The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-20

pected to inaugurate train service about August 1.
 The road was organized three years ago by a syndicate of capitalists headed by H. M Atkinson of Atlanta, and has been rapidly pushed to completion, several short lines having been bought and re- built. When the first train pulled into the union station late today it was given an ovation. Business was practically sus- pended for time and thousands sought every vantage point to catch a glimpse of the train.
 Atkinson's Speech.
 President Atkinson's speech was as fol- lows:
 MT. President and Gentlemen-It is gratifying to me to be here tonight among so many of my friends. I am glad so many of our friends along the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroad are here, as it bears much strong testimony to their interest in the work of build ing it and it's future success. This work began three years ago this month. The significance of this celebration and one of it's opportunities is that it enables me
  mingham and Atlantic railroad and it's al- lied interests to the service of the people of Georgia and Alabama. I do this heart fly. I pledge you that its aim will be to develop; that your interests are it's in- terests, and that it will deal fairly with you as man and man. It can not live without your support; it will not deserve to unless it serves you faithfully.
 "A brief description of the work might properly come from me tonight-the story of what it is and what it hopes to accomplish.
 This, as have just said it the third anniversary of the beginning of the con- struction work, not only of the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroad, but it's allied companies. The work is practi- cally finished; trains are running from Brunswick to Atlanta, and will be run ming from Brunswick to Birmingham by about August l. 1908; our ships are giving regular service between New York and Brunswick in connection with the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic railroad and other railroads. Our coal is being mined and our iron manufactured in our own furnaces; both are being carried from Birmingham on our road throughout our territory and on our ships and other ships from Brunswick
 Construction Work.
 "This work, now nearly completed, cov- CTS the construction at one time of $50 miles of railroad, Gas the portions we ac- quired have been reconstructed) with l30 miles of secondary track in addition, or 7SO miles in all; the construction and put ting in operation of the line of steamships; the construction of iron furnaces; the construction of coal mines; the construc- tion of terminals not only at Atlanta, Bir- mingham and Brunswick, as well as all the other points, but at New York also When l say that 1t took us five years to acquire our terminals at Atlanta and that we purchased the property from 300 different owners, it will give you some idea of the labor involved.
 Part of the construction work has also been the construction of p locomotives, 63 passenger cars and nearly 5000 freight cars, over one-half of the freight cars having been constructed in Georgia.
 In addition the Tampa Northern rail- road is now under construction from Thomasvile to Tampa, a distance of 25O miles, 50 miles of this road being com rleted and in operation. It is owned by the same people.
 Details of Work.
 Here are a few of the details of this work:
 "Twenty-four million cubic yards. of ex- oavated material requiring 10000 men, 1O,- GOO mules and 25 steam shovels, steam shovel being equivalent to 150 men each or total of 37o0 men, and would move 375,oOO yards of excavation per month
 Flight million pounds of explosives were used in blasting rock.
 One hundred and sixty-fve thousand cubic yards of concrete were used in cul- verts, bridge piers and abutments requiring about 1S0,0O0 barrels, or 1200 carloads of cement, which, if put in one train would make a train nine miles long, 5000 yards of this concrete was reinforced with steel bars, the weight of which aggregated A. 300, 900 pounds. T "On the work now being completed and started three years ago there are 110 steel spans of bridges aggregating 92OO lneal feet, and weighing 12,700000 pounds.
 "On the track laying there has been used 2,3400O0 ties, S6000 tons of rail, ), 460O0o pounds of track spikes, 1,100,O00 pounds of bolts.
 This work is all new work. Existing properties were not consolidated. New wealth has been created, which is an absolute addition to existing values. The road is developing new territory and ere atlng new towns.
 Local Management
 "All of the various companies are in corporated locally and managed locally. Each of our patrons from the smallest to the greatest can reach any of the offi- cials at any time and get prompt action. The work means years of unremitting toll and heavy responsibility. years full of anxiety and disappointments.
 What is the object of it all? Per sonally, and believe that even in this voice the sentiment of my associates, my aim has been to create an independent railroad system for the people of Georgia and Alabama. Now that 1t Is built my ambition is to use it for the development of those states. l promise you here to- night that it will be managed as your railroad, to serve your interests, to meet .,..4 ,I..o,, orafs and raallY