The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-01-10
A RAILROAD RUAlOR.
The Carolina Midland May he Leased
or Sold.

or Sold.
It has been rumored for several
days, says the Charleston News and
Courier, that negotiations were pend
ing looking toward the sale or lease Of
the Carolipa Midland Railroad to a
syndicate of capitalists from the West.
While the names of these gentlemen
are not known they are said to be
from Chicago, and it is stated that Oh
ther they or their representatives have
been in Charleston recently taking
part in the negotiations which are said
to be on foot. The people of Charles
ton are and have always been deeply
interested in the Carolina Midland
Road. 1t is as everybody knows a
Charleston enterprise; Charleston
money built it and Charleston men
have owned and controlled it till the
present day. Under these circum-
stances it will be readily imagined that
the report that tho Carolina Midland
is about to change hands either by
lease or sale would awaken n great
deal of interest in business and com
mercial circlesin that city.
1t was understood that in the nego-
tlations said to be in progress for the
last few days that the present owners
of the road were represented by the
Hon. James Simons and that the West
ern mems representative was Mr.. Il.
Moultrie Mordecai. When called on
by u reporter for The News and Cour-
ier these gentlemen declined to say
anything for publication regarding the
matter. There is little doubt, how
ever, TINT the rumor has foundation
in fact and that negotiations are in
progress.
Tne Carolina Midland runs now for
sixty miles or more through the most
fertile and productive part of Barn
well county. The main stations along
its line arc Severn, Barnwell Court
House, Allendale and Bluckville.
When the road was first built it was
proposed to extend it further to the
West, and this intention has never
been finally abandoned by the present
owners. The people of Greenwood
have long been anXious to have tho
Midland come to their thriving little
city, and considerable work has been
done looking to tho accomplishment of
their wishes. Greenwood people hnvo
always been ready to contribute iber-
ally to the proposed extension.
As to the intentions Of the propos-
ed purchasers Of the road moth
ing is definitely known. 1t is not
probable, however, that Western
moncyed men would buy the property
unless they intended to extend it ut
D'ic and probably both ends Many
people think it likely that if the nego-
tiations result in transfer of the road
that the present line will be extended
to Greenwood and probably further on
to the west and to Charleston on this
side. At Greenwood the road would
make connection with the old Port
Royal and Western Carolina, the Col
umbia and Greenville division of the
Southern system and the Georgia,
Carolina and Northern link in the Sea-
board Air Line system. With these
connections on the west and an eastern
terminus in Charleston the Carolina
Midland would be II most valuable adj
dition to the transportation facilities of
the city.
The officers Of the company MS il
now stands are Mr.. Geo. A. Wagener,
president; Col. Mike Brown, vice pres
idcnt and treasurer; Mr.. T.. III. Oak
man, auditor; Mr.. j. G Keys, super
intendent, and on the board OF direc-
tors are Messrs. Geo. A. Wagener,
Mike Brown, Fl. F.. Bremen and ID. II.
Shley.