The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-31
SECURES RIGHT OF
WAY At BESSEMER
Southern Railway TO Lay Two
Miles of Track
WILL CONNECT WITH A. G. S.
Building of Tracks to Mobile junction
VIII Greatly Relieve Birmingham
Traffic ituatlon-seaboard
Officials Coming.
WILL CONNECT WITH A. G. S.

1ne southern railway has secured the
right of way for two mile track con-
Meeting the Southern and A. G. S. tracks
at Bessemer with the Southern tracks at
Mobile Junction, and 1t is pointed out that
when this branch is completed 1t will be
of great benefit to Birmingham.
For some time the railroad has been
trying to get the right of way across GER
tain property near Bessemer, and the
contract has only just been signed up
between the Bessemer Coal Iron and
Land Company and the road.
The building of this track affects Birm-
ingham in more than one way. 1t will
relieve great portion of the southern's
freight traffic which has hitherto come
through the main yards and across
Eighteenth and Twentieth streets, caus-
ing danger Of accidents at those two
crossings and blocking business also. A
large percentage of this switching by the
Southern will be thing of the past when
this new connection is completed.
All Of the through freight and a por-
ton of the local freight to and from the
Mobile division will be switched through
the new yards of the Southern at North
Birmingham, relieving the situation In
Birmingham
The new yards OF the Southern were
graded at cost of about $4,000 and this
portion of the work has been completed
All that is necessary now is to lay the
tracks. and then Birmingham will have
an additional freight car yard capacity
of about 5000 cars. The yards will be
among the most modern in the SOUTH and
Will include about 40 miles of main line
sidings and storage tracks They will be
ultimately used for practically all of the
freight business of the Southern in Birm-
ingham, and no one would be surprised
to see the shops moved out in that To-
cality before long, or as soon as the busi-
ness makes the use of the North Birm-
ingham yards necessity.
The yards were graded under the d.
rection of Assistant General superin-
tendent Riohey and will be capable of
switching a great number of cars with
dispatch. The gravity system will be
used and one engine can switch many
more cars In day than under the ordi-
nary systems. The yards are modelled
somewhat after some that Mr.. Richey
built on one of the northern systems.
The Southern and the Alabama Great
Southern have used tracks Jointly from
Birmingham to Bessemer and travel
over the line has been exceptionally
heavy in both freight and passenger
business and the siding to be built will
relieve this one track for both freight
and passenger business, as passenger
trains can be run into Birmingham on
II track OF the Southern road through
Ensley.
c. B. Ryan, general passenger agent:
w. e. Christian, assistant general pas
senger agent, and r. NJ Coffey, travel
ing passenger agent, of the Seaboard,
are expected in Birmingham Thursday
of this week, and following their arrival
some important announcements are ex-
pected regarding the passenger business
of the read.
For some time the announcement Of
the appointment OF a passeger agent
of the road in Birmingham has been
expected, as regular passenger trains
run as far as Pell City from Atlanta,
and the roadbed from Birmingham to
Pell City is rapidly getting in condi-
ton for passenger travel
Several times 1t has been thought that
the roadbed would stand slow passen-
ger schedule, but the officials have re-
fused to put on a schedule from Bir-
minham to Atlanta until they could do
sc with safety.
The Frisco has announced rate of
SIS to the territories, the tickets to be
sold twice a month. This is reduction
of IS below the former price of the
round trip and is several dollars cheaper
than any round trip rate ever announced
before
w. P. Adams, commercial agent Of the
Frisco system at Memphis, was In Biz
mingham yesterday. e. G. Griggs, COM
mercia1 agent of the Rock Island system
with headquarters In Memphis. was also
here.
George H Lee general passenger agent
of the Choctaw district of the Rock Is
land system with headquarters in Little
Rock, is expected In Birmingham today.
agent of the Frisco system in New Or
leans, was in the city yesterday. He was
recently promoted from the position Of
city passenger agent in Birmingham.
Archie Cook, who was ticket seller in
the union passenger ticket office in Bir-
ningham for more than year. and
who was one OF the most popular young
men who was ever connected with the
railroads in Birmingham, has been made
city passenger ticket agent of the South
ern railway in st. Louis
Mr.. Cook resigned his position In Bir-
mingham about the first of December and
went to his home in Lexington for a
month or so. There were few young men
in the city who had more friends than
he.
II. B. Crawford superintendent of Co.
lumbus- Birmingham division of the Cen