Evening star., 1896-10-23
AFTER THE SEABCARD
The Syndicate Said to Have Gained the Con-
troll.
Plans Of the Southern Company-Maks
ing Connections in the
Southwest.

The future Of the Seaboard Air Line con-
tinues to be an absorbing topic of interest
among the railway men OF the country
While 1t Is probable that the whole matter
as to Its future permanent control will be
settled in the course of a week or ten DAYS
the only thing definitely known at this
time Is that the ownership of the stock ia
now vested in the syndicate headed by
Messrs. Ryan and Thomas of New York
and Gen. John Gill of Baltimore
For a day or two within the past week
there was a fear among those who were
financially interested in having the owner
ship of the road transferred to the RYAN
people. the supposed representatives Of the
southern Railway Company, that one of
the holders Of big block of stock who
mad agreed to sell to the pool would back
OUT, but ne was persuaded to stand by his
original promise. Had the detection oc-
CURED, IL is stated in New York the pool
Wmch mad secured over 1000 shares of
stock would have been deprived of the
control desired by the syndicate
A report that the Southern Railway Conn
pany's friends were willing to paw 800 ner
snare for the Seaboard stock sooner than
ne disappointed i'm getting the property
caused Seaboard stock to rapidly appre-
ciate In value. 1t is stated that a number
OF shares were purchased for account Of
the syndicate at $125 a share each.
AS Ine case now stands, Messrs RYAN
ha of
stock which was held by the pool headed
Dy PRESIDENT r. Curzon Hoffman, and Gen
Hlil mas ZOO shares. besides which the
triends OF Messrs. Ryan and Thomas have
oousht up scattering shares which ayere
gate about 800 more thus giving the syn-
olcate total of about 5000 shares out OF a
totai OF l1,OO0. the number issued ana
wnlcn II was necessary for the syndi-
cate TO secure In order to control the road
under the terms of its charter
IL is generally understood that son,a ~
tne heaviest stockholders of the Sea,oar8
s;d mno mao placed their money In the secure
ues as a permanent investment and un,t,
Iew months ago were entirely satis6a1
with what they had done IN ;be mr1tar
were impelled to sell out because they Si6
not want to incur the yexations "a
anxieties incident to another disa.,,.aH'a u
rate war such as 1t was believed wonId
through. Ne"i iaiien
Should there be no further hitch ir III.
arrangements and the Ssaboari nrac,ioaii,
become part of the Southern system I,
Is beleved that the Southern Railway ror
Pany wl:l build lire of fits own from At
ianta, Ca, to New Orleans or ir NOT r.
tween those two cities, certainly from
M0ntSomery, Ala, to New Orleans
~ me Southern already runs its trains into
,,s NE" ,S Ufieans but to do SO is compelled to
use the Louisville and Nashyille tracks
petween Montgomery and New Orleans
while between Atlanta and MONTGOMERY n
uses the Alabama and West Point road
70 oa.c Vi inc fsya9-IhOmdS lrcper-
u, .ies, put which is believed 10 be I'm entire
harmony with the Southern.
win that portion of its route which lies
Det~een montgomery and New Orleans the
situation is different as II is with, tbe
power of the Louisville and Nashville to
smut the SoUthern's trains Off the road OF
the former at montgomery and keep IA ont
Oh New orleans should it he disposed to
90 SO, contracts to the reverse notwitb-
standing, and as the officials Of the L. and
n; are quite aggressive in their course
When occasion demands, .hc Southern Is
at thelr mercy to an extent which is said
to be not relished by the owners of The
Southern. ~
surveying parties who were looking for a
oesiraole new route between Atlanta and
New orleans have recently made a thor
ough Investigation of the territory he
tween the two cities, and. II is said ascer-
tanned that line between Atlanta and
New Orleans could be constructed which
would be In every way as desirable and at
the same time considerably shorter than
the present route
1t was reported al the time The SURVEYS
were made tina: the work was in the in
terest OF the Seaboard Air Line, but fl is
now believed that Ii was really the enter
prise of the Southern Railway Company.
Color Is also given to the report that the
Southern will soon begin to extend its
lines in the southwest, because, as is gem
orally understood in railway circles, the
relations between the Southern and The
Louisville and Nashville are not of tha
most harmonious character, and if a con-
fllct of interest should occur the present
traffic arrangements between the two roads
might not be continued.