The news & observer., 1902-01-19
Among the Railroads

When Puck once threatened, in his mirth,
To throw grdle round the earth.
He little knew. the thoughtless youth.
His prophecy was born of truth:
For the great railroads now have hurled
An iron girdle round the world
From the Four Track News for January.
According to the Interstate Commerce
Commissions report there were 704, ,743
employees enlisted in the railway service.
in this country, in 1890, while the number
in 1900 reached 1017,653 Another inter
esting item from this report is that in
1890 the gross earnings were 1864, ,S16. .l29,
while the dividends paid amounted to
only $S2, 1913. In 1900 the gross earn
ings Of the railroads amounted to $1.4S7,-
044S14. while the dividends declared ag-
gregated S139, 602,J14. The prosperity OF
the railroads means the prosperity of the
people. says the Four Track News for
January.
The old world developed slowly because
its means of transportation were slow:
the new worlds progress has been rapid
because rapid transit facilities have
made such progress possible. The loco
motive is the greatest industrial and
CiviliZing agent known to man. 1t has
carried the gospel of progress and peace
around the world. and opened the door
ways of commerce to all men and all
nations, says the Four Track News.
In 1877 Henry NJ. Stanley was 999 days
in going from Zanzibar through Central
africa. But that was twenty-four years
ago, before the days OF the 1899" locomo-
tiye.-From the Four Track News for
January.
EX-Judge A. w. Graham last week
became the owner of the old Venable
homestead which is quite a desirable
piece of property. Some of the knowing
ones think it will be used as the terminal
of the oxford and Coast Line Railroad.
Oxford Ledger.
"A gentleman who has recently been
in several cities located on the Plant
system says that in all of them there
is much talk of consolidation of the
Plant system with the Southern" says
the Atlanta Constitution. He found the
people all along the line of the Plant
tion is only question of time. There
has been no hint from the officials
either of the Plant system or Of the
Southern that the merger has ever been
considered, but the belief that 1t is COM
ing has taken a firm hold on the minds
of the patrons of the Plant The peo-
pie who speak of this probability give
as their reason the present friendliness
4. 49, ,r-ln in
former times there was very little CO.
operation. Through trains are now run
from one line to the other to such an
extent that both systems arc losing their
individuality in the eyes of the people
along the line. Atlanta railway men
say that there is little probability of
this deal being made any time soon. 1t
is generally ADMITTED that the Southern
would like the best in the world to got
hold of the Plant, but under present con-
ditions it is said that the holders Of
Plant stock would not take kindly to the
change"
Mr.. ]. C. Angler, president of the Cape
Fear and Northern Railroad, is in the
city for the purpose of investigating the
aGvisabi1ity of continuing his road to
Fayetteville. Fayetteville Observer.
The Richmond and Petersburg electric
railway connecting Richmond and Pc
tersburg. is practically completed. IL
Will be running before the first OF March.
The day is not far dissant whcn such
electric roads will connect all important
towns. One would pay from Raleish to
Greensboro.
James H. Young administrator of the
late Pat Norwood, the negro fireman who
was killed recently at Moncure, has
brought suit against the Seaboard Air
Line Railroad for damages. The COM
plant has not been filed, so the amount
to De asked for is unknown. Messrs
Douglass Simms represent the plain
tiff.
The Elizabeth City people are determ-
ined to build a street railway and as
soon as another one thousand dollars IS
secured the company will be organized