The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-24
SOUTHERN PROGRESS
"ON TO GULF. SLOGAN OF THE
 RAILROADS.
Prospect of Panama Canal Has Caused the Carriers to Seek an Out
 let to the Soufh-

baltlmore, March 2S.-(Spec1al.) )---ln its issue this week. The Manufacturers Record says: M
 "on to the Gulf. would seem to be the slogan in many railroad enterprises in the South today. Since the United States gave assurance that Panama Canal would be constructed, the own CTS of our existing lines which reacl1 ports on the Gulf of Mexico, have been stimulated to improve their facilities, and the projectors of new railways are now inspired to prepare their plans
 also with a view toward handling
 freight destined for q marine route va the great interoceanic waterway.
 The most 4.otabIe of these new pro
 jections is the extension of the Florida
 East Coast Railway to Key West, now
 conspicuous chiefly because of its 'dar.
 ing engineering and construction.
 which challenge wind and wave, al-
 though the future will probably fad it more notable in facilities for reaching Havana and the Isthmian canal. The starting of this work now we'll under way, has been followed by divers announcements of schemes to build
 other lines to points on the Gulf, none, of course, so far seaward as Key West,
 but each and every one presenting in- ducements more or less inviting to psr-
 suade railroad construction thither. But there are also other transporta- tion plans looking Outward, and which are not yet carried out that were con- ceived and incorporated before the ex- tension of the Flagler line began. Thus tho advantages of the tidewater outlet for railroad freights via the Gulf of Mexico were early realized. and the number of new railroad plans based
 upon that realization testifies to it's
 value, which will be greater than ever on the completion of the canal
 One of the most recent projects for line of any magnitude to the Gulf Is that of the Augusta and Florida Rail road Company which proposes to con- meet several existing small railroads in Georgia by building links between them and thus secure very direct and ad- vantageous route to tide on the Gulf. StilI others are those of the Birmirg- ham, Columbus and St. Andrews Bay Railway and of the Atlanta and Gulf Railroad, both of which are building lines, one to connect the great iron center of Alabama with the coast and the other to give the capital of Geol sia similar connection. At Pensacoia. Fla, there are two or three projects one for making connection from tie Central of Georgia and another for building line from Memphis.
 Tn Alabama there are still other plans conceived for building from Bir- mingham to the Gulf, and in Missis- sippi several companies have in view southern outlets to the sea, One of the progressive companies in the latter State is the Gulf and Ship Island Rail- road, which already has facilities at Gulfport of no small capacity and which is extending its railroad lines. The Mobil,. Jackson and Kansas City Railroad, which has lately completed it's road northward to Middleton, Tenn,
 
 spirit and may be expected to build other extensions.
 Its port, as indicated, by the name of the company, is Mobile. The Mis- sissippi Central is also extending. In Louisiana the line of the Louisiana | Railway and Navigation Company is | fast approaching New Orleans, and up- on it's completion another railroad | there will have attained Gulf outlet 1 The Kansas City Southern is also said | to be reaching out quietly to enter the | same city. and the construction of a | new line. which Is recognized as a | branch for that company, is already | under way. The New Orleans Great | Northern is another important project. | Moreover, the Colorado Southern, New | Orleans and Pacific Railway, now build ing between DeQuincy, La, and Baton | Rouge, Is authorized to build a branch | directly southwards to a point on the | Louisiana Gulf Coast,
 Other companies in Arkansas as well as in Louisiana which propose to build lines likewise aspire to reach | tidewater through the latter State. In Texas 1t is Port Arthur and Galveston which the rew roads mostly endeavor to reach. In fact, the St. Louis. Browns vile and Mexico Railway, or Gulf Coast 1 Route. has just completed its exten- sion to Galveston. and there are nu- merous projects incorporated which aim to reach tide at some point or other, one of which has in contemplation, ac- cording to recent announcements, a line from Winnipeg, Manitoba to the Texas coast.
 Tt goes without aaying that not few of the many interpretations which have Heen made will never carry out in theiF entirety all the plans declared by theh charters. but sufficient will be fulfilled to largely increase transpor- tation facilities between the interior of the country and the Gulf ports, the business of which has increased so within the last ten years and which continues to grow with sur prising rapidity