The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-21
WHO HAS GOT IT..
Has the Atlantic Coast
Line Purchased Nor
folk and Southern
Railway?

" PROMINENT AsOItH AdlOiluldu was IN
Raleigh yestcrday-(you need not look
in the Personals to find his name, for
it is withheld)- who generally knows
more about the inside railroad facts than
any man chance to run across. In times
past l have found that he could see a
little further into railroad deals befor,
they were pulled off than anybody else
Not long alter the Atlantic Coast Line
bid off the Cape Fear and Yadkin Var
ley Railroad he told me that 1t had been
bought Jointly by the Atlantic Coast Line
and the Southern and would be dismen-
beIed and divided between them, the
Southern taking all from Sanford to Mt.
Any, and the At antic Coast Line ali
from Sanford to Wilmington.
But" / said to him, If that is true
why did the Atlantic Coast Line and the
Southern Railway bid against each other,
and run the price up $4,000 after the Sea
board had bid it's limit?'
That's easy" he said. THAT was done
10 throw OFF all suspicion and to get the
sale confirmed in the courts
1t happened just like he said 1t would
happen and ever since then when he ia.
told re anything about how the cal
would jump in railroad affairs ] have
found it come out about as he. said.
| had just read the telegram from NCc
folk stating that the Norfolk and South
ern Railway had been sold to the Could
interests by the .Vanderbilts. could not
understand. first why the Goulds wanted
to buy that line when the nearest cou
nection they have with the line is at Bal
timore, and it seemed strange that til
Vanderbilt interest would wish TO part
with it unless it was to a system more
friendly to these roads than the Wabash
and the Western of Maryland, controlled
b. the Goulds. The story sent out from
Norfolk read mighty nice, but somehow
it didn't convince me that the Goulds
were coming into North Caronna Le'::-
tory AS l was trying to grope my way
into the light, l CHANGED to meet NJ
railroad friend on MS way to take III.
Seaboard train to New York, arc L
thought to myselt thought | here = my
chance to get into the inside or this
latest railroad deal. After 'howdy' mao
passed. l plunged right into the matter
and plunged this question at him good
and hard WHO is it that has purchased
the Norfolk and Southern Railway
II have just read in your paper, he e.
Piled, that 1T has been bought Sy the
Gould interest,"
Yes. | know" I reioined "bUt the
telegram does not say that in so many
words 1t says it has passed into the
control OF Flint Bacon and Company ana
the Continental Trust Company OF Pitts
burg who are said to be the direct rep
resentatives CT George j. Gould in this
transaction Does that necessarily mean
that the Coulds have bought it, or that,
for some reason not yet disclosed, tie
bankers do not yet wish to disclose the
name OF the real purchaser
You want my opinion? he asked
''Well / do not &n0w q thing about II
except what I read in the News and Oh
server. but will tell you what l think,
/ have no idea that Gould has bought the
road. Think a minute During the last
month the Norfolk and Southern have
butt into two OF the good towns in tn"
Atlantic Coast Lines territory. That
road sat still and permitted the Norfoik
and Southern to buy the lumber road
from Plymouth to Washington, thus Civ
ing that road entrance into one OF the
Alliance Coast Lines best towns. why
do you suppose the alert ana sensible
owners of the Atlantic Coast Line sat
still and permitted competitor to enter
Washington when it could nave bought
the road itself and shut the Norfolk ana
Southern out Of Washington? And haven't
YOU recently heard something about the
Norfolk and Southern building into Ne"
Bern from Washington and making close
traffic arrangements with or a lease OF
the Atlantic and North Carolina Rall
road?"
| admitted that I had heard all these
things.
Then" he continued 'who has bought
the Norfolk ard Southern Railway"
"Do you mean?" [ asked, that the
Atlantic Coast Line has bought the Nor
folk and Southern Railway and copper
plated its control on transportation II
all Eastern North Cardinal"
IT do not know thing about 1T ex-
cept this that the Atlantic Coast Line
j. owned and operated by mighty smart
men-men who sleep with one eye open.
Do you suppose they would sit still ana
see powerful interests like the GQulds
buy the Norfolk and Southern and build
it into Plymouth, Washington and New
Bern and connect with the A. and NJ O.
r. r. and not try to prevent 1T, when
it was easy for them to do 1t? Wen, II
it is not the Atlantic Coast Line that
is the real purchaser of the Norfolk ana
Southern, you may put it down that ]
cannot add up two and two. To me II
as plain as a pikestaff. and | think you
Will see it work out that way. 1t may
not be announced soon. 1t may be that
there are reasons why it viii not be an
nounced at all. 1t may be that It vi
continue to be run us an Independent
system. but just as sure a ] know any
thing about railroading the Atlantic Coast
Line. and not the Gould interests, has
purchased the Norfolk and Southern
Is he right?
Wait and see.