The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-23
RAILROAD WORLD.


 The following Is taken from the Chat tanooga News:
 The officials of the Seaboard Ar Line are authority for the statement that the new line between Atlanta and Birming- ham will be opened for traffic by the first of next January.
 The extensions of both ends of the East and West railroad are well under way and 1t is hoped that the road will be finished within the course of three months. The extension from Pell City to Birmingham is perhaps nearer finished than the line from Rockmart to Atlanta, but the work is progressing rapidly and is to be finished by December 90, accord ing to contracts. New stations are be- ing built along the line and the old East and West will have the appearance of an entirely new road when the work in progress is finished.
 The officials who are to have charge of operating the new line have not been appointed yet but 1t is understood that when the announcement is issued for the opening of the line it will also contain the names of the officials During the early part of the week a large party of the officials of the Frisco system made a trip over the line and inspected the work on the extensions They spent several days looking over the road, and it is understood that all expressed them selves as being perfectly satisfied with the reconstruction work. It will be re- membered that short time ago the con- trol of the Seaboard Air Line passed into the hands of the Frisco system but from information obtained here a few days ago it is said the road will be operated as formerly and under the same manage ment.
 The Queen and Crescent line is con- trolled by the Southern, but they are competitors and carry on war against each other to secure the business. Pres ident Spencer of the Southern is at the head of the Queen and Crescent, but he devotes but little of his time to the road Recently he appointed w. J. Murphy, then general manager, to the position of vice-president, with the same power and authority as president, and the latter of ficial Is practically at the head of the Queen and Crescent system. The opera tion of the Seaboard will be similar. The Frisco system owns the controlling stock of the Seaboard, but this will not interfere with the present policy of the management. Several changes may oc- cur among the high officials of the Sea- board on account of the change of own ership, but none of the less important of ficials will be affected.
 A well known official of the Seaboard who has been spending a few days on Lookout mountain was discussing the situation this morning, and stated that some changes were expected to occur, but that 1t would not interfere with the operation of the road. Among other things he said: "The company is anx- 1 nf ba line between Atlanta and Birmingham, as we all wish to commence competition with the other lines running into Bir- mingham for eastern business via Att lanta When the line is opened a fine passenger and freight service will be inaugurated between the two cities and connection will be made in Atlanta with our lines for all parts of the country. At Birmingham the trains will connect with1 the Frisco for the west, and it can be readily seen how important the piece of property formerly known as the East and West has turned out to be- The new road is one of the finest pieces of rail- road property in the south, and when the extension from Duke, Ala, to Gadsden is finished we will probably have con nection for Chattanooga. I am not in a position to state whether or not the Sea- board has made traffic arrangements for Chattanooga, but it is the general belief that negotiations are pending"
 A Chicago special says: The Chicago and Northwestern has decided to retire from service all of its freight cars of 2S,00O pounds capacity. making in all 30.Oo0 pounds capacity, making in all about 400 that will be consigned to the "boneyard' in the next two months The company's officials say that it no longer pays to use cars of such small capacity The company is buying about 250O new freight cars a year, ranging from 10000 to 100000 pounds capacity. Be- fore the old cars are destroyed they will be replaced by an equal if not larger number of new cars.