The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-20


sensor,, so that the musicians might play
to thousands instead OF hundreds.
Richmond is all educational center and
becomes moro and moro 30 each yenr. IN
addition to our splendid schools, wo have
number OF outside educational inetitu-
tons, not the least among which ID the
Wednesday Club. It Is factor and nh
important factor IN OUT educational sys-
tom, and 1T deserves the encouragement
and support or all men and women who
have the CAUSE OF education at heart.
Education is a. mitch broader term In its
significance now than ever before in the
history, OF. the world, and every insti-
tuition, OF whatever character, which tends
to improve the mental md moral condi-
ton OF the people as an educational In
stitution should be encouraged.
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THERAILROADSOFTH SOUTH
1t Is given out In the railroad world
that the Southern Railway Company has
now. through It's various purchases, Sc
cured access to nearly oil southern ports
enst Of the mississippi, including West
Point. Richmond. Norfolk, Charleston,
Savannah. Brunswick, Mobile and New
Orleans. not to speak OF Memphis, St.
Louis, Louisville, Chicago and Cincinnati
This is now one Of the strongest railroad
CORPORATE ons In 4 the United States, and
when 1t is remembered that q few years
ago the road was 81 the hands Of q re-
ceiver, It seems almost marvellous that It
has now attained such commanding
position in the railroad world. A little
while ago the preferred stock Of this
company was selling in the twenties; It
Is now worth sos per share, and the COM
pany is paying Ave per cent dividend
regularly on the entire Issue. The COM
mon stock is now worth about $50 share
on the open market. In the meantime
the company has improved It's rad bed.
strengthened its bridges and enlarged its
equipment, and put itself In first-class
operating condition.
The Atlsntic Coast Lihe is another
southern asliisrsoad corporation that has be-
come strong and great. The Coast Line
is fine system within itself. but 1t has
recently acquired q controlling interest
in the Louisville and Nashville road. 1t
enters nearly all the prominent cities OF
the South, giving it access to most of the
southern ports. and making It a magni-
f1cent railroad property with main line
from Washington to Tampa, and with
branch lines running, in oil directions.
The Coast Line has also improved Its
road bed and equipment, and is In prime
physical condition. Its earnings are
large, and promise to be much larger in
the near future,
Another southern railroad that is
worthy Of being mention in this connec-
ton is the seaboard Air Line. which also
runs from Washington to Tampa. and
has extensive collateral lines. The Sea-
board Air Line Is a. fine property, although
it has not had the same chance for de-
velopmcnt that these other properties
have had. for 1t is q much younger corpo-
ration. But it Is doing good business.
which Is improving all the time and the
other great southern roads must reckon
wthdit sooner or later. ust sThat IS to
become Of the seaboard Air Line we
make no predictions, but we feel sure that
it will continue to be a strong factor in
the roads OF the South and in southern
development. @e ga
This article Is written not to boom the
southern railroads, but to emphasize the
fact that the South Is growing. There
is no better index to the growth OF q COM
munity than the roads which traverse it.
These roads have grown because he South
has grown; these roads are prosperous
because the South Is prosperous. It ls
true that they have played an important
partln the development Of, the South, but
they could not have prospered except she
South had prospered,. They have built
up an immense traftice because, the South
has a great deal of stuff to haul.
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