The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-04-22
NEW WESTERN ROUTE
Consolidation Of Seaboard
Air Line and Illinois Central.
Baskerville Citizen.l

10 the Illinois Central railroad CON-
ing to Asheville by way OF Knoxville
TO connect with the Seaboard Air Line,
which. it is said will be extended to
this place from Rut~herfordton. its
present western terminus?
Answering the question off hand it
would appear that developments OF a
late date point 10 a conclusion which
is not far from n which would give
an affirmative answer 10 the above
question.
To begin with 1t is reported that the
Illinois Central is the recent purchaser
OF the Tennessee Central. with which
road It connects at a point in middle
Tennessee. The Tennessee Central ex-
tends from Nashville, Tenn, the cap
ital of the Volunteer state. to Harri-
man. which place is located about 20
miles from Knoxville. At Lebanon the
Central makes connection
with the Illinois Central
A very few days ago a rurnor be-
came current that the /. =. had pur-
chased or arranged for the purchase
of the Tennessee Central, which road
is in bad straits financially. The ru-
nor ha not yet been either confirmed
or denied, but men who are close 10
the railroad situation in the south be-
iieve there is something in the re-
port The scheme behind the purchase
OF the Tennessee Central. IL such pur-
chase has been made by the /. -. Is
said to be as follows:
The Illinois Central wants an outlet
to the ooast and is said to have cum
bined forces with the Seaboard Air
Line. 1t Is a well known fact that the
Louisville & Nashville railroad and the
Atlantic Coast Linz are owned by the
&C ~ So-r ~-l rl.
combination of roads reaches nearly If
not quite every important city in the
south. In the same way the Southern
railway reaches nearly all the best cit
les in the Southland. What the Illi-
nois Central and the Seaboard Air
Line are driving at, or rather what the
former road is driving at, is a merger
with the S. A. L. in order to be on fair
terms OF competition with the LOUIS
Vile and Nashville n the Atlantic
Coast Line on one hand and the
Southern railway ON the other. In or
der to secure the chance for fair COM
petition the Illinois Central must COM
/ with the 5. A. l.. n this, it is said
if not an accomplished thing, is we'll
understood to be the intent of the I. Z.
in which plan the S. A. l.. heartily
concurs. In fact it is reported in rail-
o circles on what is said to be re-
liable authority that the l. c. is even
now furnishing none to the S. A. l..
for h construction of a branch road
OF considerable magnitude and that if
the S. A. l.. Is not controlled by the L.
c. it is only a question Of time before
it will be.
Having control of the S. A. l.. or be-
ing situated so that control Of that
road can be gained at any time, the l..
G. seeks to purchase or has purchased
the Tennessee Central. BY this meth
Cd 1t reaches almost to Knoxville. IT
would be necessary for the T.. G. to be
built into Knoxville. for a link Dad to
be constructed from Knoxville to New
port. Tenn, which Is only a short, dis
tance, where connection may be made
with the Tennessee and North Carolina
railroad. The Tennessee and North Car
DINA railroad runs from the town of
Newport. Tenn, to within a short dis
lance of Waynesville. n. G. When
WayneSville was reached it would BE-
necessary to construct from that place
to ASheville and from ASfseville to
RutherfOrdtOn and the trick would BE
turned.
The Illinois Central and the Seaboard
Air Line would then have entrance to
the territory which the s.. A. L. has
been trying to invade for SO long a
time, the big o. fields of Tennessee.
And, with the purchase of a road
which it is said is on the market and
the construction OF another link the
combined roads might have entrance
also TO the Virginia coal fields.
Rumors are rife throughout this ter
ritory to the effect hat the Illinois
Central and the Seaboard Air Line
will surely make the moves herein
outlined within a short time. 1t is
limited that the first steps have already
been taken, as indicated above, in the
purchase of the Tennessee Contra and
that other initiatoTy move will be
made at no late date.
1t Is vel known in Asheville that
the Seaboard has long wanted to reach
ASheville from RutherfordtOn, an
several times it has been believed
that the Dig thing was just abIu.
happen.