The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-05
FIRST TRAIN OVER
 SEABOARD'S LINE Freight Service Into Blrmlng-
 ham Begins Today PASSENGER TRAINS LATER Fast Mall Trains Between Birmingham and Atlanta Will be Put on.
 Boom for the Dlstrlet-Road's Liberal Outlay.
PASSENGER TRAINS LATER

Today the urSI Ifdin oNeE the 0eaoodio o will come Into Birmingham. It will be a through freight from Atlanta, and will mark a new era in the railroad import- ance of Birmingham. 1t is another step in the advance of this district towards the position of the most commanding railroad center in the south.
 The new road gives Birmingham not only another connection with the east and the various ports on the Atlantic coast, but this city is the connecting link between the east and the west. The Frisco system and the seaboard are be- lieved to be closely associated now. The two roads meet in Birmingham, the east ern terminus of the one and the western terminus of the other.
 Already the close friendship between the two lines Is manifest in the appoint ment of the representatives o< the Frisco at Pratt City, Ensiey and Bessemer as the representatives of the Seaboard, and additional rumor was caused last week when a seaboard engine used the Frisco tracks to Bessemer.
 New Territory Opened.
 The seaboard Is opening new territory for the products of the Birmingham dis trict It traverses the coal and iron fields of the Coosa, and until 1t reaches the Georgia line 1t will find other heavy ton mage of various kinds. St. Clair will give heavy coal and iron ore shipments, and already new mines are being opened along the road in anticipation of the freight trains running and the opportun- ity of shipment either east or west. Calhoun Is rich in crops of various kinds, which the Birmingham district needs and where a ready market can be found. It also has coal and timber. cle- burne has coal and timber. and Cherokee has Iron and timber.
 The road goes through the Alexandria and the Choccolocco valleys, which arc very rich. There are few more valuable timber lands in the south than those to be opened by the Seaboard.
 Fast East Mall.
 Another great importance to Birming- ham will be the closer communication with the east in malls, express and pas senger service. The time from Birming | ham to Atlanta will be materially de | creased when the road bed Is settled an' | fast passenger trains can be operated Owing to the small percentage of tn grades and curves fast time will be pos sible The road has a grade of only on per cent and the maximum curve only six per cent, while the averag curves will not be over one or two pc cent
 when the road was being constructed the engineers had speed and comfort il view, and the company therefore spen large amounts of money tunnelling anC building bridges wherever a grade of { curve could be obviated. More time wa. required, but the officials of the rad be lleve they will be fully repaid for th' extra expense and time Dy having one oi the finest road beds in the south. Th' road is ballasted with slag almost the en tire distance, and immense quantities oi it are being used every day to complete the work of ballasting as soon as pos sib1e.
 Passenger Service Soon
 As has been stated before the passen ger service will not be inaugurated unti after a number of heavy rains and heav, trains have settled the road bed so tha speed without fear of accident may b' maintned. The officials do not care t' | put a passenger service into effect unti it can be done with speed and comfort
 The road has two important branches between here and Atlanta. At Coal Cit! q branch runs up to Pell City wher' much freight and passenger traffic i expected and at Rockmart. anothe branch reaches out to cartersvile an other excellent opening.
 The benefits to certain sections o Georgia will be equal to those of Ala bama The peach section of Georgia vii be penetrated by the line, and at Dallas immense shipments of the famous El berta's are expected. At Rockmart, tn large slate quarries are touched by tn road and the Cedartown and Piedmor section. give large shipments of brow hematite ore. On the Alabama side the line branch road runs from Tree egar to Jacksonville, where the lare lime kilns are found.
 Within the limits of Birmingham, tf road has spent a great deal of none. It is estimated by the engineers that on million dollars was spent in Birmingham proper in getting ready for business. Thi includes the freight depot on Avenue , and Twentieth street, the yards on Ave nue A and Powell avenue, between Eigh teenth and Twentieth streets. as well al the larger yards from rwenty-sixth stree to Thirty-second street. The cut unoe the Twenty first and Twenty-seeont street bridges Is an excellent piece O work and very expensive
 Whistles VIII Greet Train.
 Todav when the first train arrives 1 will be greeted by the whistles of al inc great industries in the city, and tn engines of the various other roads. Tn sIoss companys whistles at the city fur naces will give the signal sometime thi rhlrty-second street, and the others vii take 1t up.
 Early in next year when the first pas senger train arrives a suitable celebra tion will be held. Prominent men in ev cry walk of life in Birmingham will par ticipate, and 1t is probable that many 0 tbe officials of the road from the eas will come down for the occasion. Tn officials of the road in Birmingham stat that at that time they will be in positio to cooperate with the citizens, and mak it an occasion to be remembered.