The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-25

AaFECiotS q ofi~. OIL Development
DoEc bby- tie iSoad-Eivc New OPP
Grating Districts Have Been Created.
- !!
Important announcement .ss2osrn-
ing vast improvements which will at
once lie undertaken, were given out at
the h~eadQuartera Of the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad company in this city
yestefday, when it became known that
a tremendous sum of money has been
placed at the disposal of the president
for a large increase in equipment, The
contracts for which Will be let at once.
so that delivery can be made as early
as possible.
The Atlantic Coast Line has enioyed
like al the southern roads, a period OF
marked prosperity during the past few
years, II it has been an effort to get
equipment to meet the demands caused
by the vast development of various in
dustares in the southern states recent
~, the country growing SO rapidly that
at times the roads have not been able
TO handle all the traffic offered them.
1t IS to meet the ever-grOwing, and
Tremendous business of the road that
the recent authority was given, and the
delivery Of the new orders will go lar
to enable che officials to give the serv-
ice and accommodations which will
pleasexthe public and give satisfaction
to Themselves.
At the same time that this important
announcement was made, it was also
given out that beginning January list,
. there would be an thcfease in the num-
Der p~f-opefatins districts, the objects
belong to,reduce the present size of the
d~istEitss so that the maximum eff
ciencyxmay sbe obtained under each su-
p~erintendent essMill be in a position
to know e-S6g~dVAal the details cun-
nected with the operation of trains in
their respective districts and by per-
sonaA supervision oyer q smaller acoun.
try bring out for the company the best
seEViceSpossible - :
As>to the increase in equipment, the
acdon referred Fto was taken by the
board 2f~rirectors at a meeting held
OF Ahfrsday3, the goth instant. The
president was authorized to place orders
at once, for earliest possible delivery
in 1907 the following: 100 locomotives,
$3.50 freight cars and 5U passenger
coaches This equipments, will cost ap-
proximately $4,000, 900 and contracts
are being placed as rapidly as possible
lin fact one Of the contracts has al
ready been closed, this being for 20
locomotives for delivery In February.
In addition to the new contracts clred
above. there is now due on contracts
placed early, in 1906 between $500 and
5000 freight cars and 20 locomotives,
all of which are long past due, owing
to he fact that the builders have
been unable to make The deliveries on
time .
The board has also authorized the
purchase of $4,000 tons of S5 pound
steel rails (the new standard adopted
by the A. c. L), contracts for which
have been placed calling for deliver,
beginning with January and extending
to about the first Of July This will
lay about 800 miles Of track and is in
addition to more than 200 miles Of the
same weight rail laid during the past
year.
This new standard rail is in Itself
an index Stofthe broader plans Of the
company, which is exerting every force
at its command to meet. the new con-
ditions forced by the wonderful. in
crease of business hat the south is
enjoying. Just a few years ago a 60
pound. rail was the standard on south
ern lines and it was of ample weight
to handle the business then offered,
but the Increased traffic called for the
heavier rail, and the, Officials have au-
thOrized the adoption Of the new stan
dard.
The Atlantic Coast Line has lone a
marvellous work Of development OF
its own system within the past two
years, and hundreds OF thousands OF
dollars have been spent in increasing
and charging present terminals and
yards, and in the erection of new shops
and the expansion and increase OF
facilities o fexisting ones. Contractors
have failed in many>instances to. com
plesz&skhe work withh, The specified
laz6ea&S1he railroad, through no fault
sSs5fs5s oWe, has been compelled to- be
%sf4out the benefit and usage Of the
kkacreased facilities that had been con
tracted for.
In,the work Dfsextension, part of the
systeanAhas kseeng double tracked, there
being 10 miles of this already laid
ThissSUerksISs NOW going on constantly
!. ann1an addftionaEveentract will 4he-lei
within the next I~0aaAssN
On January Ists sassyffN operating
districts will be ssk2tEJhME increasing
the number. from r toll, each dis
trict to be III charge of a separate SD,
sperintepdent, tbesobject. being o re;
duce the size of districts SO as tt
get the maximum- efficiency in opera
fion ~
S s. the d'=tr'sts have