The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-04-03

AANNA b0A ~ 5S
Pittsburg, Pa. March 2s.-F-om
official sources it was learned here
today hat the Pennsylvania railroad
is about TO execute, Ii Ii has not al
ready underway. the greatest coup in
the history of the road, namely, he.
obtaining of an entrance TO and an
outlet from the Gulf. for the system
which already operates or dominates
the operation Of owe 10000 miles OF
the most important railroads east of
Chicago.
Expectation Of participating largely
in the traffic which is expected TO flow
into the Gulf ports when the Panama
canal is completed; a desire 10 be-
come a factor in the expanding bust
ness Of the south, and equally potent
as an influencing cause, the determi-
nation TO checkmate moves In q
southerly direction hat have already
been made by its great rivals, The
Vanderbilt and the Wabash interests,
are the great motives which have led
the Pennsylvania to determine on its
coup.
TIL means by which this gigantic
plan is to be carried put is the &C
curing or a controlling interest in The
Louisville and Nashville. railroad. Of
such a nature as that by which the
Pennsylvania now dominates the Bal
timore and Ohio, the Chesapeake and
Ohio, the Norfolk and Western, and
other roads in this way the Penn
~sylvania will be the first of the eastern
trunk lines to get its Own. or a con
trolled line 10 the Gulf ports.
~ IS h~ nnHnrh1IT -
in the same direction. it is admitted,
was what first excited the suspicious
of the Pennsylvania executives and
checkmating plan.
The first report that the Pennsyl-
vania vas purchasing a controlling
interest in the Louisville and Nash
vile reached Pittsburg several weeks
ago, but its full significance was not
then read. 1t was admitted by a
Pennsylvania official today, however,
that the great activity in Louisville
stock and the evidence that 1t Is
changing hands in large blocks Is
strongly c~onfrmative Of the report
that the Pennsylvania is acquiring lis
control. The Pennsylvania's southern
expansion plans mapped out provide
that in addition to being one Of thu
two strongest trunk lines between
Chicago and New York, it must also
become one of the leading factors ii
the Gulf trade to and from the Grea'
Lakes and the Central states, touching
New York, Buffalo, Pittsburg, Chicago
St. Louis, Cincinnati Louisville al
New Orleans with an outlet running
south from Cincinnati and the Louis
Vile. it is pointed out, the south coult
easily be reached by the Pennsylvanl;
system from all the important point
of the Great Lakes. from the western
PENNSYLVANIA and West Virginia bit
luminous coal territory, and from tn
manufacturing centres of which Pitts
burg is foremost.
The Seaboard Air Line is buildin;
a new 80 mile road which. by a con
nection with the Chesapeake and Chi'
will give it a connection from Cincin
natl to a point on the main line OF tn
Seaboard north of Atlanta. The Penn
~sylvania mas Influenced this.
Several smaller railroad projects /
} Georgia, Alabama, Florida and Louis
lana. it is significant, have also take,
, on new life recently with the assu1
ance that increased traffic to the Gu.
l ports will put a premium on raj
road terminals along the Gulf. In
rivalry of the Gulf and Atlantic Sea
board lines has been increasing IN n
mast few years, but the Pennsylvan1
n management feels with the vast IL
crease in volume of traffic which
soon to be divided between these rIV;
lines. both can be kept busy and eac
n will need the help of such q system &
e the Pennsylvania proposes to estaolis
in the south, to help them handle ira
fc.-Special to News and Observer.