Birmingham state herald., 1897-02-06
NEWS OF THE RAIL.

:. New York, Feb. 5.-For January, the 4Southern railway earned .$1 ,571, ,1eS, d. de- .Icrease of SIP, 1902; Georgie and Alabama, tsSS,o7S; increase, $S5516; Chesapeake and lOhio, $90o,47S, decrease $39,650; Alabana Great Southern, $1S2, ,25O, increase. $7,553 The first annual report of the direc- tors of the Mobile and Birmingham Rail- road company shows excellent results, says the Mobile Register The property was, as is we'll known, in a bad way and in the hands of receiver It has had one year of operation under the reorgan- ization, and it's future gives much prom ise to the shareholders, and to Mobile, says the Selma Journal,
 The report is to the effect that during the year the gross earnings were S204,- 2S2.4, and the working expenses $25S,- 3S4,39, leaving net revenue of $35,S9S0S. Out of this has come the Interest upon the prior lien bonds, so that the balance to the credit of the net revenue account is $36,S98,08. The uet earnings show more unfavorably than they would other wise have done owing to the necessity of doing a great deal of rebuilding of tres ties and track which work will not have to be performed again In the immediate future and can be distributed so as not to fall upon one years account. There was also in the year partial failure of the cotton crop. The closing months of the year were much the most favora ble. to the business of the road. taThe betterment account shows that the company has wisely expended its money in preparing to do its business upon a scale much larger than hitherto attempted. Not including several items of minor importance the company's equipment has been increased by the ad- dition of two nnogul locomotives, eight stock cars 100 flat and 100 box cars, seven camp cars and one officers car; it has built round house at Mobile costing S2059, and machine shops costing $16, ,304. Its trestle construction cost $2O,000, and its steel rail, to replace the iron, $69,O0O. All these operations are proof of the value of the road to Mobf1e and evidence of the commercial growth of this sea- port. President Bush says in submitting his report to the directory that the future workings of the road promise more sat isfactory returns than those Just now recorded. We can well believe it, and we beg to be allowed to extend our con- gratulationS.
 Now that Cuba is involved in war and Havana is no longer desirable as win ter resort for tourists, the eyes of the traveller in search of summer time in winter and of new scenes and strange sights are being turned farther south ward, to Jamaica, "the sunland of the world"
 Equal to the emergency, the Plant sys- .tem steamship line will run three excur- sions between Port Tampa and Port Am tonic, Island of Jamaica, during February and March, and it is more than likely that much of the tourist tide which has heretofore set Havanaward will be di- verted into this new and unbeaten track. Col. B. W. Wrenn, passenger traffic manager, announces the following sail ings for the Plant steamships: s:z5-.-.
 Leaving Port Tampa, Fla, Feb. 12, March 4, March 20, 1897.
 The trip to Jamaica is said to be an ideal one, and the island itself land of great beauty and interest.
 MT. Rip Beasley left last night for the north on business trip.
 Hs *s
 New York; Feb. 5.-The statement of the Central of Georgia Railroad company and Ocean Steamship company for De cember shows gross earnings $724,3S3, against $745. .S56 last year, and net earn ings, $29S, ,167, against s319,3S1. For the six months ending December 31, 1896, gross earnings were $3, ,S88.697, against. $4 065579 in 1885, and net earnings $1, ,267,237 against $1, 414, ,493. f.-a 'e ee7fer'n