The age-herald., 1902-03-11
CONSOLIDATED CO.
 AND SEABOARD CO.
 CLOSE TOGETHER Middendorf. Who is Largely h. terested in Both Companies,
 Heading for Birmingham
VICE PRESIDENT OF s. A. |
Party of Capitalists Inspecting Prop critics of Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron Company-Wlll
 Reach Here Thursday.

Mir. ]. w, Middendorf of Baltimore, vice president of the Seaboard Air Line and a director of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron Company, is on his way to Birmingham. He brings with him a num- Der of Baltimore capitalists, who own stock in the Consolidated and the Sea- board Air Line.
 MT. Middendorf and party will reach Alabama tomorrow. They will spend Wednesday and Thursday inspecting the properties of the Alabama Consolidated at Gadsden, Ironton and Brookside and will reach Birmingham Thursday night.
 The programme for Friday Is the in- spection of the Consolidated Company s properties in this county. chiefly in the Mary Lee and the Gate City belongings at night. T. G. Bush. president of the Alabama Consolidated. will give dinner at the Hlllman In honor of MT. Midden- dorf and the other visitors.
 Vice-President Gordon.
 Mir. Douglas H. Gordon of Baltimore, vice president of the Alabama Consoli- dated. is not in the party. He was here last month and looked over the property. and 1t is understood that he gave 1t out in Baltimore that whatever President Bueh says is right and must gu.
 It Is further understood that the Ala bama Consolidated will spend a large amount of money on improvements and ex- tensions this year.
 MT. Middendorf is making his first visit to the Birmingham district. It is of more than ordinary importance because he Is not only a wealthy man and the control Ter of organized capital, but staunch and practical friend of the South and a most progressive investor withal.
 MT. John Skelton Williams is the presi- dent of the Seaboard Air Line and Mir. Middendorf is his most intimate associate and his strongest packer In the direction of the affairs of that great railroad cor poration.
 The Seaboard Ar Line.
 Owing to MT. Middendorfs prominent official and financial connection with the Seaboard Air Line there is naturally much speculation as to the outcome or his visit from the railroad point of view, It Is known that the Seaboard Air Line company intends to run Its trains to Birmingham some day. The only question is, when? MT. Middendorf will have much to say on this subject and 1t Is reasonaoie to suppose that when he returns to Bal timore he will advise the construction of a line from Atlanta to birmingham.
 The Seaboard Air Line has an option on the East and West road. 1t is believed.
 Two Routes.
 By building from Atlanta to Carters vile, Ga, and from Pell City. Ala, tC Birmingham the Seaboard Air Line would have a line to this city. But 1t is more than likely. railroad people say, that the Seaboard Air Line will decide tc build new road from Atlanta direct to Birmingham. It Is believed by many that the company recently chartered under the name of the Birmingham and Atlanta represented here by Mir. Walker Percy is a Seaboard Air Line scheme. This new company has surveyed a route running south of the Southern, at a cost of s10. 900.
 A great deal has been said about Bir- mingham terminals. There will be no troubles about terminal facilities. The owners of the Belt line are supposed to be close to the Seaboard Air Line, and when the latter company is ready to come to this city the Belt will be util- ized.
 In the spring of 1899 the Seaboard Air Line syndicate bought valuable property at Gate City and the Mary Pratt furnace property on First avenue in Birming- ham. These properties have passed eith- CT in whole or in part to Colonel Bush and his associates. But the interests of the two syndicates are so closely identi- fled that if the Seaboard Company de- sired to utilize any of this property, the necessary arrangements could be made very easily.