junction Of the Augusta road and
the Central railroad yards, and - trian-
gular in shape. 1t will provide ample
space for the conduct of the Georgia
and Alabama's business for the present
Until the agreement and lease has been
formally ratified by the boards OF direc-
tors OF both lines, il is understood that no
details of the arrangement will be given
out. It is currently talked, however, that
the amount TO be paid by the Georgia and
Alabama TO the Central for the lease Of
the Lyons branch is somewhere between
$1,000 and $4,000, which IS something like
~ per cent. on Sl,000.000 This viii no
doubt be an addition TO the Centrafs in
come which will be appreciated.
AS the Georgia and Alabama will take
hold of the leased line on April ], it will
be operating through schedules between
Savannah and Montgomery very shortly
after that date. One of the first improve
through Pullman sleeping car service from
Savannah to Montgomery, which will
probably be done within the next thirty
Gays. through connections VIII also be
made for important points in the west.
Vice President and General Manager
Gabbett Of the Georgia and Alabama
Will probably have his headquarters es-
1ablished here by April /. AS a matter
OF course, the general offices Of the COM
pany VIII have 10 be brought to Savan-
nah, which is the most important ter
cally the establishment Of a new railroad
80 far as Savannah is concerned, as all
the business heretofore, from the Georgia
and Alabama, or old Sam road, came in
over seventy-five miles of the Central.
The new line viii no doubt be warmly
welcomed, and II is expected that il will
terests.