The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-09
MYSTERY OF A RAILROAD.
CUYLER AND WOODBURN's NEW
OWNERS UNKNOWN.

The Central Railway, the Georgia
and Alabama, Washington Capt.
taIists and Mayor MeIdrfm All I'm
der suspiciOn-Mr. W. +. Carter,
the Purchaser of the Road, De-
cIines to Say For Whom He Acted.
Citizens OF StatesbOrO Ready to
Subscribe to This object.
The sale OF the Cuyler and Woodburn
railroad at Statesboro day before yester-
day is surrounded by a mystery, in so
far as the identity of the real purchasers
is concerned. According to the dispatch
contained in the Morning News of yes
terday the road was knocked down to w.
f. Carter Of Meldrim. lie was in Sa-
vannah yesterday, but when asked as to
whom he had purchased the road for, alb
solute.y declined to make any statement
or reveal any facts in reference to those
whom he represented, other than TO say
that the purchasers would be made known
when the sale was confirmed to them.
Mr.. Carter stated that the road would
he completed to Statesboro by the pur-
chasers he represented, and that connec-
ton would either be made with the Geor-
gia and Alabama railway, or with the
Central railiOad by building a spur across
the Ogeechee river and making the connec-
ton with the Central at Meldrim
Hon. Pope Barrow, who represented the
Admission National Bank and who filed
the original bill of foreclosure, was seen,
and while he was perfectly unaware as
to who were the purchasers represented
by Mr.. Garter. yet related the facts of the
previous sale of the road. He said: "In
March the Cuyler and WOODBURY. road
was sold to Mr.. A. A. Adams who, be-
sides paying the initial $1,000 which was
required to bid also paid the $50 requir
ed upon the confirmation of the sale to
him. When the residue of the considera-
ton was ordered to be paid into court,
the purchaser asked for an indulgence of
ninety days which Judge Speer granted.
However, the residue above the $4,000 was
never paid, and hence the order was made
requiring that the road be resoId."
There are many conjectures about who
the real purchasers are, and the fact
seems to resolve itself into one of four
possibilities. They are, first that
the purchasers were the Central
u.
the Georgia and Alabama railroad;
third, party of Washington capitalists
who recently reviewed the property; ana
fourth, some even claim that Hon. p. w.
Meldrim was the purchaser. The motive
which ii is claimed the Central railroad
would have in acquiring the property is
to retain control of the traffic in the
Statesboro district; that of the Georgia
and Alabama, TO complete the road from
Woodburn to StatesDoro, a distance of
twenty-five miles. and thereby establish
a competitive line with the Central for
all traffic in the Statesboro district. The
Washington capitalists mentioned as prob
able purchasers are a party who, about
two weeks ago. reviewed the entire line
of the road, In company with Judge A.
II. MacDonel,e and seriously considered
the advisability of buying it.
Judge A. H. MacDonell representing
creditors, states that the people of States
boro are anxious to have competition in
railroad facilities and that they will not
only donate the right of way from Wood
burn to Statesboro, but that the town of
Statesboro will, he thinks subscribe any,
where from $4,000 to $4,000 If necessary
to obtain the competing line. The tariff
rates on freight from Statesboro to Dover,
a distance of ten miles are thought to be
within fraction of the rates from Dover
to Savannah, via the Central railroad
distance of some fifty-seven miles. So
that the. present railroad situation at
Statesboro seems to be that the town is
bottled by the Dover and Statesboro and
the Central railroads, the former of which
is considered as one of the best paying
roads in the state.
However, the identity of the purchasers
may continue mystery, as Mr.. Carter
says. until the initial $1,000, or such other
sums as Judge Speer may order, shall be
paid into court Messrs. John d. Howell
of cambridge and Fred r. Lockhart of
Augusta, special masters, who conducted
the sale of the road were in the city yes
terday and filed their report in the United
States court.