The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-12

The latest rumor in railroad circles is
to the effect that the Brunswick and Bir-
mingham is about to change hands. 1t Is
thought by some railroad people that j.
P. Morgan & Co. will acquire the road
at the same time the Rock Island-Frisco
deal is announced.
1t is felt that the road would be adj
vantageous to the Rock Island because
it would aid that line in reaching the
coast.
A Chicago dispatch states that the car
situation has not improved, although con-
trary reports have been sent out. Not
western line has a sufficient number for
business offered. OF course, there is some
betterment and the weather has favored
transportation departments.
The most serious trouble is with the
motive power. All lines are sadly in need
of engines. and until they can procure
more. shippers will have trouble getting
cars
For some time it has been popular for
arrangements to have ton miles show as
cheaply as possible in reports. To accom-
plish this the engines have been drawing
longer trains and making longer runs,
until the monsters, of which the roads
were so proud, have played out before
others could be procured in order to
make the necessary repairs.
The transportation problem is worrying
manufacturers and jobbers The move
ment of goods from the east to the west
Is by far the slowest ever known. It
takes four to six weeks to get a car of
merchandise from the seaboard to Chi
cago, where in ordinary traffic condi-
lions eight to ten days suffice
The iron and steel interest is the worst
sufferer from the lack of transportation,
as coke supplies cannot be brought fast
enough to keep all furnaces running.
This necessitates the closing of mills that
make finished products. as pig iron cam
not be had to work over.
The Wall Street Journal says:
The strategic strength of Rock Island
Frisco combine at present lies fully as
much. If not more in the control Of the
north and south traffic, as in the control
of trade from east to west
With an extension of the system to tide
water at Savannah or some other eastern
port, this situation would be equalized TO
a considerable degree
The question of the difference of hum
dred miles or so in the mileage of com
peting routes is not prime factor in the
freight situation, Notwithstanding it's de-
STABILITY In close passenger competition.
The important thing is that a line IN
order to be successful and aggressive
competitor should reach important CEN
tiers of trade-in other words tap as many
competitive points as possible. If it can
combine with short line between COM
petitive points, it is so much the stronger.
The Rock Island is now the short line
from Chicago to FL Paso and with the
completion of the connection between tie
Frisco and Mexican Northern at San An
tonic the Frisco system will be the short
est line from Chicago, Kansas City and
st. Louis to the City of Mexico by, ap-
rroximately. 1000 miles.
The comparison of east and west lines
will show equally good figures.
AS to competitive points reached by the
combined systems, we have among the
more important, st. Paul, Chicago Kan
sas City, Omaha, Denver, El Paso, st.
Louis, Memphis, Birmingham, Galveston
and New Orleans, with a perfect net
work of Intermediate competitive stations
covering practically twelve states and
territories.