The age-herald., 1901-02-04
MORE RUMORS IN
 RAILROAD CIRCLES
UnConhrmed Report of the Sale
 of the Northeastern
BIRMINGHAM INTERESTED
Is to Effect That the Seaboard Air Line is the Purchaser, and ReVives Talk of the East and
 West.

It is rumored that the Seaboard Air Line has purchased the New Orleans and North eastern railroad, which runs from New Or leans to Meridian and constitutes part of the Queen and Crescent route. The rumor comes from Atlanta, but the News of that city says that it lacks official confirma- ton In commenting on the rumor the News says:
 "It is reported in Atlanta today that the Seaboard Air Line has purchased the New Orleans and Northeastern railroad, running from the Crescent City to Meridian, Miss. And while there is no official confirmation of the story 1t is generally credited in rail- road circles.
 ''That the seaboard has just bought some railroad Is reported, but the name of the property purchased has not been given out. As, however. that system has been figuring upon buying the New Orleans and North eastern for some time, and something less than a year ago F. St. John, then vice presi- dent and general manager of the Seaboard, announced that he hoped to secure the prop erty in question, there Is small doubt but that it is the New Orleans and Northeast ern.
 "A prominent railroad man, discussing the matter this morning, said that though at the first glance it might appear unreason- able to believe that the Seaboard had bought the line reported, closer study of the situation would show such a deal would be masterly move for the Seaboard. "The Seaboard has no connection with the line in question, and therefore has no way to feed it. But the road is fed by the Mobile and Ohio and the @. and e. Indeed, it is the only route by which the Mobile and Ohio and the 2. and z; can get into New orleeans at all. So if it passed into the control of the Seaboard, that system would be in posi- ton to say to the Southern-now the owner of the Mobile and Ohio
 "'Unless such and such concessions are granted us We will shut you out of New Orleans
 And they also could say to the Queen and Crescent:
 Give us this or that, else you don't get in New Orleans any more
 And then, too. the Seaboard has long contemplated an effort to get into New Or leans, and it has been reported that the Seaboad had bought the East and West Railroad, intending to extend it to Birm- ingham, and from Birmingham to Merid- ian Which lends additional confirmation to the belief that the road just purchased by the Seaboard is the New Orleans and Northeastern.
 Local officials will not speak of the mat ter, but in spite of their reticence railroad men generally believe this to be true, and are awaiting the official announcement with great interest"
 If there is any truth in this rumor then it is more than likely that the Seaboard will acquire the East and West Railroad, if it has not already done so, and come- into Birmingham over that line This could be done by building thirty miles of new road from Pell City, or Coal Citl to Birmingham and bySextending the line from Carters- vile east about the same length to con nection with the main line of the Sea- board. However, the Seaboard now has lsne to Montgomery and could extend on to Meridian from that city by building about 150 miles of new road.