Evening star., 1896-07-04
The Southern System About to Ex-
pand Anew.
LINE OF POTOMAC STEAMERS IN VIEW
B. and o. Freight Receipts In.
creased by Ore Importations
THE DEFAULTED DIVIDENDS

way Company contemplates the establish
ment in the near future of a line of pas
senger and freight steamers between Wash
mgton and Norfolk, Va. This, 1t is thought,
can be done at but slight expense. The
new steamer Atlanta, recently completed
by the Cramps at cost of $250,0J0, has
been put on the comIany's new route be-
tween Baltimore and Norfolk, and the
same firm Is about finishing a sister steam
er, equal in all respects to the Atlanta, in
tended for the same route. Should the
company desire 1t this will relieve them
from the necessity of keeping several ex-
cellent boats heretofore used on the York
River line, between Baltimore and West
Point, Va, and admit of their being placed
on other waters. Within the present week
the route of the York River boats has
been established to Norfolk to which port
daily service is to be main tained, but the
steamers of the line will only go to West
Point three times a week in future instead
of daily as formerly.
The Atlanta made her first trip promptly
on time, and the run both ways was emil
nently satisfactory. both to her officers and
owners. She not only carried a big pas
eenger list and heavy freight cargo but
developed all the speed that was called for
in the contract, ard it Is believed that she
could easily be made to exceed the maxi
mum rate stipulated.
The Southern May Expand Further.
There seems to be no disposition on the
part OF the Southern railway people who
are posted on the subject to deny the state
ment that the Southern is about to buy the
Memphis and Charleston road at fore
closure sale. and incorporate 1t into their
present system. The foreclosure Of the
mortgage on the road has been asked for
by majority of the first mortgage bond
holders and Mr. John d. Caldwell a promi-
rent lawyer OF Knoxville. Tenn, who is
also connected with the legal department
OF the Southern Railway Company, has
gone to Aberdeen. Miss, to file bill to
toreclose the mortgage and ask for an Or
Ger for the sale of the road. Similar bills
nave already been filed in the Tennessee
court at Memphis, and the Alabama courts
at Huntsville.
Mr.. Caldwell also represents his brother
Who acted as special commissioner in the
saie or the old East Tennessee Virginia
ana Georgia railway system. 1t is believed
by those who are usually well informed in
reference TO the inside workings of the
Southern Railway Companv's affairs that
the road will be ordered sold within q few
weeks. and that the Southern will become
the purchaser
The Memphis and Charleston is one of the
Oldest. best and most important RAILWAYS
in the south, and 1t is believed that II
purchased by the Southern company IT will
prove a most valuable addition to their al
ready magnificent system, in harmony with
which 1T is now operated AS orieina1II
chartered it was intended that tbe mo :,
line should connect the cities of Mennhis
ana Charleston. but It has never been con-
structed beyond Chattanooga, which is
about 400 miles from Memphis The rorts
Is magnificent, and 1t passes immediateiv
ct the foot of Lookout Mountain" II has
also a number of branch lines, Including
one formerly known as the Mississippi and
Tennessee. 100 miles long, to Granada
Miss, and a branch known as the Nash
Vllie division by which passengers reach
the capital of Tennessee. At Chattanooga
II connects with a perfect network of
railW ays, which radiate into every mart of
Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and Ten
nessee, and with the Cincinnati Southern.
which runs In almost an air line between
Chattanooga and the queen city of the
west"
Cincinnatf's Pet Railroad.
The latter road was built at a cost Of
$16,OOO,O00 for the purpose of attracting
trade from the merchants in the heart of
the south and contiguous territory to those
Of Cincinnati. and the principal portion
OF the money used in construction was
furnished by the city Of Cincinnati 1t is
also for sale. as the enterprise has not
been successful as payer OF dividends
on the investment itself and the people of
Cincinnati have, through their representa-
tives, expressed a desire to be rid of the
burden the road imposes upon them in the
way OF taxation. So far, however, as being
the means of drawing trade to the c;ty
from Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee is
concerned, the investment made has proven
all that was claimed by the promoters of
the work when the building of the line was
agitated and the money for its construc-
ton voted, and the disposition of the peo-
pie of Cincinnati to part with their pet"
railroad is believed to be simply in line
with the course that has been found to be
advantageous by most cities, which, as
corporations. were induced in the past to
assist in building railroads.
Ore Importations From Cuba.
The loss Of revenue sustained by the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company as
freight coal from western Maryland
and West Virginia points to those in New
England. through the operation of the
present tariff, is likely to be more than
made up by the resumption of the importa-
ton Of iron ore from Cuba by the Car
negies.
For many years previous to 1891 the great
iron manufacturers whose plants were in
western Pennsylvania imported large guam
titles of iron ore from St. Jago, one Of the
most important of the Cuban ports. but
about five years ago importations began to
fall off, and presently ceased entirely, and
the first cargo of ore that has reached
Baltimore for long time from ST. Jago
arrived there this week. The cargo was
brought in a British steamship, and was
loaded directly from the hold of the YES
sci on the cars Of the B. and o., and thence
taken direct to the Carnegie furnaces.
Within the last few months the coal
carrying trade of the 3. and o. between
the Georges creek and Elk Garden regions,
as the coalproducing sections of western
Maryland and West Virginia are respect
lively named, has fallen off appreciably.
and this decrease Is thought to be due to
the operations of the tariff bill, which re-
duced the coal schedule so much that the
manufacturers of New England have
found it largely to their advantage to buy
their semi-bituminous coal in Nova Scotia
No one. not even the Nova Scotia operat-
ors themselves, will deny that the coal
mined in Maryland and West Virginia is
far superior to the Canadian coal for pro-
ducing steam, but nevertheless the New
England people have placed big contracts
for coal with the Nova Scotians, and are
likely to add: to these orders in the near
future, and the resumption of the impor-
tation Of iron ore at the port of Balti-
more Is therefore especially gratifying to
the freight officials q the B. and o.
The d. and 0. Affairs.
Receiver Cowen- has been elected presi-
dent of the Winchester and Strasburg Rail-
road Company, as the corporation that
owns the Valley division Of the Baltimore
and Ohio is known. Mr.. Cowen succeeds