The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-09
RAILROAD WORLD.


 The New York Commercial Advertiser says:
 Tn the South the Southern Railway is actively double-traeklng it's main Inc between Washington and Atlanta; the seaboard Air Line Is pushing on to Bir- mingham; the Louisville and Nashville Is working away at It's extension to Knoxville, which is to make a direct route from Cincinnati to Atlanta; tho Southern has just begun an extension through Rabun Gap for the purpose of making low grade coal road from the Tennessee mountains to tidewater; the Norfolk and Western and the Chespeake and Ohio are going ahead vigorously with their extensive plans in West Vir-- ginia and Kentucy respectively; the Frisco Is actively at work upon it's New Orleans terminal idea; the Missouri Pa cihc is busy building its line down the west bank of the Mississippi river, and is furthermore building a big roundhouse and twelve shops at Kansas City; and contracts are being let for the union de- pot and It's approaches, which are to give the national capital at cost of many millions of dollars one of the greatest depots in the world"
 Many of these railroad undertakings in the South are concerned with plans for reaching tidewater either on the At lanhc or on the gulf, and especial inter- est just at present seems to be centering al New Orleans, giving rise to many rumors. but at the same time empha- sizing the fact that railroads in the mid- de West those controlling the trade of the Mississippi valley territory. are in- terested in New Orleans as they have never been before. and that a volume of business will be thrown in that direction by these roads which will be of utmost importance in determining the status of that city as an exporter and importer.
 With these facts in view added to the facts of greater activity than ever before fin the movement of immigration south L. ward and the absence of all labor trou bles throughout the South since the Ala bama miners have returned to work ' pending the settlement by arbitration of the question of wages, the whole situa- ton, so far as the section is concerned. Is one of great business activity and in- creaslng prosperity.
 A Pensacola. Fla. special says
 The Louisville and Nashville railroad has just closed a deal for the purchase of a large steamer now nearing complsr
 
 will be added 10 the fleet on the Tampico coal line. and is expected to arrive here early in November to go on the run The company already owns the August Bel mont and the Pensacola, which ply be- tween Pensacola and Tampico, but ow- ing to the big delivery contract which 1t has with the Mexican Central railroad 1t has been necessary during the last year to keep an additional steamer un- q aha aef4 ta fr ba The contract with the Mexican Central railroad runs for several years. and the company decided upon the purchase of another steamer. The new vessel Is a turret boat, with net tonnage of about 2,000- Her name has not been chosen. but as the August Belmont was named after one of the prominent stockholders 1t is possible that the new vessel will be named after either the president or one of the prominent officers
 Knoxville special says:
 The Knoxville and Ohio, which is ieas- ed by the Southern has purchased the Knoxville and Bristol. 70 miles long, and also the Tennessee Northern, owned by the Lafolette Coal and Iron Go. The price paid Is said to have been $25o.000 and s40OOOO. respectively It is reported that g. GOO GOO in bonds will be issued by
 
 acquisitions and for improvements on them.
 At about sf0O OOO0O0 Silas Thompson. editor of the Railway News. estimates the increase of the payrolls of the rail- roads of the United States during the last year. Some of this. probably s50.- GOO 00O." he said, Ifs due to the natural increase of the. business of the country. but the rest Is due to the concerted de- mands of the employees"
 ]. A1 Culp. fourth vicepresident of the Southern railway. left yesterday after noon in his private car sor Washington Mir Culp has been in Birmiagham since Wednesday night looking at.er a number of important detail matters.
 c. R. Browder. the division freight agent of the Southern railway in Bir- mingham. has not yet returned from hIs Chicago trip on which he started several days asa.