The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-03-25
diamond 0VeC color anything any color
DUVH" DJV0 Simple, dura BILE economical
Among the Railroads.

"You can't most always some times
tell what the railroads are planning to
do. Last week there. was printed in these
columns a statement to the effect that
the Southern Railway had purchased the
Three C's railroad and would extend it.
And now comes the story that parties al
lied with the Seaboard have bought it. A
Philadelphia special to the New York
Commercial gives the following details
OF the latest news in connection with that
much talked of system:
"a syndicate of Influential Baltimore
capitalists, backed, 1t is understood, by
the Seaboard Air Line, are behind a pro-
jeict to build a new railroad to open great
coal fields in Kentucky and Virginia This
new line is to be operated Independently
of all other roads leading to the Sea-
boad fom the bitumfnous coal fields and
in active competition with them
Samuel Hunt, of Detroit, formerly
president of the old Cincinnati Ports
mouth and Virginia Railroad and Geo.
l.. Carter, of Bristol. Tenn, who promo
ted the Virginia Coal and Coke Company,
are actively interested in the present pro-
ject, which is revival of the old Three
C's. Railroad enterprise in which millions
of Philadelphia capital were invested
some ten years ago.
THE present road is to include parts
of the Three C's., which was abandoned
partially finished after the Barring panic
of 1890. A new company is now to be or
ganized with $4,000, 900 capital, which will
acquire the finished railroad between
johnson City and Huntdale, 80 miles, and
IN i
This will be completed and 120 miles
additional line constructed, making a
total of 225 miles, which will lead from
Toms Creek, Va, to a connection with
the Seaboard Air Line at LincolntOn,
n. C.
'It is understood that the syndicate
owns or controls 200 acres of coal
land in the southwestern corner of Vir-
ginia, in which there is estimated to be
SEQ 600, 900 tons of the very finest soft
coal The part of the line now in Oper-
alton is from Huntdale to Johnson City,
Tenn. From the latter point to Clinch-
port. Va, and from Huntsdale to Lin
colnton the line is partially graded, and
will be pushed to completion under the
proposed plan which contemplates
spur up through the coal lands to Tom S
Creek.
Besides giving low grade short line
from the Virginia Tennessee coal field,
to exploit which is one of the prime OBJ
jects in view. 1t is confidently believed
that by bringing the coal of Virginia
to the rich iron deposits located in
Mitchell county, N. c., through which the
line runs, tremendous iron and steel in
Il oh Johnson IitV
which in turn may easily become another
iron centre. Thus it is expected that
the new road will develop big coal bus
mess to tidewater at Wilmington, n. G.,
ever the Seaboard Air Line. and in addi-
tion a heavy local coal and iron traffic
1.-The old Three C's plan was to con-
tinue the line north through the breaks
down the valley of the Big Sandy to
the Ohio River. and thence to Cincin-
natl 1t is believed that this further
extension of the proposed new line will
be made to provide an outlet to the
West for the coal and especially the steel
manufactures which will originate on the
system"
Referring to the report that the Penn
syIyania road had now control OF the
Plant System. the Southern Railway and
the Atlantic Coast Line, the Richmond
Dispatch says:
1.-The FEASIBILITY of this explanation
is affected by the fact that if the Penn
syIvaDia Railroad was prompted by such
a desire, it would have to acquire not
only the Coast Line. but the SeaOoard
Air Line Railway, the Southern Rail-
way, and perhaps the Louisville and
Nashville, all of which, systems could
be connected with TIE coal fields of Ken
lucky and Southwest Virginia Ivy lines
over feasible routes"
The Wilmington Dispatch prints a ru-
NOR that the controlling interest in the
Atlantic Coast Line has been purchased
by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company,