The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-27
RAILROAD WORLD.

Taken in connection with the recent an nouncement by the. Illinois Central rail- road that they would open general office In Birmingham August 1, the following from the New York Herald is of signifi- eant interest.
 As an incident of the encouragement of the railroad map in the Mississippi Valley, the Illinois Central will reach Birmingham. Ala. This entrance to the big manufactur- Ing city of the south will be made, not by the construction of a new line from the Canton, Aberdeen and Nashville railroad. controlled by the Illinois Central, as has been often reported. but by a trackage ar engagement with the Frisco by which the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis will be used by the Illinois Central.
 This arrangement is part of the general development of the harmony of interest," idea in the Mississippi Valley. which was advocated by George J. Gould when it be- came known definitely that the St. Louis and San Francisco would build an inde- pendent line down the Mississippi river from Memphis to New Orleans
 MT. Gould then proposed to MT. B. F. Yoakum, of the Frisco. that they should enter into a trackage arrangement, by which the Frisco could use the new Gould llne-composed partly of the Iron Mountain and partly of the Texas Pacific -from Memphis to Baton Rouge.
 This suggestion was approved by the Frisco management, and for several weeks the details of the plan have been under discussion. A satisfactory conclu- sion has been reached, and the final con tract has been drafted and to become ac- tive only requires formal execution.
 From Baton Rouge to New Orleans the Rock Island Frisco system will use the tracks of the Louisville, New Orleans and Texas railroad. which is owned by the Illinois Central.
 The Frisco was eager to enter New Orleans. and the Illinois Central was desirous of reaching Birmingham, in or der to share with the Southern and the Frisco the large iron tonnage from the Birmingham district.
 This plan has been virtually adopted, and with the construction of scarcely a mile of track the Rock Island-Frisco sys- tenn will reach New Orleans and the Illi- nois Central will attain entrance to the iron fields, in the traffic of which it has for a long time wished to share.
 The trackage contracts are very broad fin character, virtually admitting each railroad into partnership with that DOT tion of the other covered by the trackage agreements.
 The life of each contract is one hun dred years
 In making his first proposal to the Frisco management, MT. Gould said that he was impelled to do so by the con- viction that the construction of another railroad to drain the Mississippi valley from Memphis to New Orleans would be suicidal
 The Frisco management was seeking gulf outlet for it's inland system, he said, and the use of the same tracks would therefore guarantee to the Frisco this port, while it would at the same time preserve to existing roads the local traffic.
 In connection with the proposed bond issue of $140,000, 900, 1t was stated definite ly that this would represent not more than $S, 100000 of new securities.
 The remainder of the issue will be used for refundng purposes. The new securities will be used to pay for the construction of the Frisco's new line from St. Louis to Memphis. There is no intention of carrying out the refunding plan at present
 The recent election of c. R. Hudson, the general manager of the Mexican Central railroad, to the presidency of the San An tonic and Aransas Pass railroad, is re- garded by railroad men in the southwest as indicative of an extension of the Rock Island Frisco interest into both of these properties. The Rock Island connects with the Mexican Central at Fl Paso. and B. F. Yoakum. president of the Frisco. is one of the principal men in a scheme to build a new line from Linton on the San Antonio and Aransas Pass to Brownsville, a distance of 160 miles. The Mexican Central is building a direct line between the City of Mexico and the port of Tam pico.
 The Nashville. Chattanooga and St. Louis railway has placed an order with It's local shops for 250 cars, and the work of building them will begin in the next few days. The shops have just about com pleted the construction of about 700 S6-foot box cars.