The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-16
RAILROAD WORLD.


 W. N. Cox, superintendent of the At lanta and West Point and the Western of Alabama railroads. says that Bir- mingham has the brightest ture of any inland city in the south, and that within the next few years the south will see the Birmingham district far outstrip all other sections.
 Mr Cox was formerly located in Bir- mingham, being master mechanic of the Queen and Crescent route in Birming- ham. He went with the Atlanta and West Point when Mr Nickersham Lecame pres ident. and is general superintendent. He is close observer and is thoroughly &C., quainted with the Birmingham district and its possibilities
 Mr Cox was discussing the prospects of southern cities with a local railroad man on last Friday. and made the state ment that Birmingham far surpassed any other inland city in it's prospects for fu- ture development.
 F. A. DeFuniak, general agent of the Louisville and Nashville freight depart ment south of Decatur was in Birming ham yesterday. He has his headquarters in Montgomery.
 J. R. Wheeler. superintendent of the Nashville division of the Louisville and Nashville, left Birmingham yesterday to assume his new duties. He has been re- gently promoted from assistant superin- tendent of the South and North and Bir mingham Mineral division of the Louis vile and Nashville. Doe" Taylow, who was hurt in the Southern wreck in Ten nessee last fall. is now able to assume ali the duties as assistant superintendent, and to spend the entire day at his desk.
 H. B. Crawford superintendent of the division of the Central of Georgia rail- way from Birmingham to Columbus, Ga, spent Saturday and a portion of yester- day in Birmingham.
 The monthly report of the Alabama Car Service association shows that during the month of December there was a decided falling off in the number of cars handled by the various roads when compared with 1903. In 1904 only 59.251 cars were handled as against 65,0S7 during the same month of 1903. December shows a slight in- crease over November, despite the fact that the coal and iron mines were closed down for almost a third of the month.
 The Baltimore and Ohio railroad has introduced the use of telephones to aid in the movement of trains, and is the first steam railroad in the world to re- duee the practice to a perfect system. Rules and forms were arranged at re- cent conference of the dlspatching forces at Baltimore, and il is the expectation that every non-telegraph station that has a passing siding will be fitted with a telephone connection to the nearest tele- graph office. This will permit the trans mission of orders to trainmen direct, if occasion arises.
 The use of the telephone for the trans mission of ordinary business messages is being extended by the Baltimore and Ohio. The "composite' telephone system which Is the one in use. permits sending telephone and telegraph messages over the same wire without interference one with the other Several of these circuits have been established. The telephone is also being used extensively in single track blocking and for the movement of yard engines and the conversion of non-telegraph stations by which trains are moved from the former to the latter, where the telegraphic orders are re- ceived.
 c. S. Clarke. vice president of the Missouri Pacific. and George E. Evans, vice president of the Louisville and Nash vile. have been made directors of the St. Louis Terminal association, respec- lively, succeeding Russell Harding and H. M Smith.
 Two hundred miles of the route of the New Orleans and Mississippi Midland have been surveyed. It will practically parallel the Illinois Central through Mis- slssippi The road is to extend from New Orleans to Memphis. Among those in- terested in the project Is James Me- Naught of New York.
 Jackson, Miss, January 15.-Lines of the Southern system in the Yazoo and Mississippi delta are to be extended and the indications are already plain that sharp competition is to follow with the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley, which means the Illinois Central
 The charter taken out by the Delta Southern for a branch line from Percy south to Campbelsville in Yazoo county, and then north from Elizabeth to Kuhns, In Bolivar county. has been amended so as to provide for line from Campbells- vile. the southern extension of the Delta Southern (now being builD northward to lttabena in Lefore county. where the Webb branch makes connection with the main line of the Southern. This road will have a main line from Webb. in Talla- hatchie county to Campbellsvile in Yazoo county, and from Kuhns, in Boli- var, down to Campbelsville.
 The extension means that the Southern is going to push its northern line from Webb on to Memphis. and it's southern terminal at Can pbellsville either to Jack son or Vieksburg tapping the Alabama and Vicisburg. This would give the Southern complete system in the Delta
 According to statements made yesterday the Southern railway is laying plans to turn all their export and import business from Mississippi valley points through New Orleans Vice Presidents w. w. Finley and W. w Culp of the Southern together with a large number of traffic officials, have been in almost continuous conference with the officers of the New Orleans terminal company
 On Thursday morning the second pas senger train out of Birmingham over the Seaboard will be run. It will be a special train, bearing the Ben Hur'' company to Atlanta. The train will leave Birmng- ham Wednesday night as soon after the performance Is over as possible, and the run will be made to Atlanta in about six or seven hours, so that the members of the troup will reach Atlanta in time for an early lunch.