Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-01
Probabilities of Combination Be-
tween Two Great Systems.
THE s. a. L. AND 3. g. o.
How Their Interests Meet Tho Ii. s. O.
Looked Upon ms a Natural outictt to tho
North ana West for Greater scaboard
Tho seaboard ana choctaw-R Railroad
Earnings.

The strong probability that the Vir-
gihih Legislature will grant n charter
10. The Richmond and Washington Air
Line Railroad Company, which is the
corporation through which the Greater
Seaboard Air Line System proposes to
reach Washington. awakens new inter
est in this city says the Baltimore sun
in the plans of the Scaboard for a
northern outlet. While a traffic ar
rangcment has been made with the
Pennsylvania Railroad to handle the
Seaboard trains, it is Known that there
is no longtime agreement in this con
nection, ana the arrangement can be
terminated at WILL Tho Baltimore and
Ohio is looked upon as the logical
northern connection for the Seaboard
and it is now believed that within the
| next u months such an arrangement
Will have become an accomplished
| fact.
Continuing the Sun says: Before the
| move to build a line from Richmond To
Washington became public the Penn
syivania Railroad afforded the only
available outlet TO the north. It's line
Richmond, fredericksburg and Potomac
form the neck through which the entire
| railroad business OF the East must
move in order to get South. Through
this avenue the trains of the Southern
| Railway and the Atlantic Coast Line
arc routed. The absence of any other
outlet naturally dictated traffic ar
rangements between the Scaboard and
the Pennsylvania, but as the other
systems already enjoying n franchise
through this transportation neck of the
South had from long experience picked
out the preferred times ana service for
running their trains, it was considered
from the outset by railroad men in this
city unlikely that the Seaboard and the
| pennsylvania would become perma-
nently allied.
The gap between Washington and
| Richmond, filled in as is now contcm-
plated by the new corporation which
mas asked the Virginia Legislature for
| charter. would remove the physical
barrier for an alliance with the T3alti-
more and Ohio. That the promoters
OF The Richmond and Washington Air
Line mean business is evidenced by
deposit OF heavy bond to carry out
their agreement. UP to the present
| nothing has appeared to show that Il
| contract has been signed between the
| Scaboard Air Line and the baltimore
and Ohio. President John Shelton Will
liams. of the Seaboard has distinctly
| denied Il report 10 this effect hut the
| aggressive and Vigilant executive head
of the Greater Seaboard organization
does not say that such a contract may
| not be Il thing of The future
Baltimore and Ohio officials are cs-
pccially we'll posted about the affairs
OF the Seaboard, and there has been
some quiet investigation and figuring
going on about handling trains between
| Washington and New York for this
new line TO the South. One official
when asked about the possibility of an
| alliance, sententiously replied: Il
| haven't seen the plans for /; bridge
across the Potomac as yet" IT would
| not take long TO get nj these plans as
the engineering department of the Bal
-timore- and Ohio is thoroughly informed
on the situation
| In strengthening ont the legal at
lacks which the opponents af the Sea-
board combination have sprung, the
law firm OF Cowen, Cross e Bond is
conspicuous. OF this firm John X.
Cowen is president of The Baltimore
and Ohio Mr.. Cowcn is also mem
| Der OF the executive committee Of tho
Board OF Directors of the company.
I He is also a member of the executive
committee of the Continental Trust
| Company which is the dcpositary of
| the Geatcr Scaboard syndicate. Presi-
dent Cowen has most emphatic views
ABOUT the future of the South. and
looks for tremendous development in
| the railroad ira ilc To and from this sec
ton. lie is thoroughly posted on the
Seaboard plans. and several months
ago. when fierce attacks were being
| made by interests which do not want
| to see the new system perfected. de-
clared that mo financial or legal means
could be found to stop it,"
The theory that the so-caled "mu-
tnality of interests" might affect such
contamination is repudiated by those
| having full knowledge of the latter ana
| the spirit of the underst landing between
the dominant trunk line interests. 1t
is said that on the contrary 1t favored
such an arrangement, as division of
| traffic was conceded. and inasmuch nc
the baltimore and Ohio is entirely out
L Of the SOIL horn ihlnIicrl, lA.,ri