The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-26
LITIGATION At
LAST SETTLED
East and West Will be Extended
to Birmingham.
AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT
Said to Have Been Purchased by the Z
c. M. & Dashboard Behind the
Deal-Purchase Price Given
at $1,25O,ooo.
AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT

1t seems to be a settled fact now that the
East & West Railroad of Alabama will be
extended into Birmingham.
This road at present runs from Carriers
willie, Ca, to Pel City, Ala, distance of
about 12O miles. To get into Birmingham
the company means to build about forty
miles of track, unless the Southern be par
alleled from Pen City, in which case the
distance would be reduced some eight or
ten miles.
As, perhaps, most readers of the Age
Herald know, the East &c West has beer
tied up in the courts for the past seven or
eight years, and even longer ago than that
was in the hands of a receiver. The road
was built in the early eighties by the late
Amos West, of Cedartown, Ga; Eugene
Kelley and the Browning Bros, of New
York, and was originally intended to tap
the coal fields of st. Clair county, and that
is as far towards the west as it has ever
extended.
Some six or seven years ago Eugene KEEL
ley and the Brownings went into the courts
with the road. The question at issue arose
out of the issuance of receivers certifi-
Gates. Mr.. Kelley having bought most, If
not all, of these, a suit in equity was filed
in the chancery court of this district, and
after several years a decree was rendered
in favor of Kelley. An appeal was taken
to the supreme court and decision has
been handed down modifying and rendering
the case.
1t is understood that the parties to the
suit, the heirs of the late Eugene
Kelley and the Brownings. some time ago
MAJ Cot
days decision was in accordance with that
agreement.
1t is reported that the Brownings have
closed trade with Lee Higgins & Co.,
bankers and brokers of Boston, by which
the latter purchase the East and West
road, paying therefor the sum of $l,25O,00O
Lee, Hggings & Co. are financial agents of
the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham
Railroad company and are said to be mere
ly representing that company in purchasing
the East and West.
While the statement is made that through
their financial agents the Kansas City,
Memphis and Birmingham comes into pos
session of the East and West, it is. also, I'M
derstood that in this trade the Kansas City,
Memphis and Birmingham company is
backed by the Seaboard Air Line company,
and that the two companies will jointly
own and control the East and West.
The Informant of The Age-Herald, who
has recently been in consultation with the
Kansas City, Memphis and birmingham
people in the east, says it is the purpose
OF the new company to barild the East and
West into Birmingham at once. This, he
says, has been agreed upon, and the work
on the gap between Birmingham and Coal
City, ST. Clair county, will begin within
the next few weeks.
The Seaboar Air Line company owns
considerable property in and near Birming-
Gram, and it is the general impression that
the Birmingham Belt railroad was bought
at the recent sale either in the interest OF
the Seaooard Air Line company or that
arrangements have been by which that
company will acquire possession of it when
they are in position to come to Birming-
ham.
The Seaboard Air Lime, by using the
East and West and extending the road
from Coal City, or Pell City, to Birming-
ham and by building a short time from
Gainesville to Gainesville, Ca. would have
direct line TO New York, which would
be few miles shorter than the Southern
by way of Atlanta