The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-28
AROUSED BY SEABOARD
MIR. MONCTRE IS BUILDING THE
CHERAW ROAD.
Mr.. TURNER is ACTING sUPERlNT ENDENT
The Seaboard's Purchase Of Florida Central
and Peninsula Has Cut Off the
Southern's Line to
Florida.

The survey of extension of the Palmet
to road from Cheraw to Columbia has
already commenced.
The civil engineers began at the Che
raw end and are making Il preliminary
survey.
Division Superintendent William Mon
cure of this city, has been put in charge
of the work. During his absence Train
Master j. H. Turner will be Acting Divi-
sion Superintendent.
This is the largest division in the sys-
TEN. extending from here to Monroe.
and from Monroe to Rutherfordton and
to Wilmington.
This extension of the Palmetto road is
for the purpose of connecting the Sea
board system with the Florida. Central
and Peninsular Railroad. which the
Seaboard has recently purchased The
extension is about Is miles long, through
a fine fruit country, and will, when COM
pleted, give the Seaboard Florida line
100 miles shorter than that now used
by the Southern.
The Southern Railway has been using
the tracks of the Florida, Central and
Peninsular for its trains to Florida. Now
that its rival. the Seaboard has scooped
up the property ut an outlay of $4,000
this arrangement will of course. have TO
cease. And il will mean one of three
things: The Southern will have to dis
continue its Florida travel, build its own
line or make new trackage arrangements
with some other line.
The only other line that goes into
Florida and can be SO used is the Plant
System. That comes no further north
than Savannah, Ga. while the Southern
gees South only TO Columbia, $. G..
Hence to make deal with the Plant
System the Southern must build line
from Columbia, $. c.. to Savannah. Ga.
And just this is said TO now he the
Southern's intention to do. But such an
arrangement could be only temporary
and sooner or later the Southern must
extend its own road on southwark II it
would share in the great West Indian
trade that is already coming this way.
The Plant System will at an early day
be Il competitor of the Southern; with
that avowed intention it is even now at
work on the North and South Carolina
Railroad To connect the Atlantic and
DanvilIe and the Plant SYSTEM When
this is completed there will be another
great through line from the North to the
South, and the Southern will again he
forced to look out for itself.
Seeing this it is more than probable
that the Southern will at once set about
buying up such weak lines as it can
utilize. and where no line can he secured
it viii build
CONNECT WITH PLANT SYSTEM.
Columbia. $. c., March 27.-The State
will announce tomorrow on authority
that the Southern Railway is about TO ex-
tend its line from this city to Savannah
and ultimately to Jacksonville. Chief
Engineer Wells is already in COLUMBIA
organizing surveying force and will
take the field at once. The shortest
possible route will be taken to Savannah
and the new line will be completed
IN time for next winters business
This extension is rendered necessary
by the Seaboard Air Lines recent pur-
chase of the Florida Central and Pen
insula. which runs from this city TO
Savannah, Jacksonville and Tampa. Foi
several years this road had furnished
Florida connection for the Southern and
a great and profitable through passen.
ger traffic had ben developed. A
month ago the Seaboard acquired it and
Is now surveying a line from Cheraw
). c., to Columbia to connect with il
and take the place Of the Southern as
its Northern feeder. BY building now
from Columbia to Savannah the South
ern will connect With the Plant System
and turn its through business into that
channel.
The increasing Importance of the West
Indian traffic, destined in the near flu
ture 10 become very lucrative, is the
stimulus TO this strong competition. The
Seaboard's purchase of the Florida Cen
tral and Peninsula is having the curious