The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-30
SEABoARD TO START AT ONCE.
VICE PRESIDENT SAYS 1T WILL GO
FROM CHERAW TO AUGUSTA.

According to the Columbia state,
Mr. st. John Says the seaboara
Cannot Afford to Lose an Hour i'm
letting the Proposed Connection
of the Three Great systemS-Con-
tract Calls for the Connection Re-
tween Cheraw and Columbia. 10
Miles, 10 he Finished by Dee. Is.
Route Has Already Been Surveyed.
IL Is Also said the seaboard Is CO.
ing From Augusta to Charleston.
Interesting news Is given out by Vice
President ST. John of the Seaboard Air
Line. The Columbia State of yesterday
had the following;
''rhe Seaboard Air Line system. as
vice President and General Manager 81
John yesterday expressed II, cannot AFFORD
to lose one hour in getting the proposed
connection of its three systems into one
great system accomplished. There was
ample evidence of this yesterday when
Mr.. ST. John himself arrived in the city
and very shortly afterwards a corps Of
engineers, under Chief Engineer f. Nj.
Lugof, who made the survey from Column
bia to Augusta and has run preliminary
lines between Camden and Columbia, ar
rived from Portsmouth. ready TO 40 into
camp near this city at once.
But this was not the only gratifying
news Of the day in connection with the
seaboard. The authoritive announcement
was made during the day that the Sea-
board would at once proceed TO construct
line from Columbia to Augusta. Ii was
further announced that the survey Of this
line had already been completed, and the
profies were in the Office OF the company
ready for the contract for the work 20 be
let. The advantages of this line were full
iy set forth in the State before IL was
announced that the line would be built.
The line will be fourteen miles shorter
than any existing line between the Two
points, and VIII put the tourists points,
Camden, Columbia, Aiken and Augusta,
within a few miles of each other. The
exact distance will be sixty-eight miles.
For some time also there has been con-
siderable speculation as to what road was
having the mysterious survey from Au-
gusta TO Charleston via Barnwell made.
The State several weeks ago gave infor-
nation which tended 60 show that the Sea
board was after getting a short line from
Augusta to the port of Charleston, cross
ing its Florida Central aud Peninsular d.
vision at right angles. The authoritative
announcement was made yesterday that
this survey was being made for the Sea-
board Air Line; that 1t had been IN prog
ress for two months; that IL was being
most thoroughly done, and that the work
would be finished in few days. when the
proiiles would be made out and placed In
the hands of the Seaboard's manag cement.
This line will be much shorter than any
existing line between the two cities The
statement is further made that the Sea-
board is anxious to enter Charleston, that
city being one of its present objective
points The possibilities of traffic ar
rangoments for the Southwest with lines
entering Augusta. particularly the Louis
vile and Nashville system are obvious.
What such a line will mean for Charles
ton is even more obvious.
'The Seaboard now has six corps of en-
gineers in the field, and each of them are
busy. Later on further announcements
may follow.
in talking about the affairs Of the sys.
tenn yesterday Mr. ST. John confirmed the
announcement made In the press dis
patches as to the award of the contract
for the building of the line from Cheraw
to a junction with the Florida Central and
Peninsular division He states that by
Jan 1 the system proposes to have its
trains running through from New YORK
city to Tampa. by that date" he said
"the Seaboard will be in a position tc
try for it's share Of the business here.
abouts and do the people all the good II
can" Concluding, he said: you cannot
now appreciate what this whole thing
means for the city of Columbia; later on
perhaps, you will understand"
1t is proposed to commence the work
of construction on the line from the Che.
raw end within ten days time; from this
end toward Camden 1t is earnestly desired
that ground be broken within thirty days
The engineers have been held back on ac.
count of the uncertainty as to where the
Florida Central and Peninsular line will
be tapped. Engineer Lugoff and his met
are here now, however, to begin work In
twenty-four hours locating the line. one
hundred miles of steel rails. eighty pounds
have been purchased already, and ths
contract for the crossties has been let
No delay will be oceasioned, either, bS
the bridges. There will be two bis
bridges constructed--one over the Waters,
between Columbia and Camden, and thu
other over the Congaree-here or below
Columbia. The entire work must be com
pleted, under the contract, on or befor,
Dec. Is The distance from Cheraw t.
Camden Is between fifty-three and fifty
four miles, and from Camden to Columbis
between. twenty-slx and twenty-six anC
one-half miles.