The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-08

WAL De ndnuleQ Dy the AIautlc CoaSt
Lines consolidated system. which will
take the Southern trains just as the
| Plant System takes them row. The
only change is that the Southern has
secured absolute. perpetual and Zee
Simple rights to the enjoyment OF a
privilege which il now has simply by
the exercise of a time contract
The new consolidated Coast Line
system will embrace 1000 miles OF rail-
road. the Plant System now exceeding
| 1000 miles in length and the Coast Line
having about 1000 miles in its present
system.
THE Coast Line operates from Rich
mond. Va. to Charleston, 8. c., with
innumerable qualifications in the states
of Virginia. North and South Carolina
THE Plant System is owned oy the
Plant Investment Company, of which
Robert G.. Erwin is president. Harry
Walters is the man behind the guns
of the o Line. He Is recognized as
one of the ablest railroad men in Amer
lea. He is very prominent in financial
circles in New York. He is the first vice
president of the system, Mr.. w. G..
Elliott being the president. Mr.. Wal
ters has. 1t is said. conducted the nego-
tiations for the Coast Line.
The deal is not generally known as
yet in New York. and The Constitu-
tons announcement is the first publ
cation of the COUP"
rates its through rains from the east.
Likewise the Southern operates a
through train service from the west
TO Jacksonville. the Plant System TAX
ing it's trains at Jesup and handling
them to Jacksonville. just as it does
with the ~Southern's eastern trains from
Savannah. This is one by traffic ar
rangement. Under the new deal
whereby the Atlantic Coast Line n
81 DI>-A 80
ted. the Southern secures a perpetual
construct right for the handling OF all
its trains from Savannah and Jesup
into Jacksonville. thus virtually max
ing Jacksonville the southern terminus
of the Southern railway system and
putting that system into Jacksonville
with practically the same rights ans
advantages enjoyed by the other great
systems centering there.
The details of the contract by which
the Southern is enabled to secure this
privilege are not known, but it is, of
cours understood h a it has paid
handsomely for it. The Southern will
have the management of all its train
service between Savannah, Jesup and
WHO WILL BE THE OFFICIALS
The Atlanta Constitution of yesterday
says:
Every effort TO further verify the New
York special mas failed. with the ex-
ception of the following message ra-
ceived last night:
New York. April 5.-(Special.)-No
reason to doubt the facts wired you
yesterday. My information was direct
and authoritative. Several editions of
the New York papers this afternoon
carried our exclusive story under an
Atlanta date line.
The foregoing telegram Is from n.
correspondent in whom The Constitu-
ton repoSes the utmost confidence. and
denials or failure to confirm officially
have no direct bearing on the situation
for these are the facts
The atlantic Coast Line has absorbed
the Plant System.
The name of the consolidated system
will be the Atlantic Coast Line Sxs'
tenn.
The Southern Railway, instead Of de-
pending upon a time contract for ter
minal facilities in Jacksonville. has Sc
cured perpetual and fee simple right.
That is the story in a nutshell. as 1t
bears upon the important features. but
there is of course q great deal OF gossip
concerning the changes that are likely
to occur among the officials Of the road.
4 PREDICTION AS TO CHANGES.
When a change of this nature is an
II one OIL the mOSl lllSFSSliie
points to the railroad men Is be-
comes of the officials of the two lines
entering the combination. While all
minor employees are still needed q con-
solidation generally means the letting
IL of a number of nigh officials
A passenger man who is we'll up on
all such matters yesterday in discuss-
ing tie deal predicted the following
general traffic organization for the
cO0SOi dated system.
It. =. Emerson, vice-president In
charge OF traffic; H. M. Emerson,
freight traffic manager; B. w. Wrenn,
passenger traffic manager; D. F. Jack,
general freight agent; and Ernest Will
liams, general passenger agent. Mr..
ager for the Plan System and Mr.. Jack
freight traffic manager. The other
gentlemen are Atlantic Coast Line Of
icials.
a CHARLESTON VERSION.
he following specia! dispatch is
taken from yesterdays Columbia
State:
Charleston, April 3.-In railroad cir
cles there has been a deep Indercur-
rent of interest for the past month.
All kinds of umor have been ali rat
and n which gained 4 wide .ircula-
ton was that The Pennsylvania rail-
road had purchased the Atlantic o
Line. This the officials of thu Atlantic
Coast Line refused either to affirm or
deny.
The stock Of tie a. G. L. in y day
jumped up So u 'ints, but it has gradu-
ally leaked oIr that there is no trltn
in the rumor. Instead of selling out, ii
is stated on high and reliable authority
today that in the next two or three
days or perhaps the deal has already
been completed, the Atlantic Coast
Line and Southern have or will jointly
purchase the Plant System of rail-
roads, the Coast Line to control the
original portion of the Plant System
known as the Charleston and Savan-
nah railroad, between Charleston and
Savannah, a distance of lis miles, and
the Southern to control what is known
as the Savannah Florida and Western
extension through Georgia, Alabama
and ~permeatins the entire state of
Florida. In their mileage table the
Plant System is put down as follows:
Railway lines, 2,140 miles; steamer
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