Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-01

the Seaboard Air Line, last night an
nounced that at meetings of the dircc-
tors and stockholders of the Seaboard
ar Line railway. the Florida Central
ana Peninsula railroad and the Georgia
and Alabama railway this week ar
engagements were perfected by which
the Seaboard Air Line railway assumes
the operation, on and after July 1st,
OF the Georgia and Alabama railway
and the Florida Central and Peninsula
system, as divisions of the Seaboard
Air Line system.
At these meetings the necessary steps
were taken for the immediate consol-
idation with the Seaboard Air Line
railway of some six or seven Individual
roads embraced in the system. aggre-
eating more than six hundred miles
of road. the earnings of which will,
after July LIST. be consolidated with
those of the main stem OF the system
from Richmond to Ridgeway.
GEORGIA AND ALABAMA RAIL
WAY ASSENTS.
1t is further announced that more
than eighty per cent. of the capital
stock of the Georgia and Alabama rail-
way has already assented to the plan
by which the capital stock of that
company will be retired and replaced
by the new securities of the Seaboard
system.
The jurisdiction of the general Off
GERS of the Seaboard Air Line system
has been extended over the two sys-
TENS thus absorbed, and President
Williams announces several import
ant changes among the officers. r. st.
John becomes vice president and gem
eral manager of the entire system. V.
T.. McBee, formerly superintendent of
the Seaboard Air Line. is made gem
eral superintendent OF TN consolidated
system. Vice President and General
Manager Gabbett, of :hc Georgia and
Alabama Railway. becomes superin-
tendent of the fourth division of the
Seaboard Air Line system, from Co
lumbia. S. c., to Jacksonville. Fla.
and from Savannah. Ga, to Montgom-
erY. Ala. Including branch lines. Vice
President and General Manager Max
well. of the Florida Central and Pc
ninsular, assumes charge as superin-
tendent of the fifth division of the Sea-
board system, extending from Fernau-
dina and Jacksonville to Tallahassee
and Tampa, Fla, including branch a,n
Florida Central and Peninsular. be-
comes comptroller of the Seaboard,
with headquarters at Portsmouth.
John II. Sharp formerly treasurer OF
the Raleigh and CASTOR and Seaboard
and Roanoke is now treasurer of the
entire system. II. w b. Glover is ap-
pointed traffic manager and c. r.
Capps general freight agent with
headquarters at Portsmouth. General
Freight and Passenger Agent A. Pope,
has been appointed assistant freight
agent of the Seaboard system, with
headquarters at Savannah, and Cen
eral Freight Agent w. II. Peasants,
of the Florida Central and Peninsular.
has ben made assistant general freight
agent of the Seaboard. with head
quarters at Jacksonville.
TWO THOUSAND MORE FREIGHT
CARS.
President Williams was asked
whether the contraction in general
business was felt as yet by the Sea-
board. He replied:
The slackening in business which is
reported in different parts of the coun-
try has not begun to manifest itself
With us. On the contrary, the move
ment of freight and passengers over
the Seaboard is growing uninterrupt-
edy, and the only difficulty we have
to contend with just now is a serious
shortage in cars. We cannot begin to
furnish the equipment required to
transport the business that is being
offered to us. We are running many
extra trains to move this traffic. and
at meeting of our directors this
week ! found it necessary to recon-
mend the purchase of two thousand
additional freight cars. for which we
will send our specifications to the car
builders at once. The linking together
of the Florida Central and Peninsuiar
and the Georgia and Alabama divi-
sions of the Seaboard Air Line will
mean n large increase in business to
Ill parts of the system. The old main
inc of the Seaboard will hereafter en-
10Y a large business in Florida prod
rcts. especially in the line of fruits
nd vegetables. of which 1t has hereto
eore had no share. and the business
which 1t will derive from the Georgia
md Alabama IN the way of lumber
md other Georgia products will be
considerable. I think 1t will be but
little while now before the earnings
If the consolidated system will reach
and exceed a million dollars a month.
I have not, OF course. received a re-