The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-29
.SEABOARD FREIGHT
 SERVICE VERY SOON
Gen'I Supt. Huger is Here Max
 ing Arrangements
PASSENGER SERVICE LATER
History of seaboard's Great Under taking In Building to Birmingham. Cost of the Work and What
 Has Been Done Here.

dent of the Seaboard, is in the city look ing over the terminals of the road here, and today ne will go from Birmingham to Atlanta over his line to make a thorough inspection to see if it is advisable to start a freight service on next Monday or defer the service a week O. two.
 Major Hager said yesterday afternoon;
 I've want to start the freight service on next Monday, and that Is our inten- ton now. After I have made the in- speetIon the official announcement will be given out. 1 am well pleased with things as 1 find them here. and am certainly glad that the road is now open to the Birmingham District. which will give us a great amount of tonnage.
 We do not intend opening a passenger schedule for some time to come, as the road bed wlll have to settle great deal before the heavy passenger trains couId be run over it at any great rate of speed"
 Major Huger and Superintendent Par sons of this division, along with other of the officials of the road will take the trip today to Atlanta. the first through trip
 
 yesterday that he expected the regular freight schedule of about four or five trains a day each way to commence on the fifth of this month He reported that the passenger connections at Thirty second street for entrance to the union passenger station are being made now, and will be completed soon. The Sea board passenger trains will come in over the tracks of the Alabama Great Sou thern.
 A dozen or more solid cars of freight are waiting fin Atlanta to come to Bir- mingham over the new route. and the shippers are all anxious that their car shall be one among the number that goes to make up the first through train to Birmingham. There is also considera- ble freight in Birmingham waiting to go out on the line as soon as it is opened.
 The Seaboard has spent nearly 100O0,0O0 in getting from Atlanta to Birmingham. 1t has been about two years and six months since the first surveys were made, and the first actual work of construction commenced about the first of November two years ago. The officials of the road expected to complete it in year, but contractors who had some of the wosl' failed or fell down on it. and delays were caused by this. A number of deer cuts, and expensive and difficult con struction work delayed the road for sev- eral months longer than 1t was expected.
 The road between Birmingham and Att lanta is 166.1S miles long and has of There are one or two curves fin the road of from 5 to per cent, but long curves are very few and far between. The track is single the entire distance but every five miles there is side track half a mile long. This makes the passing of trains very convenient and will allow of many and heavy trains be- ing operated on the single track
 The seaboard has spent in Birmingham proper about $1,0O0,OOO. The work from Eighteenth street to Thirty-second street, including the yards. freight house, etc, cost just about one tenth of what the entire road to Atlanta cost That cost includes the damaged to abutting prop erty and the deep cut under the Iwen- ty-frst and Twenty-second streets.
 M. M. Richey, assistant general super intendent of the Southern railway, Is ex- pected back from Washington tomorrow or Thursday He Is conferring with a number of the officials of the road about condition on his district and what Is re- ouired for it's operation.
 Travelling Agent McGill of the Mexican American Steamship company was in the city yesterday looking after the interests of his line.
 W. J. Rosser, travelling freight agent of the Burlington Route, was In the city yesterday. His headquarters are in Sa- vannah.
 The Queen and Crescent ran specia 1 train consisting of a baggage car. { coach and private car from Birmingham to Chattanooga last night for "The Smar setp company. The train left Birmingham at 1 o'clock and was due to arrive fl Chattanooga about o'clock this morn ing.
 c. H. Morgan, travelling passenger agen of the Texas and Pacific. will leave Bir mingham Thursday or Friday for St Louis, where he will meet the other mem bers of the Traveling Passenger Agents association. whic;. will take a two weeks trip Into Mexico holding its annual meet ing in tho City of Mexico.
 John Word, southeastern passenger | agent of the Texas and Pacific, with head | quarters in Atlanta. and Oscar Mitchell | travelling passenger agent of the Lake Shore. with headquarters in Chattanooga will also go. The special train bearing inc members of the association will leave St. Louis Saturday night. The associ- ation will be the guests of the various railroads over which the special travels If will consist of seven sieepers. two dining cars and a baggage car.
 Mobile, November 2.-(Special.)-The of. hcals of the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas | City railway, who are in the city. say that the line being constructed from Mid dleton, Tenn. to Mobile will be in opera. ton by the 1st of March, and that the work on the final grading of the road fl in progress They were well pleased witf the prospects, of their property through this section and predict a bright futur, | for tho road.
 W. N. Davidson. district passengel akent of the Wabash at St. Thomas l Canada was in the city yesterday. H,