The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-11
AMONG THE RAILROADS.
Big Passenger Business and Bright
Prospects.

Big Passenger Business and Bright
Prospects.
With the end of the war in sight and
the business of transporting troops about
at an end. and the general Improvement
in the business world the prospects are
that the era of prosperity in the pas
senger departments of the railroads will
continue for Il long time.
The volume of travel over the local
lines this summer has been enormous,
and the passenger agents are correspond
ingly pleased over the encouraging re-
ports that have come in from their de-
partments. On both the Seaboard and
the Southern all previous records were
broken for the months of July and Au'
gust the number Of people carried eX-
ceeding by several thousand that of any
corresponding period ever before known
There il one good feature of this pros
porous condition. and that is that there
does not seem to be any signs of a fall
ing off in this months business. a
Notwithstanding that the close of the
season is near at hand, the crowd that
left here on the trains yesterday morn
ing was one of the largest that has gone
out this year.
A significant indication of the outlook
for railroad business in the South is the
large number of orders recently given
by Southern railroads for rolling stock
These orders. the Manufacturers Record
says, aggregate two and quarter mil
lion The Southern railway, for in
stance. is having 1850 cars built, OF
which 600 are coal cars, $50 fiat cars
and 500 box cars. The Southern has
also ordered one passenger car and -four
combination passenger and baggage
coaches. All these cars will be built
with all the latest improvements, AND
will be Of large capacity.
4 dispatch from Augusta, Ga, an
nounces the Seaboard Air Line has
nearly completed arrangements to eXtend
it's tram service to that city, and it is
expected solid trains will be operated
from Portsmouth Va, the tidewatel
terminus Of the Seaboard Air Line. II
is stated that the company will use the
tracks of the Charleston and Western
Carolina railroad from Greenwood, =
G.. running between Portsmouth AND
Greenwood on it's own tracks. Offices
have been secured for the road. BY this
decision of the Seaboafd Air Line An
gusta obtains another direct route to the
North, which will greatly increase lis
Importance as railroad center.
Mr.. l.. +. Nichols superintendent OF
the Carolina and Northwestern railroad
informs the Manufacturers Record that
it is expected to complete the 10-miIt
gap between Newton and Hickory, N
c., within the next thirty days.
Vice President st. John, of the Sea
board Air Line. thinks he will have the
branch line between Logansville and
Lawrcncevillc, Ga, in operation before
, October !. The branch is eleven miles
long. and the track is now being laid.
One of the principal promoters of the
combination Of roads intended to connect
Bristol. Tenn, with Charleston, :. c..
is c. III. Nimson, general superintendent
of the East Tennessee and Western
North Carolina railroad, ut Cranberry
| n. c.
The Southern Railway is considering
/ the construction of a 40-mIe branch lin,
near Birmingham, Ala 1t will run on
to the plant of the Ivy Coke and Goa
Company.
The Atlantic Coast Line will soon be
gin the construction of new machine
shops at Florence, S. c.