The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-05
TO LAY SIXTY POUND RAILS.
IMPROVEMENTS THE VI. G. & A. Is
MAKING on ITS LINE.

The Purchase of the EntOnton
Braneh-The short Line Between
MifledgeviIIe ana AtIanta-The
Company Doing a Good Business
Right Along.
Mr.. ]. ". Preston, general manager Of
the Middle Georgia and Atlantic railroad
is in the city. Mr.. Preston has just re-
turned from New York, where he has
been on business for the company, and
among other things ne arranged the pur-
chase Of 300 tons of 6O-pound steel rails,
which is going 10 be laid on the Eaton
ton branch railroad. from Nfilledgeville
TO Eatonton.
The Eatonton branch railroad. about
twenty-one miles in length. is the new
purchase Of the Middle Georgia and At
lantic railroad, the latter is owned al
most altogether in Savannah. The owners
Of the Middle Georgia and Atlantic Sc
cured the Eatonton branch by buying Up
practically all Of its stock. Prior to the
purchase Of that stock it leased the line
for one year, 1t having been turned back
to its owners by the Central under the
order from Justice Jackson.
The Eatonton branch was not In the
best condition when its new owners took
charge Of it. and they have found it nee
essary to practically rebuild IL. This car
60 Of new rails, which has been secured
for the purpose, is now on its way to
Savannah by water, and IS expected to
arrive here within a few days. When il
Is down. the Middle Georgia and Atlantic
will nave one of the best and most solid
roads IN the country. The fOrty-nVe miles
between EatontOn and Covington, where
II connects with the Georgia railroad Is
already in 60 and 63-pound steel rail, and
hsra is NO ha.Ff for 4 nod in
No other special improvements are con-
templated at present. Mr.. Preston was
asked about the extension Of the road 10
savannah, proposition that was eOnslQ-
erably talked of some time ago. He said
he could not say anything on that subject
as nothing immediate is contemplated
This, however, IS pet scheme OF the owns
ers Of the property, and naturally so, most
of them being SaVannahians, and when
the proper time comes, it is believed the
plan will take a definite shape.
The Middle Georgia and Atlantic now
has the shortest line between AIilledgeville
and Atlanta, its length being 106 miles, as
against l4l miles by the Central railroad.
1t also handles considerable freight be-
tween Atlanta and Macon, connecting
with the Georgia railroad a each termi-
nus. 1t connects with the Georgia rail-
road at CoVingtOn and at MilledgeVille,
and with the Central of Georgia at Nil
ledgeVille and a Machen, the latter point
being on the line Of the Macon and North
ern division of the Central system.
1--WE are not as long as some of the big
roads" Mr.. Preston said but we are as
broad and we feel that fact is being full
| ly realized by the public. We are doing a
splendid business, and have no complaint
whatever to make on that score"
The Middle Georgia and Atlantic
is already in the market for
a share of the big through business
TO and from the west. Considerable wes-
tern traffic has already come over its line
10 Savannah, and the road is building up
a business in this direction. The coun-
try through which the line runs is one of
the best cotton sections in the state.
| There Is almost a continuous cotton field
from one end Of the line to the other,
and the counties through which it runs
make annually about 10000 bales. Most
all of this cotton is shipped direct to Sa-
vannah and the bulk of IL is handled by
the Middle Georgia and At
| lantic. There is good general
merchandise business all along the line,
there are cotton and oil mills at Covington
and other points. and there is considera-
| bic building going on which necessitates
| the hauling of lumber. as that is not a
| lumber section. Arrangements are now
| being made for putting up a new cotton
| factory in Putnam county on the line
| of the road and other projects are being
! talked Of Considering all the eircum-
stances it may be said there is hardly a
4 road in this section that has brighter
| prospects before it than the Middle Geor-
! gia and Atlantic