The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-11-10
Thomas P. Crasty in the Baltimore Man ufacturers Record.

Thomas P. Crasty in the Baltimore Man
 ufacturer's Record.
 HHE very unusual private and pub l0 lie expressions and dellverances that came up from the south when it was announced that the houses of Williams &. Sons and Middendorf & Go. were in trouble had the effect of focusing public attention on one asset that John Skelton Williams and J. w. Middendorf and their firms held beyond possibility of loss through stock fiuctua- tions to-wit, the confidence of the peo- pie. The embarrassment of the houses that financed the Seaboard brought out the fact that Skelton Williams had man. aged to ''grapple unto his soul with hooks of steeI' an army sf warm, loyal de- voted friends.
 So widespread a feeling of almost af- fectionate concern for the future status of this splendid virginian in respect to the railroad system of which he was the organizer, and as to the future of the Seaboard itself, kept the people of the south on the lookout for news as to the outcome of the troubles that had over
 
 identified. People everywhere in the states traversed by that system have been anxious to be assured that he would continue to hold the fort" And so when. among other stories that origin ated in New York, one more elaborate than the rest appeared purporting to de- fine his new status as that of a railroad president through the grace and under the authority of boss the people of the south from Baltimore to Birmingham took It to heart. That sort of a status was not to their liking They have been hop ing that there might be some mistake about 1t. And 1t seems that their hopes are not to be disappointed. In an inter- view with MT Williams today he said.
 The Seaboard Air Line system is in no way affected by the temporary diff hculties of the Baltimore and Richmond banking firms. The system is in sound ana healthy financial condition. It's earn inss for the twelve months ending Sen tember l. 1903 amounted to s12.s4s ee1 on z6il miles of railroad operated. The various railroad properties which are now consolidated into the seaboard Air Line system were acquired by my friends ana myself in the winter of 1S9S-9s. The mileage of these properties at that time was 23o3 miles, and their gross earnings Tor the previous fiscal year were s7. 946- 6ls"
 It IS therefore seen that during Presi- dent Williams administration the eross earnings of these properties have in- creased approximately 5000 900. or about ol per cent, and tine net earnings have increased during the same period about eo per cent, whilst the mileage increased 10 per cent
 AS every traveller over the line knows Inc physical condition of the pronertv bas been vastly improved and is in excellent condition It may be safely stated thai the physical condition of the Seaboard Air Line system Is considerably above the average Of southern railroads. The i'm pavement or the company's physical con. dition in the past two years has beer, a. peeially marked. and this has been done without issuing a single dollar of naw stock and without adding a dollar to tbe company's bonded indebtedness. exclusivo or car trusts. This is a record which fo,r railroads can excel
 hererring to the financial condition of the road MT Williams says: