Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-04-13
ROCK ISLAND SYSTEM MAY
REACH ATLANTIC SEABOARD

BIRMINGHAM Ala, April IA
Rock island interests are said 10 be
considering the ~advisability OF reach.
ing the Atlantic ~seaboard through tho
acquisition Of the Atlantic and Biz.
mihsham railway by the Frisco sys,
'em' This would give the latter road
an outlet to the coast at Brunswick.
Ga' 9 us terminal at this city. The
Auah'lc and Birmingham, which runs
from ,lNSwick to Montezuma, Ca. Is
MAXIM arrangements TO complete It's
extension 10 birmingham. II Is a cor.
poration tormed under the laws of
Georgia, being u consolidation of the
railroad company OF the same title
with the Tifton. Townsville and Gulf
railway company and the Triton and
Northeastern railroad company.
1t was al one time considered proba.
BILE that the Rock Island would ob.
tam the Seaboard Air line for It's de.
sired Quito, llial plan was not car.
rled into eject, however. Then the
81. Louis and san Francisco, which
Is controlled ~ the Rock Island, oh.
tanned an entrance to Birmingham
through the purchase of the Kansas
City. Memphis and Birmingham rail-
road. Reports have been prevalent
from time TO time that it was seeking
for a connection to the seaboard. The
Atlantic and Birmingham interests
have been active of late in extend.
ing their road. They have bought the
Wadley and Mount Vernon railway,
forty miles long, extending from Wad.
ley Ga, south to Rockledge GA. An
extension Of about fifty miles south.
ward from Rockledge to Fitzgerald
would join the Wadley and Mount Yer.
non with the Atlantic and Birming-
ham and also form a direct route
from Wadley to Thomasville, Ga, by
a connection at Fitzgerald with the
Atlantic and Birmingham branch.
Work Progressing.
Work on the new union depot is
progressing rapidly at Ell Paso. The
walls of the one-story wing are en-
tirely completed and the walls of the
main structure are up ready for the
second story joists.
The average FL Pasoan has little
idea of the immensely of the struc-
ture without visiting 1t, and eXclama.
tons Of surprise are heard at its size
and magnitude when people visit the
place for the first time.
The structure is of red pressed
brick and terra Gotta.
The Times Of His Life.
President Roosevelt will have the
ride of his life an hour after he leaves
Colorado Springs for the west. 1t
will be like a jump into the inferno
with all the attachments of dancing
COLLINS, the rumble of thunder, the
binding glare of the fires of hades
flashing across the darkness of the
Styx. He will ride with men who
have been so long in the service that
the journey seems commonplace. but
to an outsider it is awful and sub
lime. a Y the Denver Post in a highly
imaginative strain.
President Roosevelt has secured per
mission from General Manager Vallery
of the Colorado Midland to ride on
the engine up Ute pass at night and
around He'll corner and through Rock
anyon in the morning. II is only the
second time such permission has been
granted, which shows, that while the
president may not ride on passes, he
can easily get courtesies denied the
ordinary passenger. And for one short
minute, il is understood, the nations
chief executive will be allowed to
place his hand on the throttle Of the
big mountain engine and control the
steam that forces the ponderous driy
ers underneath the cab.
Life on a locomotive, especially in
the mountains, is sufficiently exciting,
even for President Roosevelt, and his