The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1905-02-16
L. & N. AIDS sEABoARD
Ia its Effort to Get the South and Western
Road.

Az Ato GAHOiN W NVt tuS Ouutu anu UCStOlh
Road.
1t is reported in financial and rail-
road circles of New York that the L.
& N. railroad is lending encourage
ment to the Seaboard Air Line in its
endeavor to get hold of the South and
Western railroad rnd reach the Virginia
and Kentucky coal mines. 1t is very
reasonable to believe that this is the OF
titude of the Louisville a. Nashville
railroad, for the reason that the Sea-
board Air Line woul permit of means
for sending coal from mines located on
the l.. & N. mines in Kentucky and
Tennessee to the sea coast.
1t is now thought that if the South.
ern railway or the Seaboard Air Line
gets into the Virginia fields by means
Of the short lines through the noun
tains east of Johnson City, and that
Tennessee and Kentucky mines will
not suffer as q result. 1t is believed
that the Jellico region will be put on
such basis that it can get coal by this
new route to the sea coast as we'll as
the Virginia mines.
In its present condition the L. & N.
will not be in the best shape to send
Jellico coal to the sea coast by way of
Johnson City; but by the building of
only few miles of road from LaFol-
lette to connect with the L. g. N. south
and east OF Cumberland Gap, direct
route will be secured east to touch the
proposed extension of the Seaboard
Air Line. In the region of Penning-
ton Gap the L. & N. has recently been
instrumental in opening up large coal
properties, which, of course, are much
nearer the proposed new line of the
road than the Jellieo fields, but it is
thought that the L. & N. will not be
content to allow only q small territory
of the coal fields on its lines to get in
position for the export business by way
of the South & Western and the Sea.
board Air Line.
The fact that the Southern railway
has spent a great deal of money build.
ing the Rabun Gap extension and is
now building line through The gar
itself, means that this course when
completed will furnish an outlet to the
coast for coal further south than Ken.
lucky in Tennessee fields.
These railroad projects, taken in con
nection with the ever increasing inland
market for Tennessee and Kentucky
coal, bids fair for coal operations il
this section for the future.
The construction of line from thu
Virginia coal fields via the South &
Western route, has been looked upol
with apprehension by Tennessee Goa
interests, but these seem to be ground
less fears. The southern railway i
put in position of being compelled t,
make new and better line to the Caro-
} lima territory and its coast, by tn
moves which other roads are maxim,
on the checker board.
While coal operators of Knoxyill
are disposed to hope that the Southern
will win in the fight for the South
Western road. it appears that after al
nothing will be lost but doubtless nue.
will be gained. The reason why tn
! Knoxville operators favor the Southeri
in the fight for the South & Wester
road, is that they expect that if tn
Southern gets 1.-THE project will not b
. completed and thus the Virginia cos
fields will not be thrown into sharpe
competition with the Tennessee an
Kentucky fields than they are now
, Journal and Tribune.