The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-04-05
Official Announcement Made
on Yesterday.
SOUTHERN is INTERESTED.
Will Have Trackage Rights tor
Passenger and Freight Trains.
DEAL OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
Effects Community Of interests Plan
for Almost the Entire Railroad
System, ii, the Soutl,-lncreases
the Mileage Of the Atlantic
Coast Line to Almost
Double.
DEAL OF GREAT IMPORTANCE.

The rumors that have been current in
railroad circles and on the streets lor
acme days past took definite shape yes
terday in the official announcement by W.
G; Elliott, president of the Atlantic Coas,
Line Railway and r. G.. Erwin, presloenh
of the Savannah. Florida and Western
that negotiations have been colnpletco
whereby before the first of July the Sa-
rannah, Florida and Western Will DC con-
solidated with and become the properly
of the Atlantic Coast Line. The negotla-
Nations also contemplate that the other
railway properties of the Plant system
shall pass under the control OF the AT
lan,ic Coast Limo at the same hmc:
When this consolidation takes place,|1he
Southern Railway will have trackase
rights thereafter for all of It's trains Doti
Messenger and freight over the line be-
tween Savannah and Jacksonville. thus
making Jacksonville the Southern tcTmi-
nus of the Southern Railway Company
for its Florida service TO and from the
East and West.
BIG DEAL
This is one of the largest railway ocdls
that has taken place in the country siiiIe
the merger of the systems of the North-
west which has created such j stir and
caused the institution Of various SUITS III
4,, courts 13y il the entire railway 5! ..
ION, Of the South with tho exception oi
such lines as are contro,ieo pS ',e 90
board Air Iincs) are passed uIoe' ,iS - =.
;roj of two systems that arc "orhiis Az
perfect harmony. Inc ooN.ii-
Atlantic Coast Line. h.,
TIC .co,,isition of the Plant system ny
atIantic Coast Line has been con-
tan,n,ated for some time pasi, ont y .'as no.
,,ol,, aaIaycd by the litigation over '.e '
s.ill of the late Mr.. Plant ms si,,.
Mr. Plant specified that nus cAe.Ssu,s ~ AZ,
#s,onid have authority 10 aisposS
.,;s.. ,,naer his control. and the Icceiil
..a,t,emcn, az tho dispute over ms VII Ma. l.as
l,,,I,lod .rem. to close the neg .'o''''
- ,he Atlantic Coast Line So,'lp,l4 p, "a
"..h IL, 'i. announcement that the deai nan
consnmmated was contained -.
.,ocial dispatch to The iifac' - o"
York last night
.,,,,7;c Coast Line now owns scS-
,,rndrcd and thirty-eight mics oi
.i-s and control several hundred 1llies
ss;,i,n,l making il a system ol oNe'
80 thousand miles, including us bidS''
liucs The northern terminus Oh 'he -
,or, ia Richmond, and the southern 'er-
mini are Charleston and augusta.
The savannah. Florida and Western Is
,,,e main line of the Plant system CIV
.,l,o seventeen
.o,a, of twenty-tWo hundred Inc
touo,yinr roads comprise the Plant SEs-
TEN:
Abbcyile Southern Railway, Aiabama
Midland Railway, Brunswick and western
RAILROAD Charleston and Savannah kaii-
road ,Ilorida Southern Railway, Green
Pond Waltcrboro and Branchviile Kali
road. 81. Johns and Lake Eustis Railway,
sanford and ST Petersburg Railroad Sa-
yannah. FLORIDA and Western Railway
silver Springs Ocala and Gulf Railway,
Southwest crn Alabama Railway
The railroads controlled by tho F!an'
system extend from Charleston, S. G, TO
TAMPA r1a., and TO Montgomery. Ala,
with a total mileage of Two thousand one
hundred and forty miles. The system in
cludes tho Florida Southern. st. Johns
and Lake Eustis. Sanford and St. Pe,cIs-
burg and Savannah, Florida and Western
roads.
The capital stock Of the companies as-
rrc:ate s2ss 4GS, a00. and all is owned by
the Plant Investment Company. The TO-
,al of bonds is s34.TS5eo.
The Plant Investment Company also
controls the Plant Steamship Company
and the Canada, Atlantic and Plant
Steamship Company. The lines asere-
gate one thousand four hundred and
fortS-ninc miles.