The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-07
RIG ARTERY OF THE SOUTH
Seaboard AIR Line Traverses Popu-
ious Sections.

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the south, and has always been re-
garded as having bright future.
The road pr9cticaIis starts at Ports
mouth, Va, and then passes through
North and South Carolina. Georgia. |
Florida and Alabama. 1t reaches the
chief cities in each of those states and
has excellent coast terminals at Savan-
nah, said to be the finest along the A. !
lantic. They were built al great cost, I
and much freight for export in cotton
and r0Sia IS handled there.
The birmingham extension, from Bt-'
minghamto Atlanta, has recently been
completed and put in operation. IL IS
said to he a valuable and profitable
branch Gf the system. The company
also owns a One-sixth interest IN the
line from Richmond to Washington:
formerly known as the Richmond,
Frederick and P0tOmac. This
it acquired some years ago Jointly
with the Coast Line, the Southern, toe
Chesapeake and Ohio, the Pennsylvania
and the Baltimore and Ohio. 1t uses
this line for its northern rail business
connecting with the Pennsylvania at
Washington and carrying its own
trains over the tracks Of that system
to Baltimore Philadelphia and New
York.
Another valuable asset Of the COM
pany is the Baltimore Steam Packet
Company, better known as the Old
Bay Line The railway company owns
all the stock of the Bay Line and
operates it as a water connection be-
tween this city and Norfolk. There
direct connection is made with the rail
way, and a vast volume Of freight
and passenger traffic is handled by
the steamers. This is a paying con-
Germ, and would be a valuable prop
erty even If operated independently OF
the system. 1t has been for some time
under the direct management OF Mr.
John r. Sherwood, whose knowledge
of the needs of Daytime transportation
has brought it up to a standard sec
Ond to none in the field The steamers
are cOmmodiOus and comfortable and
have been built not with the view OF
ample freight room solely, but for con-
venience and comfort, to make them
popular with the travelling public.
The operations of this line will not
be affected by the receivership though
the sale OF the road to other than the
present owners would carry this prop
erty, as the railway system, as stated,
owns all the stock. The company
has excellent wharfage facilities both
in this city and at Norfolk and Rich
mond.
The Seaboard Air Line has been
source of contention between conflict
ing interests almost from the time
of it's conception by Mr.. John Shelton
Williams and his banking associates,
about ten years ago. The nucleus or
the system was the Georgia and Ala
bama, which was formed from the for
mer Savannah, Americus and Mont
gOmery, which was successfully reOr-
ganized by Mr.. Williams and his
friends On securing this road Mr..
Williams made a bid for the former
Seaboard and Roanoke road. This was
also desired by Mr. Thomas F. Ryan, |
who had secured considerable stock
and also an option on large block. |
The road was finally sold to Mr.. Will !
liams for 5000 a share, the ownership
at the time vesting largely in this city,
being controlled by the late Louis NC
Lane, Mr.. r. Curzon Hoffman and
the heirs of the late John NJ. Robin
son With the sale to Mr.. Williams
came a long series OF court wranGleS !
with Mr. Ryan, who tried In every way
to upset the sale and secure the road !
Defeated at one point he would raise
another one, and so the legal battle |
was prolonged for years. 1t was fin
ally ended by Mr.. Williams paying Mr.. ,
Ryan for his stock at price fixed by
the late Daniel S. Lamont who was
the arbitrator 1t was said to have
been about $500 a share
With this obstacle removed. Mr. VIII !
liams and his friends went ahead {,
with their plans TO construct the Sea-
board system. This was regarded rs
a gigantic undertaking at the time, bat
the indomitable spirit Of the promoters
carried it through They built line
from Richmond. connecting with the
Georgia. Carolina and Northern, con-
stituent link of the old Seaboard and |
Roanoke This gave it a direct |
route to Atlanta. The South Bound /
road was bought and later the Florida /,
Southern and PeninsuIar was acquir- |
ed. Extensions were made into |
Savannah and then the Birmingham i
extension was projected. This with |
the numerous smaller branch lines |
bought or built developed into the |
road which is about to declare its ina
bility to meet it's obligations.
Before the fruition of all his plan. !
in this great project Mr.. Williams and !
some of his banking associates got ,
into difficulties. This was during the |
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