The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-06
GOSSIP ABOUT THE DEAL.
RAILROAD OFFICIALS INTERESTED
IN THE :. A. L. PURCHASE.

Had Hand in It-OnIy One Official
Who Was Heard to Express Him
self Relieves Any Good Could Come
20 the 6. q 4. Through Connec-
tiOn With the :. 4. IAN Extern
sion to the west or steamship
Line Ont of savannah Regarded as
Much Better step for the Local
Road.
Keen interest is manifested in railroad
circles in the purchase by a syndicate,
with President John Skelton Williams Of
the Georgia and Alabama at the head. Of
the controlling interest in the Seaboard
and Roanoke. or The Seaboard Air Line.
officials have been discussing the deal and
wondering just what viii bee done
As gathered from several railroad men
who save their views on the situation. the
general idea seems TO oe that the Georgia
and Alabama had no part in the transae-
ton The report that this road had acc
quired the Seabodrd is given no credence.
The officials are ready to believe that the
president and other stockholders Of the
Georgia and Alabama have gotten the con
could accrue to the Georgia and Alabama
from the purchase, admitting that it has
secured the big property. 1t is regarded
as anomalous for road like the Georgia
and Alabama 10 gather in another Of about
twice its mileage, and no credit is given
the report.
Speaking Of the situation an official said:
u fs,V
Alabama, anyway? fail to see it. What
that line would want would
be connection to the West
to bring products from that sec
ton 10 Savannah for expectation II it
could not reach out in that direction by
the acquisition of another line, the next
best thing for it would be a steamship line
from this to a foreign or Eastern port.
II would be one Of these things, ia strikes
me, the line would be after if il were in
the field for conquests just now. Building
the big terminals about 20 begin here
looks TO me as AZ the Georgia and Alabama
has no :dea of trying TO divert business
from Savannah 90 Norfolk or any other
port. On the contrary 1t would appear
that it intends 10 lend every energy 10 the
work of increasing the commerce of @Sa-
vannah.
Let the connection they talk of be
made between the Georgia aud Alabama
and the seaboan1 at any point they might
choose, and still don't see that the form
er road would be benefited The Sea-
board might but / can't see where the
Georgia and Alabama would. IL is posi-
bic that an extension from some South
Carolina point to Savannah might help
the Seaboard in giving 1t a through line
to the North and the Georgia and Ala
bama for the same reason, but the latter
road would profit more by the establish |
ment of a steamship line"
Railroad men generally say they do not
believe there win be any connection ee-
lablished between the two lines. They
think there is nothing more i'm the whole |
affair than the same persons being inter |
ested in the tRo properties that do not
come within a hundred miles Of each |
other One Georgia and Alabama man
says he doubts if any other Georgia and |
Alabama stakeholder than Mr.. Williams |
has any interest In the acquisition of the |
Seaboard.
one gentleman a passenger official |
rather favored the plan of connection |
between the two. He thought it would |
prove of benefit 70 both roads. II remains |
to be seen, however, what the future may |
bring forth in the matter Nothing was |
heard yesterday. so far as could be ascer- |
tdtieAf at AllE NffbA Std dtlu Aldbduit gen |
eral offices relative to the purchase.
Col. B. w. Wrenp, passenger traffic man
ager of the Plant System. is in Jackson |
vile on a business trip.
Mr.. W. c. Perkins. vice president and |
general manager of the Wrghtsville and |
TennilIe Railroad, spent yesterday in the |
city. Mr. Perkins home is at Tennille |
In a few weeks his line will be. consider |
ably heightened BY the addition of the |
Ooonee and Western, which was recently |
purchased by the Wrightsvine and |
'renniIle. The deal has been con- |
summated by the directors OF |
the roads, and it only requires the ratih- !
cation of the stockholders for the final con- |
iirmation of the sale AS soon as that
has been gained the operation of the Oco-
nee and Western by the Wrlghtsville and |
fennille, one of the best paying pieces of |
railroad property in the state viii be COM |
menced.
Chief Clerk W. H. Leahy of the passen- |
ger department of the Plant System. and |
Chief Rate Clerk Stansen Of the Central |
were in Atlanta yesterday at |
tending the meeting of the rate clerks of |
the lines comprising the Southeastern Pas
senger Association.
Mr.. ]. McF. Williams, travelling freight
agent for the Louisville and Nashville |
Railroad, with headquarters at Montgom- |
cry, spent yesterday in the city.
The Central Railroad has just gotten out
a very handsomely illustrated book that is
a splendid advertisement of the fruit hell
through which 1t runs. Within attractive
covers are pages that show striking pic !
lures of orchards Of all manner of fr,it
indigenous 10 this section and of differenf
stages in its preparation for market and
shipment
RACES TOOK PLACE IN RAIN.
Belle of Memphis the Only x1tiDr;,