The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-30
Among the Railroads.

Rutherfordton. N. c.. Nov. 29.--It is
reported that a survey has been made for
| new route by the Southern Railroad
from Mooresboro to Forest City, six
miles from this place. The route leaves
the main line Just below Mooresboro,
coming by Cliffside, Henrietta and Caro-
leen, three of the largest cotton mills
! in the State, and from which an inn
mense amount of goods are shipped to
! the foreign markets annually. Since the
Southern has taken charge of this line
! (South Carolina and Georgia Extension)
many improvements have been made.
| 1t is said that two through daily pas
senger trains with Pullman service will
be put on from Charleston to points be-
! yond Asheville. Agents along the line
were notified sometime ago of the new
change, but the date was not given. If
the new line from Mooresboro is built
the citizens of Rutherfordton will make
an earnest effort to have a depot built
inside the corporate limits. Both the
Southern and Seaboard depots are one
mile from the city, and it is thought If
one road can be induced to enter the
other will follow, and the town then. l
am told, would give lot for q union
station.
Mr.. Roosevelt is going on a crusade
against the railroads and trusts,
SO the daily papers state. He
is after the consultations and
proposes to break up the mer-
gers, if he can. Congress will be urged
to lcgslate and to give greater power
to the Inter- State Commerce Commission.
According to the Washington dispatches
the president believes it will be a popu-
lar thing to fight the combinations. The
truth is, great many railway men would
secretly rejoice to see these mergers
stopped. They fear that the community
of ownership idea will make too many
vacancies These men are not going to
talk much but at heart they are with the
President. However, he will find it the
hardest proposition he has gone against
to checkmate the men who are behind
these mergers.-The Common Carrier.
THE Carolinas had one Of the best to-
bacco crops this year they have ever
grown, and the tobacco brought good
prices said Assistant Traffic Manager
Emerson, of the Atlantic Coast Line the
other day AS a result, the people
in the tobacco belt have more money
than they ever possessed before at one
time. The interior merchants tell me
that they have had splendid collections
this fall. The farmers have not only
paid all tho debts which they contracted
this year, but have paid Is per cent of
their old obligations. The country banks
are we'll supplied with money.
"00a small station Mullins orr
road, point which very few people
outside of South Carolina ever heard
of, has sold over S60o0OO worth of to-
bacco this fall. Our company has fos-
tered tobacco culture, with the result
that it has gradually spread southwark
Tobacco has taken the place of cotton
as crop and with good results to the
as there is great deal more
money in 1.-THE Common Carrier
Compared with 1897 the number of To-
comotives now in the United States has
increased 1888, the number of passenger
service cars is greater by 2,343. and the
number Of freight service cars has been
by 2,59S. These figures take
no account of phenomenal increase in
size and capacity ofs locomotives and
caTS. The average number or tons car
ried per freight locomotive during the
wear was 1885 tons greater than in
1897 while the ton mileage per freight
locomotive increased 1.775.601 tons. Put |
in another way. the average freight 10
in 1901 hauled II $40 tons moro |
han in 1897. and it took 303 less cars !!
% haul 1000, 900 tons of freight last year
han in the year named that is. the ca
oacity. or at least the load of the aver J
lge freight car has increased 22t5 per
,ent in four years.-The Railway Age. I