The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-27
BIG MERGER
PROPOSED.
Atlantic Coast Line to Be
Nucleus of System.
RAILROAD MEN GATHER
Number Are in Atlanta in Conference
With Henry Walters, Who Is Chair
man Of the A. c. L. and
L. & N.
RAILROAD MEN GATHER

According to a dispatch from Atlanta,
Ga. Henry Walters, of this city. and
other fnanciers connected with the At
lantc Coast Line, are In Atlanta, ar
ranging gigantic merger of Southern
and Southwestern railroads, approaching
in magnitude the merger of the roads
constituting tho Rock Island system. The
lines included in the deal and the mileage
Of each follow:
Atlantic Coast Line, 4,3iS miles.
Charleston and Western Carolina, 3i2
miles
Louisville and Nashville, S,452 miles.
Georgia and West Point $50 miles.
Nashville, Chattanooga and StE Louis,
COG miles.
The moving spirit behind the giant un-
oertaking is said to be Mr.. Walters.
who Is chairman of the Boards of Direc-
Tors of the Atlantic Coast Line and the
Louisville and Nashville. Mr.. Walters IS
a man Of immense wealth, ana he ana
those associated with him can command
a practically unlimited amount of money
much more than enough to accomplish
the work now In hand. For some time
the Coast Line has been quietly securing
an interest in the other lines, buying UP
stock whenever it. was offered for sale,
and in other ways entrenching itself Tor
tho undertaking.
THE LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE
DEAL.
The securing control of the Louisville
and Nashville was magnificent coup on
the part of the Coast Line. Mr.. Walters
was made chairman of the Louisville ana
Nashville Board Of Directors. This move
placed Mr.. Walters in commanding po-
siton to continue the plans which the
Coast Line had In mind The Louisville
Georgia
1t has a lease on the road for ninety
nine years. The Coast Line already con-
troled the Charleston and Western car
DINA, and the Columbia. Newberry and
Laurens The Louisville and Nashville
controls the Nashville Chattanooga ana
st. Louis.
Bv this somewhat complicated arrange
ment IT is seen that the new alignment
places the Coast Line In charge, directly
or indirectly, of all these large roads. and
makes 1t master Of the situation, SO far
as combining them is concerned, me op-
iect now contemplated by the Coast Line.
as understood in Atlanta, is to bring all
the different lines into one and operate
them as one great system, under one
management There does not appear to
be any legal obstacle In the way OF the
contamination of this plan. as the roads
involved are not competing lines IN the
strict sense of the term.
The advantages of the plan are numer-
Gus and apparent. A consolidation Will
enable all of them TO earn more. IL VIII
reduce expenses of operation to a con-
siderable extent. 1t will enable the COM
biration to operate through trains from
the far South to Baltimore and New ork
Ii will weld a number Of somewhat dis
connected lines into one homogeneous
whole, making compact system, that
will rival the greatest in the world. Finan-
- Ill : 1ty,ac
benefited The Atlantic Coast Line is
one of the strongest lines in America al
ready Its stock is not listed for sale
on the exchanges. 1t is all owned by
those directly interested in the road,
A GIGANTIC SYSTEM.
The system Will have more ports than
probably any other in the United States
has. 1t will reach the Atlantic Ocean and
Z the Mexican Gulf at Charleston, Savan-
nah, Norfolk, Brunswick, Port Tampa.
New Orleans and many intermediate
points
{ The Atlantic Coast Line begins at Rich
mond and has lines from that point to
| Montgomery, Port Tampa, Brunswick,
| Savannah, Charleston and Norfolk. r.
\ G Erwin of New York Is president. Mr..
| Walters, Waldo Newcomer, Michael 'Jen-
| kins and other Baltimoreans are large
! stockholders,
The Charleston and Western Carolina
I extends from Port Royal to Augusta;
( thence north to Spartanburg, Greenville,
Greenwood and Laurens The Louisville
and Nashville extends, through It's main
! line and connections. from Cincinnati to
| New Orleans.
The Atlanta and West Point runs be-
tween Atlanta and West Point. and. with
/ tho Western OF Alabama, goes Into Mont
gcmery. The Georgia runs from Augusta
to Atlanta. and also reaches Charleston,
Savannah. Macon and other cities through
branches and Observation-Disclosures
Herald.