The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-05-18
WILL Spend MILLIONS.
Speculation as to How Southern Will
Dispose Of Its Recent Gigantic
Bon Issuz.

Bon Issue.
Just now that recent 5000, 1000 900
bond issue OF the Southern railway
is the occasion of much speculation
among the citizens of the Atlanta
railroad world. 1t is generally be-
Iieved that some S8O,0OOOO0 outstand-
ing at 6 or s per cent will be retired
and that similar sum to take the
place OF the old will be issued at
per cent Another portion, it is be-
ieved, viii be used in paying for the
Tennessee Central, and that several
millions will be used for general i'm
| provements.
AS to the remainder, some S100,000,-
coo, it is generally conceded that
this sum will be SCI aside as a re-
serve fund, perhaps for the purchase
of such roads from time to time as
will strengthen the great Southern
| railway system and cover a still great
er portion OF Dixie than at present.
This recent bond issue was the sub
| ject OF special conversation on the
part Of two or three OF the most
| prominent Atlanta railway officials
in the Transportation Club yesterday,
and from this talk branched to the
matter OF double-tracking the South
ern railway. Already enormous sums
of money have been spent in this di-
rection and big gangs of men are at
work completing this double-tracking
from Washington to Salisbury until
now the entire road is practically
doubIe-tracked with the exception OF
that section between Lynchburg and
Charlottesville. 1t Is expected that
this double-tracking will be continued
south from Salisbury, and within five
years the entire road between Wash
ington and Atlanta will be double
tracked.
This will make possible a better
ment OF actual running time for pas
senger trains of three hours or more,
! while the time saved which is caus-
ed by the meeting and passing OF
trains Will provide new scheduls
such as will be a sure cure for late
trains.
With the great saving in time for
passenger trains when the double
tracking is completed, the improve
ment in the freight service will be
almost beyond estimating. In addi-
ton to saving many hours and even
days in the freight schedule, it will
also offer a practical remedy for the
congestion which has resulted from
the tremendous and unprecedented
traffic these past six months. New
freight cars and locomotives are now
being delivered to the system daily,
and with the many Improvements now
under way completed, the south will
enjoy such traffic service as is now
found only in the territory drained
by the big systems OF the east.
1t is stated that the new survey OF
the Southern railway between At
lanta and Birmingham has been COM
pleted, and that the engineers have
submitted plans containing ali details
of information to the head officials IN
Washington 1t IS expected that the
matter of double-tracking this new
Atlanta-Birmingham road Will be
brought up at a meeting of the di-
rectors to be held in the near tu-
ture. Doubie-tracking seems to be the
popular policy Of the Southern just
ut this stage. This is proved by dou-
5!o-tracking between such points as
.enoir, Knoxville and Asheville,
Chattanooga and Stevenson, Harri-
nan Junction and Somerset and other
points, including the double-tracking
ana vast Improvements between At
lanta and Austell
Altogether the indications all point
to the spending of millions of dollars
by the Southern railway in the next
few years, and as a result double
tracked system such as will give At
Yanta and the southeast traffic advan-
tages the equal Of those enjoyed BY
any section Of the country.-Atlanta
Constitution