The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-18

Open-Aufhorftaive Statement that
h Pennsylvania Will Not Absorb
The Coast Line and Plant system.
The newspapers in different cities are
discussing the probable removal OF the
general offices OF the Atlantic Coast
Line sine its accession of the Plant
System. The question is, will the gen
eral offices be moved, or is there aiy
necessity for such a contingency. A
prominent Coast Line official re-
Gently stated that he saw no reason
why the offices should be removed from
Wilmington, and certainly Wilmington
hopes the management Of the greater
Coast Line VIII see il in thai light.
Yet no one can tell what is to be
done when the merging OF the two sys-
TENS is gotten into definite shape. III
citizens of Wilmington should not axe
it for ante that the offices are
bound to remain here. but some action
should be to set at rest the un-
e%asiness felt oJ@r even the possibility
that they might be removed elsewhere.
We say this specially for the reason
that other cities are making efforts to
get the general offices and the unex-
pected might happen.
Wilmington mas always been the
headquarters OF the Wilmington &
Weldon Railroad which is the parent
stem of the Atlantic Coast Lin sys-
tenn, and since the system was organ
lied our city has remained as the site
OF management. From an incense
q%uential affair, the general offices of
the system have been gradually in
creased until Te now have the Coast
Lines handsome general office build
ing at Front and Red Cross streets.
To remove the management of the
system from Wilmington would be a
fatal blow to u city's prospects,
whereas if the headquarters of the
united system remain here it will add
greatly to the Importance of Whining
ton. We shouldn't be overly idle, else
the iridescent dreams of some cities
who aspire to De headquarters might
be realized.
Charleston and Savannah and other
fN~N~~ " ANNh - ~ NC az
quarters, and it is quite reasonable
that they should. The Savannah News
of Monday says:
SOME TALK IN SAVANNAH.
Mr.. w. L.. Clay, general counsel for
the Plant System. has returned from
New York, where he was with Presi-
dent r. G. Erwin last week. Though
he would not discuss the prospective
merger of the Plant System with the
Atlantic Coast Line in any of it's
phases, it is believed that Mr.. Clay was
with Mr.. Erwin when the final definite
understanding between the Plant Sys-
tenn and the Ccas Line was reached.
The question of the location of the
general offices OF the consolidated sys-
tenn is the burning on with Savannah-
lanS. Mr.. Clay was asked if he knew
where the general offices would be To-
Gated, but he replied that he could not
discuss matters connected with the
merger in any way.
President John NJ. Egan of the Cen
trail Railway was asked yesterday
what he thought of Savannah as head
qarters for the consolidated system
that will be formed by the Plant Sys-
tenn and the Coast Line. He replied
that he would be very glad to see Sa-
vannah chosen. but that he had no
idea as to what might be the plan of
the Coast Line.
The general offices of the Coast Line
are now at Wilmington, and 1t is usual
ly the case that a company dislikes to
move. Besides having the offices es-
tablished, officials and employees usual
ly have their homes, many of which
they own. and il is a matter of no
slight consequence to them when gen
eral offices are removed from one place
to another.
Yes. a central location on a sys-
tenn, such as Savannah's would be. IS
no doubt an advantage, but it is not
UGH an advantage as to influence
many OF the greatest railroads in the
country. which have their headquar-
tiers at a terminus. Under the plan of
organization ana operation that is fol-
lowed now, there are men in charge
of the various divisions, and it is not
necessary for the general offices to be
centrally located"
Mr.. Egan believes that the Atlantic
Coast Lin has acted independently in
it's absorption of the Plant System,
and that there's no other
behind it. He holds that it is but
natural that the Coast Line should
lave desired and secured such a con-
nection asthe Plant system. He does
not believe h Pennsylvania is inter-
ested, and Pennsylvania Railroad Off
Gals, for that matter, ave themselves
denied that the Pennsylvania is be-
hind the Coast Line.
IS NOT ABSORBED.
Soaking of the latest rumor that the
Pennsylvania Railroad would absorb
both the Atlantic Coast Line and
Plant System, the Florence News OF
yesterday afternoon says:
1.-The Times has is from an authori-
tive source that the ruE1ors of d pre-
pective absorption of the Atlantic
| Coast Line nv the Southern or the
Pennsylvania roads is mere talk, that
there is nothing in il.
THE directors of the Coast Line
have been in session in New York. and
that is where the reports have come
from, but the only matter that was
discussed there was completed. the
transfer of the Plant System proper
ties to the Coast Line. The Coast Line
property is now in most excellent
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