The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-01-25
SEABOARD TO BE EXTENDED
TO GULF OF MEXICO
SCHEME TO MAKE THE SEA
BOARD THE GREATEST COM.
PETIToR OF THE L. & NJ, AND
" PLANS ARE CARRIED OUT
WILL RESULT IN MUCH RENE-
FIT.


extend the line Of the Seaboard Air
Line to the Gulf OF Mexico. and if It
is carried out it will give the Louis
vile and Nashville more trouble than
any road that could touch the gulf.
The Seaboard is backed by probably
one of the biggest corporation in ex-
istence, and if it is extended to the
gulf viii cause competition in the
freight business, which will no doubt
benefit Pensacola. Speaking of this
matter, the Birmingham Ledger of
recent date, said:
The most interesting bit of specu-
lative gossip in railroad circles today
is that touching the future policy of
the Seaboard Air Line railroad, which
has just completed its line into Birm-
ingham from Atlanta at an expense
of S12.0OO,OO0. 1t is believed in east
ern financial circles that Blair & Co.,
and Thomas F. Bryan, who dominate
the Seaboard, are preparing to
stretch their rails from the great
lakes to the gulf of Mexico. When it
is noticed that by extending one line
and completing another in Alabama,
this can be accomplished, there is
much ground for the gossip that has
taken Birmingham by the ears. If
this extension is made, and the lakes
and the gulf as well as Birmingham
and Jacksonville are connected by the
rails of the Seaboard, that road will
become the greatest competitor of the
Louisville and Nashville in the south.
The good that will revert TO Birming-
ham, the other cities of Alabama and
the country at large is not to be
overestimated.
"A little railroad, known as the
Union Springs and Northern, Ostensi-
bly, an independent road with Presi-
dent Blount at its head, but whose
sinews Of war were furnished by the
Seaboard, runs from Montgomery to
Union Springs to Fort Davis, the lat
! ter being a station on the Seaboard'S
| MontgOmery-Savan line. Ii was
| the intention of the promoters of this
! scheme. TO extend the road from Fort
Davis to Birmingham, thus connect
/ ing the tlanta-Birmingham line with
| Montgomery and other points in south
| Alabama. If the opinion that is held
in eastern financial circles concern
1 ing Blair & Co. and Thomas F. Ryan
is correct, then the completion of this
road is a certainty, and the first long
step towards the gulf of Mexico will
have been made.
In this connection, ii is safe to say
that the road that was projected from
Hayneville to Morganville, in LOwndes
county, several years ago, will be
completed as far as Montgomery by
the SeabOard. President Blount, of
the Union Springs and Northern, has
held several recent consultations with
city authorities in Hayneville and
Morganville, and il is freely stated that
the road will be completed by the Sea-
board and the people of LOwnG9s
county. To reach the gulf from
| Hayneville. it will be necessary to eX-
tend the line to Pensacola, and the
problem will there reach a simple
solution. The Seaboard already has
its rails from Jacksonville to River
Junction. The gap between River
Junction and Pensacola can be filled
in with a moderate outlay of capital,
and when these rails are laid the
scheme will have been successfully
ended. and the Seaboard will be con-
nected by one stretch of rails from
the great lakes to the waters of the
gulf of Mexico.
TO bring about the result, the Sea-
board will have to complete the line
from Fort Davis to Birmingham, fin
ish the small road from Hayneville 20
Montgomery, lay rails from Hayne-
vile to Pensacola and fill in the gap
between the latter city and River
Junction. II is claimed that to COM
plete this work in Alabama il will
take about twice as much moneg az
was expended in laying the excellent
track from Atlanta 10 Birmingham.
which many capitalists think was the
first stride towards the gulf. The
above project is believed and freely
discussed in eastern financial circles,
and gossip concerning the matter is
beginning TO buzz in Birmingham and
/ other Alabama cities.