The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-16

feet of lumber is lying along the road
ready for shipment. says the Norfolk
Landmark
Work on the branch line of the South
crn Railway to the Narrows of the
ladkin will soon begin 1t will probably
run from Albemarlc or New London on
The 1adkin road 10 the proposed location
of their plant. The road is a prime
necessity to the Yadkin Power Com
pany. as there is no other means Of
transporting the heavy material for the
construction of its plant
The incorporators of the Yadlzin
Power Company are: John 4. Ram
sey. of Salisbury; j. Lee Maxwell, NJ. A.
Armstrong and +. f.. Boardman. of
Knoxville. The company viii dam the
Nadkin river near Salisbury and erect
an electric power plant to he propelled
by water Electric lights will he furn-
iShtd the cities of Salisbury and Grrcns-
boro and power will he supplied variGus
manufacturing towns and industries
throughout Western North Carolina.
New York capitalists are backing the
enterprise Ramsey is State engineer
for North Carolina: Maxwell and Arm
strong are Knoxville capitalists, Board
man is an expert electrician of Knox
vile. Work viii begin next week.
Speaking of the proposed North and
South Carolina Railroad, as connec-
ton between the Plant system and the
Atlantic and Danvillc Railroad. the
Columbia State says:
The proposed road would be an abSo-
lutte air line between Danyillc and
Columbia. and by building ~ or 50
miles southwark from this city to the
Waltclboro branch of the Charleston
and Savannah road Il very short con
ncction with the Plant system would
be made. We may take it for granted
that the opening of the West Indies 10
American enterprise and the freight and
passenger traffic incident TO their eX-
poitation will offer so considerable
prize TO railroads running north and
south along the Atlantic coast that Flori-
da connections will be sought with in
creasing eagerness.
Touching the Black Diamond sys-
tom, of which mention was yesterday
made in these columns the Columbia
State has this 10 say:
1--WE hope the Black Diamond Rail
road will be as certain Il thing as its
promoters claim. 4 great need q
South Carolina. now. as sixty years ago.
is a short line to the West; and what
II needs much more now than il did
chen is the cheap coal that this road
would furnish. Our ports will take on
new life if the Black Diamond is built,
for it will develop a vast export tra lc
from them which will soon bring inn
ports also We are nearer 10 .hc
West than New York or Baltimore AMI
its exporting and importing business
would enrich all the South Atlantic
ports
Ii was Semi-officially announced
in Baltimore some days ago that the
Scahoard Airline was about TO become
the parent corporation OF Il combina-
ion Of railroads, which would he made
up Of the Scaboard. the Georgia and
Alabama and the Florida Central and
Peninsular systems. 1t has been sug-
gested that the proposed system is 10
make connection with the Baltimore
and Ohio somewhere in the vicinity of
Washington, and thus provide the
South with a new through line into
New York and the East
The projection of an enterprise 0f such
magnitude has naturally attracted in
terested comment from traffic mcH
throughout the South.
The effect which the consolidation
of these important interests will have
upon this section of country is 100 far.
reaching TO be hurriedly estimated, says
thu Charleston News and Courier.
Aside from any possible benefit. ii
is questionable whether the consolidation
is not an actual menace to the inter
est Of the South Atlantic ports. The
harm that has come to them in cou-
sequence Of the fact that nearly all
thc great Southern traffic lines have
been interested in hauling freights
away from them and not to them. is
already incalcuIable The Southern,
and it's predecessor, the old Richmond
and Danvlle system, stripped the
SW..h of enough business to have made
the fortunes of half the ports south
of Hatteras. 1t is still engaged in the
same work, and if its efforts are now
10 bc seconded 10y another far-rea:Eing
and powerful northward going system
of roads. the outlook for the CONNER
cial interests of the South Atlantic
ports is not an encouraging one.
But whether the newly proposed
combination of traffic lines does or does
not take place. the mere suggestion that
such an enterprise is possible serves
the purpose of giving additional on
phasis 10 the crying need for more
numerous and more extensive transporta