Evening star., 1896-12-04
INTO WASHINGTON
Plans Of the Illinois Central Railroad
Company.
WANT An EASTERN CONNECTION
Movements of Importance Among
the Southern Railroads.
ACROSS THE CONTINENT
THE CONTINENT
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Va, december 1876
1t is reported here and the report comes
from good authority that the Illinois Cen
trail Railroad Company. whose main lines
extend from Chicago to New Orleans and
whose branch lines do not at present ex-
tend more than some 800 miles eastwardiy
from any point on its system, is trying 10
make deals by which it will be able be-
fore very long to run its trains into Wash
| ingtcn. Norfolk aid Newport News
The result of spending several millions
! of dollars for improvements at New Or
leans. such as elevators, wharves etc. IL
order to increase the export and import
faculties OF the company. has, it is said
been SO satisfactory that the latter wants
to occupy other fields and reach the points
above named.
TO do this would, of course require
traffic arrangements with either the
Southern Railway Company. the Seaboard
Air Line or Chese peake and Ohio. by the
nrst named Of these the Illinois Central
could reach Norfolk, Portsmouth and
W ashinSton; by the last. Ii could reach
Newport News. where II would be able TO
avail itself of the export and import facili-
ties OF steamship line owned and operated
by the Chesapeake and Ohio. and by the
second ii could reach deep water at Ports
mouth.
Some Complications.
There is, however. one serious difficulty
of the Illinois Central being able to make
a satisfactory traffic arrangement with the
southern, oS there is report that The
latter has recently discovered that par
Ties who are believed TO be interested in the
lllir ois Central are trying to make a dea!
y ith the bondholders of the Memphis and
Charleston road. which, if carried into
exec ut!on. woald cause the Southern to
lose control of The latter. The Memphis
and Charleston is now in the hands of
receivers. and is awaiting reorganization,
but II fas been operated for a long time in
such harmony with the Southern MANAGE
ment that II has 10y mcst people been re-
Sarded as a part of the Southern system
AS the story goes the New York trustees
Tor the bondholders of the Memphis and
Charleston have recently been approached
by parties unfriendly to the Southern Rail-
way Company, and informed 10y them that
IL would be more to their interest If th2y
Wcald revoke the promise given to the
representatives of the Southern and srlI
their holdings to another company the
name of which has not yet been dfvtleed
hut which is said to be the Illinois Cen
tfai. Ihe loss of the Memphis and Charles
Ton, which event is rot however feared
by the friends of the Southern would SHIT
The latter o"t of Memphis. from which
city and the contiguous territory il pes
large and lucrative business.
Another Way.
Central can reach Washington and Bal,i-
mere. This is by means Of a traffic ar
ransement with the Baltimore and Ohio
southwestern, which it taps at Sandoyal
H.; thence to Parkersburg. w. Va. and
over the lines of the Baltimore and Ohio
10 Baltimore, where the Il. and O. has ter
Iiiiial faculties equal TO any others in the
United States.
Should. however the Illinois Central de-
a u-i-h t,,a
board II could do 50 by passing over the
tracks OF several intermediate lines be-
tween Nliiona, Miss, and Atlanta, and
thence 10 Portsmouth, Va.
1t is regarded as more probable. how
ever. that the Illinois Central Will if il
decides 20 extend its Atlantic coast con-
nection anG likewise reach Washington. en-
ter UPON a traffic arrangement with The
Big -Four and Chesapeake and Ohio nv
running over the tracks of these two COM
pailies from Peoria, ILL.,. via Indianapolis
ana Cincinnati, it would add nearly 1000
miles 10 Its already large mileage and
nave comparatively short line between
t9e northwest and the North Atlantic
coast. while at the same time IL is believed
an amlcabie arrangement could be made
with the Southern for the use of its ira nks
INTO Washington from Gordonsville on pr. l.
ty nearly as friendly terms as the Southern
now accords to the Cnesaoeake and Ohio
uli!!culty which presents itself in the
matter oil making traffic arrangements with
the Seaooard Air Line is found in the fact
that the Illinois Central is a member of
The Joint Traffic Association, while the Sea-
board is not.
There are also rumors. which seem to
have good basis. in circulation in some
parts of the south which state that some
prominent New York capitalists are work
ing upon a plan under which a system of
railways Will be inaugurated in which the
Seaboard would be a dominant power and
whose partners would COMPRISE the Mem
pms and charleston. Marietta and North
Georgia and some smaller roads. To make
these plans of the promoters OF the scheme
effective IT would be necessary TO build a
link from Chattanooga, Tenn, to Au-
gusta, Ga. but there will ii is said. be no
lack of money that may be needed to make
the enterprise success if the Memphis and
Charleston can be secured as q part of the
proposed line.
Across the Continent.
According to the latest informatio on
the subject. and this comes from a reliable
source. the Louisville and Nashville Rail-
road Company has not by any means
abandoned the idea of getting into Wash
ington over lines under its own control. as
far as possible. and 1t is said that pa,tfes
are working in its interest with the view
of making it the most important portion. if
not the poSSessor of a very influential
say. III the establishment of a great trans
continental line, over which solid trains can
be run from the extreme northe astern part
Of the New England states TO San Fran
cisco in California.
AS matter of fact, the joint service re-
Gently inaugurated by the Southern and
Louisville and Nashville companies from
Washington to New Orleans, by which
solid trains are run between those cities
and PullmanS between Washington and
Galveston. has already become so greatly
developed that passengers are being car
red through once a week from Washing
ton to San Francisco without change of
cars.
In order TO popularize this new departure
the Southern and Louisville and Nashville
had cars built especially for the purpose
and these cars are so arranged that pasSen-
gers on them have comfortable berths
as are provided on the regular Pullmans
The route from Washington to San Fran
cisco Is via the Southern, the Atlanta and
West Point. Louisville and Nashville and
the Southern Pacific.