The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-11-05
| Atlanta Constitution. |

the maps of the various roads and have
come to the conclusion that the Lou
'sVlile and Nashville would be greatly
benefited by acquiring the Seaboard.
The Louisville and Nashville com
petes with the Southern for business
from tic middle States, Tennessee,
Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana
and the gulf States all furnish fighting
ground for the two systems. The L.
and \. controls the Nashville, Chat
tanooga and St. Louis and the Wes-
tern and Atlantic, which puts it into
Atlanta. 1t also controls the Georgia,
giving 1t access to Augusta. The
Ryan n-Tnomas syndicate, purchasers Of
the Seaboard, owns the Port Royal and
Augusta. A new line is now in course
uf construction from Charleston TO AL
Iendale, on the Port Royal. This new
line, It is understood, will be controlled
By Ryan and his a; sociates.
BY securing the Seaboard with The
Port Royal and Augusta, the Louis
vile and Nashville would have direct
lines to two seaports, Port Royal and
Charleston, and could compete fer all
eastern water business BY the Sea
board, they would reach Wilmington,
Norfolk and Baltimore, the latter being
The terminus Of the Bay Line Of steam
ers, part Of the oeab0ard's property.
Thus, it will be seen, the Louisville
and Nashville, by securing the Sea-
board, would put itself in shape to com
pete with the Southern for all business
now handled by the latter system.
Some think that while the l.. aud
\. people may not purchase th7 S1d-
board, they Will enter into an agree
mcnt with The Ryan-Thomas syndi-
cate by which they will be put III a
position to compete with the Southern.
At any rate, it is believed 10 be a
certainty that the Louisville and Nash
vile people are negotiating with the
purchasers Of the Seaboard for 4 deal
of some kind and the outcome OF these
negotiations are awaited with great
anxiety by all the railroads Of this sec
ton, as even friendly alliance OF tie
Seaboard and tie Louisville and Nash
Vile wouit mean a change of the en-
tire railroad situation IN the South.
Developments may De expected This
week IN the Scaboard. They will
probably be on the line OF predictions
made in this column. Evidence aCCu-
mu,ates TO prove that the Louisville
and Nashville people knew in advance
of Mr.. Thomas +. Ryan's piars when
he was arranging TO buy the Sea5oari}.
Ii il should turn out that President
Milton IL. Smith has an interest in the
deal it would immensely strengthen
his system. He has long wanted al
Atlantic port outlet and the Seaboard
would give him a good one with pTac-
tically another at Charles on. The
Louisville and Nashville touches three
great gateways on the Mississippi, s..
Louis, Memphis and New Orleans
and three on the Ohio, Evansville, Lou
+ isville and Cincinnati. It alsC
reaches Mobile and Pensacola on the
gulf.
Mr.. Thomas Ryan who is said tC
BE- the coming man for President Q
the Seaboard, IS an Aiablmlan by
birth. The Ccntra! railroad reorsanl
zation was his first venture in railroad
hnanciering on big scale.
\ gentleman who arrived yesterday
from New York said that the talk
there in railway circles was to the eli
feet that MIR. f. S.. John would re
main with the S@aboard as vice presi
dent. His aggressive management
was appreciated by the capitalist
whom 1t was hurting.
The Norfolk TIrginian says this o
the Seaboari Air Line situation:
The deepest interest is felt anon:
railway circles in this city regardln:
the disposal of the Seaboard Air Line
! Shrewd guesses have been made b.
men whose positions entitle their opln
IONS to much creGerce, but the presen
status Of the matter, almost, 1t may bt
said, on the eve of the actual t1an5te
Of the stock, is as probiematcal q
ever.
Doubts as to the actual sale OF III
road, which has good foundation 70
their existence, have been dispelled b
President Hoff'hams declaration tha
he will resign as soon as the transte
of stock is actually made.
The assertion of the same gentle
man that the Southern will control th
property, although it may be noml
naly operated by other parties, Is Sc
rious question with shippers.
Mr. Samuel Spencer, the Southern
president, denies this most emphatl
callv, and if the Louisville and Nash
vile has its way, Mr.. Spencer's asseI
ton will no doubt prove correct.
Among railway men in Washington
the l.. & n. deal is looked upon as
J very probable outcome Of the fight 10
the control OF the Seaboaid property