The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-02
RAILROAD WORLD.

The New York papers print resolu- tion adopted at the meeting of the di- rectors of the Seaboard Air Line, held on Wednesday. It follows:
 Mir. John Skelton Williams, having this day declined a reelection to the presi- dency of the Seaboard Air Line Railway company, preferring, for personal reasons, to assume the position of chairman of the board, the directors cannot let this oc- casion pass without expressing their ap- preciation of the great services which he has rendered during his occupation of his high office.
 Out of a number of disjointed and com paratively unprofitable railroads, his genius and energy evolved, in a wonder fully brief period of time, new and consolidated system of roads under one management, extending to all the Atan- tic ports south of Washington, and to the Gulf of Mexico in the south, and to Bir- mingham and Montgomery on the south west. Under his able management this system Of railroads has been built up, i'm proved and extended, until 1t has become a successful and formidable competitor with the older north and south lines. Un- der his administration, the earnings of the system have increased from sS.O0O,O0o to more than $la,OOo,OO0.
 James M Barr, who was elected presi- dent and general manager of the Sea- board, Is native of Ohio, and was born in 1855
 He entered railway service in 1871 as messenger boy In the office of the super intendent of one of the divisions of the Pennsylvania railroad After that he be- came stenographer and then clerk in the vice presidents office of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy. In 1888 he became superintendent of the Chicago, Burlington and Northern. From that office he went to the Union Pacific. and in 1890 he joined the Chicago. Milwaukee and St. Paul. From 1894 until 1896 he was with the Great Northern, which he left as general super intendent to become vice president and general manager of the Norfolk and Western. In 1899 he became third vice president of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, which position he occupied un- til he came to the Seaboard Air Line as vice president and general manager three years ago.
 A special from Waycross, Ga.s to the Savannah Press, dated December 3l, says:
 At meeting of the stockholders of the Atlantic and Birmingham Railway com pany held in the general offices in this city yesterday, bond issue was author ized to the amount of s12,OOO a mile on the 220 miles of road owned by the sys- tenn. This issue extends over all the lines of the system, comprising the At lantic and Birmingham, the Triton and Northeastern. and the Triton, Thomas vile and Gulf
 The stockholders present at the meeting were Captain w. G. Raoul. S. M. Inman. W. c. Shaw. George Dole Wadley, B. II. Williams, W. J. Swain Alex Bonnyman and c. Fred Bedding. Captain Raoul and MT. Shaw arrived here yesterday in their private cars and left in the after noon over the Atlantic and Birmingham
 The bond issue has been authorized for the purpose of buying new equipment and probably for further extension.
 An Associated Press dispatch, dated Raleigh, N C.. January 1, about the con- solidation of the Eastern and Western districts of the Southern railway, says:
 Information from a seemingly author itative source received last night was to the effect that the general offices would be moved to Atlanta