Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-12
With THE RAILROADS.
Mr.. Thomas P. Ryan's Norfolk At
torney Will not Talk,
Tho chesnpenko q ohio Up-to.Dnso-
S. AL ana ,he Ense nna Florida
VIII Enter Richmond--Ncw Orr
sanizntlon-Rcaehi Ont.

Mr.. D. Lawrence Groner, counsel
for Mr.. Thomas T. Ryan, of New York,
was seen by reporter of the Virgin
ian-Plot to-day and asked concerning
Mr.. Ryan's attitude to the proposed
consolidation of the Seaboard system,
the Georgia and Alabama system. and
the Florida Central and Peninsula sys-
tenn.
Mr.. Groner refused to make any
statement in the matter further than
to confirm the report published i'm
yesterdays papers, that at the recent
meeting of the stockholders of the
Raleigh and CASTOR. Mr.. Ryan had
filed protest, against the proceedings
had at that meeting. What the pur-
pose Of the protest was or what action
his client intended taking in the mat
ter, Mr.. Groner refused to state
Another stockholders meeting will
be held at Raleigh Wednesday. when
it is likely the reasons for Mir. Ryan's
protest will be made known to the
public. 1t Is probable that the matter
may finally get into the courts. Mr.
Ryan controls 1000 of the $4,000 shares
of the Raleigh and CASTOR stock
This road, extending frim Norfolk to
Weldon. ". c.. Is the parent as it
were, of the nine roads of the original
Seaboard Air Line system, and Mr.
Ryan claims that the action of the
Raleigh and CASTOR stockholders is
the absorption of the parent by the
| child.
uP-TO-DATE.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad
Company will ask for an extension of
time in order that they can comoly
with the law requiring freight cars to
be equipped with automatic couplers
and air brakes
This law was passed some time ago
and all the railroads in the United
States were required to thus equip
their cars and the time limit was set
at January LIST, 1900 Many Of the
corporations affected by the enact
ment Of this law entered protest and
claimed that the time given in which
they were expected to comply with
its provisions was too short. Recently
conference was held and n petition
asking for more time was formulated
and signed by the representatives,
and more time was asked by COM
m.ttee, who appeared before the Inter-
State Commerce Commission Wednes-
day last.
The Chesapeake and Ohio, however,
has been hard at work fitting out
their cars with the most improved APP
pliances, and as result they arc
ready ahead Of time.
The Chesa neake and Ohio Railway
has 1852 freight cars of it's own In
service on the various divisions OF the
system.
HOW THEY VIEW 1T.
"a question over which this end Of
the railroad world is now rather d.
vded Is that of the connection the
Florida Central and Peninsular will
manage to make in order to keep up a
through business from Florida TO the
East until such time ais it's connecting
link with the Seaboard Air Line be-
tween Cheraw. S. c., and Columbia is
finished. Nothing seems TO be known
positively about the matter in Savan-
nah, though there are two theories as
to What will be done.
"One is that the Seaboard Air Line
and the Florida Central and Peninsular
will make Il traffic arrangement with
the Atlantic Coast Line, under which
they Will be able to use its road be-
tw cen Creraw and Denmark. The other
is that the Southern Railway will be in
duc6d 10 continue TO handle the through
trains in connection with the Florida
Central and Peninsular until the com
pletion of the Creraw Columbia line OF
HI - Seabeafa systenl-n-Saxannah
News.