The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-05
STARTLING RUMOR
ALL RAILROADS OF THE SOUTH
TO COMBINE
Southern Said to be Behind the
Deal-There WIZ he n Total of
Over 24,357 Mies-Among the Roads
Are the Atantic Coast Line, and the
and Others.

The New York Mail anc Express O.
Thursday evening says:
The conclusion based on information
from several authoritative sources In
regard to the various lepor,s and semi.
official announcements, the unusual
stock movements and the conferences
frequent and intimate that have occur
red recently between presidents of
southern and southwestern railroads. is
that steps are being taken to form one
powerful system, which will practically
cove the region SOUTH of the Ohio river
to the gulf, and will have entrance to
chicago and outlets and feeders from
n to the southwest and northwest.
n roads and their mileage that are
parts of this aggressive and protective
combination are as follows:
Southern Railway, 6,742 miles.
Louisville and Nashville. 1874 miles.
Atlantic Coast Line, which recently
secured the Plant system, 1859 miles.
Illinois Central. 1896 miles.
st. Louis and San Francisco. 1873
miles.
Chicago and Eastern Illinois. 7ss
miles.
Evansville and Terre Haute. controIl-
ed by the Eastern Illinois. 325 miles.
Inc scheme has In a inca sure beel
enforced by the plan of the Southern
railway to gain control of the territory
c~ontributory to its 6.7C0 miles of road.
although it may be said that the Nor
gan property does not directly figure in
the negotiations.
Briefly summarized, the plan Is this.
There will be no actua, physical or fl
nancial alliance between the Southern
railway and the Louisville end Nash
vile The two roads, for a time at least,
will be as distinct as they have ever
been. The Louisville and Nashville and
the Atlantic Coast Line are to be united
In a way that as yet has not been def
nitely decided ON. Interests that domi-
nate The Southern railway, while stand
ing in the background Of this deal, have
been prominent in arranging the details
of it. The Louisville ard Nashville and
h Atlantic Coast Line will be merged.
n Illinois Central has so far made no
arrangements to actually ally Itself
with the ST. LouiS n San Francisco
and the Chicago and Eastern Illinois.
The following statement, made to a
reporter by one in authority, explains
the policy Of the Illinois Central, winch
at present is a passive one, but which,
with cause, may Immediately be chang
GU I LII dIllNt CHS- Ii SldlCIllSIlL 10
this:
The Illinois Central is free and indie
pendent. 1t is under no oblie Gtions to
any line. 1t has friendly and intimate
relations with many. We have made nc
pledges as to what we will OF will not
do. So long as we are not left out in
the cold, so far as h business goes. We
will continue to stand as we are. If
circumstances should arise which would
make it necessary for us to act, We are
prepared to do SO. We have credit, we
know what we need, and where we
could get the assistance.
1--WE are necessary to the Louisville
and Nashville and the Southern rail-
way, for we bring grain and hog pro-
ducts. which the south requires, to their
territory. Our relations with these lines
are now satisfactory. We are prepared
to lake care of ourselves in case the
demand arises"
The way in which the Illinois Central
proposes to take care of ITSELF" n
the prospects are that it will have to. is
this: President Fish has been in almost
daily conference with President Yoak-
um, Of the st. Louis and San Francisco
for the past two weeks. The result Of
these conferences, so it is stated, is that
the Illinois Central and the st. Louis
and San Francisco. which meet at
Memphis, will make a close alliance,
and the Eastern Illinois. which the
Frisco has secured On a long term
lease, will join them. This may be re-
garded as a protective measure on the
part of the Illinois Central.
1t must be understood that until the
situation as respects the Southern rail-
way, the Louisville AID Nashville and
Atlantic Coast Line. On tn: n side,
and the Illinois Central on the other,
becomes acute. there will be no steps
30 20 sD1iooto fhiC alliance Iy1Sf
what the present tension IS is illustrat-
ed by the remark today of a party to
the negotiations-tha Illinois authority
quoted above. He said: Il have stated
the ante status quo. 1 will o indicate
what the post status Guo may be-" n
then he added, laughingly. you will
notice that / have not mentioned the
word 'bellum,' either post or ante
One Of the leaders engaged in h con-
f%erences said this afternoon:
"Ther will be one railroad system III
the south, and these roads named above
will form it under n organization"
MAGAZINES o. AUGUST.