The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-10
THE SALE A MYSTERY.
How Georgia IiaiIroaders Regard the
Scaboard Air Line Deal.

The Atlanta Constitution OF Friday IN
discussing the recent sale OF the Sedooard
Air Line 20 the Georgia and Alabama
syndicate. says:
The sale OF the Seaboard Air Line TO the
Georgia and Alabama syndicate was a
mystery 10 railway men yesterday, lhey
could not figure out satisfactorily TO
themselves what the Georgia and Ala
bama would do with the Seaboard Air
Line. There IS no physical connection
between the TWO systems except over IN
dependent and competing lines.
Tie suggestion that a link would be
buu- from Atlanta 70 Montgomery 20 give
the seaboard connection with Tho Georgia
and Alabama and establish line from
Washington TO Jacksonville. was absurd
on its face.
One Of the Seaboard's men had sug-
gestion which might be explanatory. lie
said that his management had brought
the systems earnings up so rapidly that
capitalists believed 10 was a good thing
and bought for an investment.
IL IS a fact that the management or the
Soaboard has been very successful and
last year the system made handsome
showing The Seaboard did not get much
of the army business. either but IL did
get a large volume of miscellaneous trat-
than the line had ever known before.
Many railroad men are of the opinion
that the syndicate has bought for specu-
lative purposes. one or two parent com
panles az the upper end of the system
control AN the properties, and t will not
require an immense sum of money 20
buy control There would bee money i'm
IT, either 90 wreck the properties or 90
force competing lines 10 purchase ana
get rid of competition. IL is the general
opinion that II the present management
OF the Seaboard remains unchanged, IL
Will mean that the properties are 10 be
operated legitlmately but If there Is q
change I'm MANAGEMENT. IL would create
the suspicion that the SeabOard would
renew its old tactics and become "a aehter
and a. demoralizer and suffer a falling
off in earnings.
The people of Richmond have been hop
ing that the SeabOard would continue in
dependent. but patriotism would hardly
be aroused TO the extent of inducing CAPT
tallsts 90 invest their money solely on
that ground.
tt is said that n large sum has recently
been spent 20 obtain terminals az Rich
m0nd for a proposed new road which, If
built. would shorten the distance between
Atlanta and Washington by the Seaboard
route thirty or forty miles
One report from Richmond was to the
effect that the Pennsylvania was aiding
the construction of the Richmond. Peters
burg and Carolina now being built from
Ridgeway 10 Richmond.
A few weeks ago 10 was announced that
the Pennsylvania was trying to get con-
troll of the Norfolk and Western. II IL
should turn out 10 be true that the
Pennsylvania IS about 20 enter the South,
and come as far as Atlanta the railroad
situation down here would be even more
interesting. The Pennsylvania is one Of
tho greatest systems if not the greatest
I'm the world.
Nothing has been said IN the dis
patches from Baltimore about Mr.. Ryan's
block OF stock If the syndicate gets the
stock pooled with President Hoffman, 20
would need Mr.. Ryans stock. but IL is
not likely that he has been left out I'm the
trade. The chances are that he is in tho
syndicate somewhere.