The age-herald., 1901-03-11
MORE RUMORS OF
 CONSULTATIONS Merging of L. 6 N. and Sea
 board Air Line WOULD BE STRONG SYSTEM Lease of the c. 6 0. to the PennsyI- vania-Latter Will Establish Route to FIorlda-News
 of the Rail.
WOULD BE STRONG SYSTEM

The latest railroad consolidation, ac- cording to published rumors, Is that of the Louisville and Nashville and the Sea- board Air Line, both of which are im- portant Southern systems. The rumor says that President Milton H. Smith of the Louisville and Nashville is to become vice president of the Seaboard, without giving up, however, his position as presi- dent of the Louisville and Nashville.
 A combination between the Louisville and Nashville and the Seaboard would place the joint system in very strong position The combined mileage of the Louisville and Nashville and the Sea- board Is over 5000 miles. The Louisville and Nashville has a direct line from St. Louis and Cincinnati to New Orleans and from Louisville to Memphis. It also con- trols the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis road and the Western and Atlantic and the Georgia road, extending from Nashville to Augusta.
 The Sccboard has a line from Rich mond to Atlanta and Montgomery. By this combination the Seaboard would en- able the Louisville and Nashville to reach
 
 the important Atlantic ports and the West over the Louisville and Nashville by way of New Orleans or St. Louis or Memphis
 With regard to this combination the Louisville Courier Journal says:
 Tt is rumored here and in the East that Milton H. Smith president of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, is to become vice president of the seaboard Air Line, and that the Louisville and Nashville will control the road. Such a deal would be of infinite value to the Louisville and Nashville and it is known that the company has desired such an outlet to the Atlantic seaboard for years. The acquisition control of the Sea- board Air Line would also make the com petition sharper between the Louisville and Nashville and the Southern Rail- way.
 "Mr. Smith was seen last night and denied emphatically that he had been elected vice president of the road as was widely reported in Eastern railroad cir cles. and said that so far as he knew, he was not going to have any connection with the Seaboard Air Line"
 The Pennsylvania.
 A telegram for Pittsburg, Pa, states that the Pennsylvania Railroad will have a trunk line over which it will operate solid trains through from Buffalo, N. Y., to Florida The telegram is as follows:
 '"The idea Is to establish a route to the south via Pittsburg. which will be 300 said to be under preparation that within two years will have been carried into eff feet and will establish line that will have the advantage of river levels from Warren, on the Mahoning river, to the headwaters of the Monongahela, crossing the West Virginia mountains to Kanawha and the Gauley, and connecting with the Chesapeake and Ohio, form the most di- rect route between the great lakes ,nd the Atlantic seaboard.
 "The Vanderbilts 1t is further stated, are interested with the Pennsylvania in this enterprise, and that both will con- tinue to extend their lines beyond the West Virginia State line to Virginia, the Chesapeake and Ohio, which they jointly control, to be the southern outlet to the Atlantic seaboard.
 "The arrangement Is understood to con- template the running of through trains from Buffalo and Cleveland to Richmond and Norfolk, thus saving 340 miles ovsr the present long routes via Washington D. C., or Cincinnati. The new route will have over 245 miles of river levels, pass through 300 miles of coal country, con- meet the great lakes with the Atlantic seaboard in a direct line, bring the Nor folk and Florida coasts seven hours, CT 320 miles, nearer Buffalo and Cleveland, and pass directly through the rich Ma honing and Ohio valleys, up the Monon- gahela from Pittsburg and through the splendid scenery of West Virginia and Virginia, with sources of great traffic on every mile of the way
 "Officials of the interested lines admit the necessity and value of this line, but are reticent as to the foregoing plans be- ing carried into effect within the period stated. though acknowledging that work under way points to it's establishment at some time"
 In confirmation of the above it Is au- thoritatively stated that the Pennsyl- vania has leased the Chesapeake and Ohio for period of 999 years.