The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-04-10
BIG RAILROAD COUP
Reported By New York Cores
pondent Of Atlanta Constitution.
COAST LINE GETS PLANT ROADS
Three Thousand Miles Of 1raekaGo
Will BE Consolidated Under One
aeement-Southern is
Also Greatly Benefited.

The Atlanta Constitution, IN us IS
sue Of Thursday morning contained
the following as a special from Nc"
York:
The Constitution is enabled to an
noupce by direct and absolute author
ity that the Atlantic Coast Line sys-
TEN of railways has abosrbed the flaat
system and that at an early iate Dotn
the systems will be consolidated un-
der the name and charter Of the Al
lantic Coast Line system. The gen.
eral management Of the Coast line
will operate the entire system, all the
lines of both systems being merged into
one great system of railroads, agsre-
eating 5000 miles.
Negotiations have terminated ana
the only thing that now remains to be
cone to complete the formal merging
Of these two great systems is the is
suance Of the actual orders that will
bring about the consolidation.
While the Southern is not directly
interested in the deal, it can be an
nounced definitely that it has maze
a splendid stroke in securing perpet-
ual contract obligation by which it. viii
have a fee simple right into Jackson
vile from Savannah, connecting Win
its eastern lines, and from Jesup con-
Meeting with it's western lines.
The Southern now has contract ar
rangenlent with the Plant system by
which it delivers to the Plant system
it's eastern trains at Savannah, the
Pant system handling al the South
ern trains from Savannah to Jackson
Vile, to which point the Southern op-
crates it's through trains from the east.
Likewise the Southern operates
through train service from the west 10
Jacksonville, the Plant system taking
it's trains at Jesup and handling them
to Jacksonville, just as it does with
the Southern's eastern trains from Sa-
vannah This is lone by traffic ar
rangement. Under the new deal.
whereby the Atlantic Coast Line and
the Plant system are to be consollda-
ted, the Southern secures a perpetual
contract 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.
Three Thousand Mile System.
The new consolidated Coast Line
system will embrace 5000 miles OF
railroad, the Plant system now exceed
ing 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, S. c., with
innumerable ramifications in the
states of Virginia, North and South
Carolina.
The Plant system operates from
Charleston, S. c.. into Georgia and
westward to Montgomery, Ala, and it
ccvers the whole state CT Florida with
a network of lines. The headquarters
OF the Plant system are now at Savan-
nah, while those of the Coast Line arc
at Wilmington, N. C.
The Plant system is owned by the
Plant Investment Company, of which
Robert G. Erwin is president. Henry
Walters is the man behind the guns"
of the Coast Line. He is recognized As
one Of the ablest railroad men in
America. He is very prominent in
financial circles in New York. He is
the first vice president CT the system,
Mr.. w. G. Elliott being the president.
Mr.. Walters has, it is said, conducted
the negotiations for the Coast Line.
The deal is not generally known as
yet in New York, and The Ccnstitu.
tons announcement is the first pub
lication of the coup.