The Washington times., 1903-06-04
NEWS OF RAILROADS
AND OF RAILROAD MEN
The Illinois Central Coming East.

ne Illinois Central Coming East.
And it now seems as though the Hi
nois Central had decided to reach out
to the Atlantic Seaboard, and in doing
so penetrate the rich iron and coal dis
become a rival of the proposed Wabash
| system, and in a few years 1t would not
create much surprise If it were TO at
tempt TO reach the National Capital
Word was received by the local rail-
road men this morning that the big sys-
tenn of the Prairie State had arranged
| TO extend the Canton, Aberdeen and
Nashville line, which it has just ac-
Quired from Jackson. Tenn, across fish
mingo county, Mississippi, to the Ala
bama line at Brilliant, thence through
the rich coal lands to Jaspar, and then
into Birmingham. The name OF the lit
tie old-fashioned road is TO be merged
! into that of the great system, and it's
small, work-worn rails will be torn up
and replaced with the heaviest steel
Double tracks are to be laid through 10
Birmingham A number of small Ala
bama towns which have been sleeping
| dreamily since the war, away from the
rush and whirl of the world, are to have
| their drowsy peace disturbed, for the
road is to run through them, and many
will soon lose their old-time beauty
| and become smoky and dirty, but rich
| for coal beds underlie them. Double
| Springs, Annaville, Red Mountain, Allan
| ton. and several more are to be on the
| main line
| The surveyors are now at work map
| ping out the proposed extension. The
| engineers are following them closely.
| Construction work has been begun this
side OF jackson.
| It was said today that the Illinois
Central will expend about 81. O00,000 on
| the new line. And it was also said that
| the big railroad would not be, satisfied
cause 1t would have no outlet from there
| to the sea.
| Those who are familiar with such
| things. consequently, are of belief that
| before long the gangs of surveyors will
be at work eastward toward Atlanta,
and thence TO Charleston or Savannah
Some are of the opinion that it may
come northward and try to reach New
| port News, but judging from rumors
/ which have reached them, railroad men
are more inclined to believe that Sa-
vannah is more likely to get the ter
mfnals than any of the other cities.
The route is straighter, and Savannah
| is hungering for more railroads. The
harbor there can easily be made a fine
one, and despite the various sand bars,
| they are SO located that they can be
easily dredged away.
| The unfortunate United States En-
| gineeer. Captain Carter, was at this
work when convicted and sent TO prison
In fact the harbor can be improved to
shelter the largest steamers, and as
some OF the big men who are interested
| in the Illinois Central are also in the
Morgan steamship combine. this would
make it easy to establish a line OF
steamers to carry eastward much of the
| freight which now goes to the Gulf
ports. and which has to be carried
around the capes of Florida. 1t would
also make it possible to establish
| large coal port on the far southern At
lanttc Coast, where there is none, aud
where one is much needed.
In the meantime the Seaboard Air
Line, the Southern, and the Atlantic
| Coast Line, are wondering just how far
the thing is going. They have no Il
linois telegraph poles to cut down. so
the depth of their feeling in the matter
cannot be judged TO nicely as was
that of another line whose territory has
been invaded by a bold, bad competitor
of the Illinois in certain parts of the
West.