Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-04
OFFER FOR sEABo,RD RAILWAY.
Made by Syndicate Headed by j.
SHELTON Williams.

Dali ihpiNi<s JoIudfN o.-A SNn0lcate,
believed to be headed by ]. SHELTON Will
liams. the Richmond banker. has made
an offer for the controlling interest in the
Scaboard and Roanoke Railway Company.
the parent organization Of the Seaboard
Airline. President II. Curzon Hoffman
declined to discuss the subject to-day but
from other authentic sources Il was
learned that the offer had been made.
and that Mr.. Hoffman. OF the pool which
controls the company. favors its accept
arce.
HOFFMAN WILL ADVISE ACCEPT
ANCE.
y gentleman identified with the COM
pany said tonight: Il understand that
an offer has been made to Mr.. Hoffman
for controlling interest in the stock of
the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad Com
pany, which he will submit to his stock
holders, with the advice that it be accept
ed. The terms are not yet TO be made
public, but / understand that the prices
are satisfactory to Mr.. Hoffman. lie has
received assurances that the line will be
operated in the future as in the past as
an Independent southern railway.
RICHMOND AND BALTIMORE CAP
ITAL.
"Mr. Hoffman is informed that nearly
the entire capital comes from Richmond
and Baltimore capitalists, and that every
effort will be made to prevent the abb
sorption of the company by other roads"
In some quarters IL was stated that the
Georgia and Alabama railway is the pro-
spective purchaser of the Seaboard.
The price contained in the offer is guard
ed by all interested, but it was hinted that
800 per share would not be far from the
mark.
RYAN mot IN IT."
Thomas f. Ryan, of New York, who
owns more than 1900 shares of the stock,
and has been endeavorng TO secure con-
troll Of the road for the past two years,
IT is reliably stated, is not connected with
the syndicate. There has been a spirited
contest between Mr. Ryan and the present
management Of the property for control.
This contest has covered a period of two
years. and the Hoffman action, which
controls the system, has been successful
throughout the long legal battle.
sEABOARD AND ROANOKE LINE.
The -Seaboard. and Roanoke reaches Bal
timore by the Baltimore Steam Packet
Company. a majority Of whose stock it
owns. The company operates a line of
steamers between Baltimore and Old
Point and Norfolk The sale of the Sea-
board and Roanoke carries with it CON
troll of this line.
SEABOARD AIRLINE SYSTEM
The total length of lines comprised in
the Seaboard AIRLINE system, on June
80, 1887, was 1866 miles. The lines OF
roads are as follows:
Northern Division-Portsmouth. Va, to
Raleigh, y. c., 1850 miles; Durham-Hen-
derson Branch, Henderson, n. c.. to Dur
ham, n. c.. 40; Boykins-Lewiston
Branch, Boykins Va, TO Lewiston, y. c.,
95; Louisburg Branch, Franklinton, n. c.,
to Louisburg. y. c.. 10.
Central DNislon-Raleigh y. c., to
Hamlet. y c.. $500; Wilmington, y. c..
TO Rutherfordton. n. c., 26zOS Carolina
and Henrietta branches, 64O Pittsboro'
railroad, Moncure, n. c., to Pittsboro'.
y. c., 1l.20; Gibson Branch Hamlet to
Gibson. n. c., 1913; Palmetto railroad.
Hamlet TO CheTew, 1920.
Southern Division-Monroe, y. c.. to At
lanta, Ca, 266.1O; Belt Line and Truck
agee, II.