The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-04
GREAT COTTON BLOCKADE
Cotton Belt Tied Up With Thou
sands of Bales.
CONDITION OF |. C. SIMILAR
Roads Entering Birmingham Are Preparing to
Come to the Rescue-Minor Matters
Picked in Railroad Circles.

The worst cotton blockade experienced
in years exists on the Cotton Belt rail-
road.
The entire line, from end to end, is
lined with thousands of bales. and num-
berless cars freighted with the staple
are unable to be moved. The Cotton
Belts connecting lines are experiencing
more or less of a famine in cars and are
unable to satisfactorily handle the trains
furnished them.
AT this season the staple is shipped via
Cairo, ILL.,. buah by rail and water. On
account of the blockade and scarcity
of cars this point cannot be reached.
The Illinois Central and other lines are
constructing temporary lines to connect
with CHER roads. The Illinois Central
is placing in a double track from Car
bondale to Cairo, distance of fifty
seven miles. The work will cost $500
This line is mainly intended to handle
the immense cotton shipments.
LOCAL ROADS.
The Cotton Belt is tapped by the KAN
sas City, Memphis and Birmingham,
Louisville and Nashville, Alabama Great
Southern and Southern railroads. They
will be called into service to relieve the
blockade, and are collecting all the open
cars on their systems The freight bust
ness, mainly ON this account, will be
extraordinarily heavy during the win
ter Many additional trains will be put
on, besides, hundreds Of idle men will
be given employment.
One reason given for the existence of
the blockade is the enormous product
of the fieecy staple.
The over-produc1ion will be in the
neighborhood of 100000 bales this sea-
son. Coupled with this extraordinary
state of affairs is the heavy shipment of
cattle over the same roads. Relief will
be slow, as, for a time, the blockade
will be increased faster than the cotton
can be moved.
THROUGH BIRMINGHAM.
Millions Of bales of this cotton will find
am outlet through this city or by means
of the roads centering here.
All of the roads have been quietly
preparing for an extra heavy business
and are in a fair condition to furnish
empty cars
The period usually consumed in trans
porting the cotton is three months. This
year it is thoughJr that at least four and
half months will be needed on account
of the immense over-production.
| THE CHATTANOOGA SOUTHERN.
General Manager w. S. Hoslsins, of the
| Chattanooga Southern railroad, Is in
Montgomery. He is looking after the
terminal faclties for his road and in
specting about twenty miles of the pro-
posed route.
Capital iCty are very much brighter
As soon as Mr.. Hoskins completes his
ppesenh inspection he will return to
Chattanooga and complete his report.
He will then go to New York city for a
conference with Russell Sage and other
owners of the property.
THE WINTER SCHEDULES.
Tomorrow the roads centering in Bir-
mingham Will inaugurate their winter
schedules.
The time has been materially lessened
between southern points and those of
the east.
AFTER THE ScALPERS.
The Western Passenger association
inauguraIted the fight for the adoption
of the Sebastian interchangeable mile
age IlckeI. IIllS lSII Has pSei very
successful throughout the United States.
The same association now enters upon
fight against the ticket brokers. A
resolution considered at yesterdays
meeting in Sioux City, Ia. is as follows:
Resolved, That this association does
hereby urge upon the senate of the
United States and the house of repre-
sentabives the prompt enactment of laws
whose object shall be to suppress the
practice of ticket scalping."