Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-08
THAT SEABOARD
AIR LINE DEAL
Composition of the Syndicate
Which Purchased it.
RICHMOND AND BALTIMORE
Money In tho Dcat-Tho Harmonious
Arrnu=enent In Existnnco su.-
Ecsts the PrnctIcnbiIity OF Effect
ing Through Train Service with
tho FIoridR Central md Peninsula
with through fino to Washington

The Baltimore Sun of yesterday con-
tanned the following facts concerning
the purchase OF the pooled stock of the
Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad Com
pany, which was its terminus in this
city:
The syndicate which has made the
offer OF $500 q share for the pooled
stock of the Seaboard and Roanoke
Railroad Company was formed by John
l.. Williams IL Sons and the Rich
mond Trust and Safe Deposit Company,
of Richmond, Va: Middcndorf, Oliver
X Co.. the Mercantile Trust and De-
post Company and the Baltimore
Trust and Guarantee Company, OF Bal
iimore, and the Produce Exchange
Trust Company, of New York. Most
of the capital is from Baltimore and
Richmond. This syndicate controls the
Richmond. Petersburg and Carolina
Railroad Company, which has made its
financial arrangements to build a rail-
road from richmond to Ridgeway, y.
c.. on the Soaboard Air Line.
An arrangement made some time ago
provides for the operation OF this road
when completed under II lease by the
Seaboerd Air Line. 1t is the purpose
to build this line rs speedily as posi-
BILE. When this line is finished it will
run through Richmond and connect
with the Richmond Fredericksburg and
Potomac railroad. over which, in con-
nection with the Pennsylvania railroad
an entrance into Washington is con-
temrGated y large terminal station
will be built on the site of the old ST.
Charles Hotel property, which was
purchased some time ago in the inter-
est of the Richmond, Petersburg and
Carolina railroad.
while no plans have been perfected
for a new line through the belt of
territory separating the SeaDoard Air
Line from the Georgia and Alabama.
which is owned by the syndicate. there
arc several routes under consideration.
l is likely that n line will be buNt to
Savannah and there meet the Georgia
and Alabama. Funds have been pro-
vtdcd and the steel rails were bought
this week to build the Georgia and Ala
bama from Meldrim into Savannah, 4
distance of about seventeen miles. At
present the entrance is secured
through lease with another road
The Georgia and Alabama exchanges
business at Savannah with the South
Bound railroad. which is leased by the
Florida Central and Peninsula railroad
ana forms part of the through route
from Washington to Florida. The fact
That harmonious arrangements now eX-
list suggests the practicability of the
erecting of n through train service
with the Florida Central and Peninsu-
lar when the syndicate reaches Savan-
nan with through line from Washing
Ion. AT Montgomery. Ala. the Georgia
ana Alabama connects with the Louis
Vile and Nashville. and this offers an
opportunity to reach New Orleans
with n through car service.
I'm carving on its negotiations for
the control of the Scaboard Air Line
the syndicate has moved rapidly
Christmas week was the time of the
first definite proposal and on Christ
mas-cvc the proposition had been re-
duccd To the form OF n contract with
the REQUIRED guarantee that it would
be carried out"