The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-06-05
FROM THE GREAT LAKES TO THE
GULF OF MEXICO.
Importance of the Purchase of the
Monon System by the Southern and
Louisville & Nashville.

BALTIMORE, May 22.-The impor-
lance to the South of recent moves Of
some Of the great railroad systems
within its borders may hardly be
overestimated. The purchase by the
Gould interests Of the Western Mary
land Railroad opening up vast posi-
bilties for Baltimore through con-
nections with the West, South and
Southwest. has been followed during
the past week by the announcement
that the Southern Railway and the
Louisville & Nashville Railroad have
Jointly obtained control of the Chi
cago, indianapolis 4 Louisville Rail
way, known as the MonOn Route,
which is TO be used as connection to
Chicago for the two systems. Tho
importance Of this control is shown
by map published in this weeks
issue of the Manufacturers Record.
which says: 1T will thus be seen
that large, rich and pOpulous terri
tory North Ct the Ohio river is
brought into direct and intimate rela-
tiOns with the Southern, the Louis
Vile q Nashville and affiliated lines
of railway which now obtain their
own entrance TO Chicago. the greatest
distributing centre in the North
west" Other links Of communication
in the South, embracing the territory
from the Atlantic coast to beyond the
Mississippi, are mentioned and the
manufacturers RecOrd continues:
This harmonizing Of several impor-
tant large railway systems practically
creates a greater system Of about
1900 miles, extending from the
Great Lakes to the Gulf Of Mexico and
from the Atlantic coast to the Missis
sipi river, and beyond as far as
Shreveport. 1t brings into relations
closer than ever the entire South and
a large portion Of the middle West
with the result that a greater inter
change Of passenger and freight
traffic between the two sections must
ensue. 1t makes another through
line between Chicago and New Or
leans, and furnishes another direct
outlet from Ohio. Indiana and Illinois
to the Atlantic seabOard. The indus
tries Of the South and the merchants
Of the middle West are put in closer
communications, and extensive c0nsc-
quencss must follow that will un-
doubtedlv prove of the highest advan-
tage to both. In addition to these
roads there are other lines with which
the Southern Railway works in close
harmony, such as the Central Of
Georgia, and under the recent deal
FOR the purchase of the Plant System
by the Atlantic Coast Line valuable
rrackage rights over these lines were
also secured by the Southern"
The purchase of the East 4 West
Railroad, OF Alabama, by a syndicate
| OF Richmond, Baltimore and New
York capitalists is taken to mean
that the line will be used as part Of
| the extension whereby the SeabOard
will reach Birmingham from Atlanta.
| BY the construction of about forty
miles Of road from Atlanta to point
near CedartOwn and another 30-mile
road from Coal City, Ala, or Pell
City, a very direct route could be
obtained from Atlanta to Birming-
ham. The apparent purpose of the
SeabOard to build into Birmingham
| become. the more important when it
is remem bered that the st. Louis 4
San Francisco Railroad, which has its
| Eastern terminus at Birmingham, has
| long been looking for an outlet to the
Atlantic. and it is quite possible that
a traffic arrangement will be made
under which the Frisco will reach
Atlanta and tidewater by the Sea
| board, while the latter will, in re-
turn, obtain a Western outlet to
Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City and
and Southwest, the Frisco reaching as
far South as Fort Worth and Brown
wood, Texas. with projected extern
Sion to san Antonio. Other move
ment5 OF interest are the completion
by the Georgia, Florida & Alabama
| Railway of its 4 miles extension
from cambridge to Tallahassee and
the application by that company for
4 charter of railroad to run from it.
terminus in Tallahassee to Tampa,
| the organization at Charleston, w.
Va. Of the Coal & Coke Railway Com
pany, to run East and West for forty
or nifty miles through coal lands from
a point near Elkins and Belington on
the West Virginia Central & Pitts
burg into Barbour, Jpshur, Lewis,
Braxton and Gilmer counties, the con-
struction Of a 35-mile road in South
eastern Kentucky by the Southern
Railway, giving it an outlet for an
immense area Of coking coal. and an
extension OF the Choctaw, Oklahoma
& Gulf Railroad into New Orleans
1t has also developed that the road to
he constructed between Southport
n. C., and Wilmington is a part of
the project financed from Baltimore
by which the coal traffic of the Nir-
ginia Il Southwestern Railroad will be
led to the coast by way Of Lincolnton
and Wilmington.
Lost a Customer.