The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-02-22
NEW RAILROAD ID BE BUILT AT ONCE Line Will Run from HazlehurSt
 to Meridian WILL SOON LET CONTRACT Road Has Been Surveyed and Now Actual Construction May Begin.
 President Hardy Is Out
 After Long Illness.
WILL SOON LET CONTRACT

Jackson Miss. February 21.-(Special.) Charles F. Scodeld of New York city was in Jackson today and put in most of his time about the capitol, where he was hunting up data and statistical informa- tion, especially from the offices of the railroad commission and the commissioner of agriculture, that is calculated to be of service to him in his new field of labors. At the meeting of the stockholders of the Mississippi River and Western rail- road, held a few days since at Hazle- hurst, MT. Scofield was elected secretary, and will make his headquarters there for some time to come.
 Tn the course of a week or two said Mr. Scohed, "I expect to make trip over the entire line going first from Hazlehurst to Natehez, and afterward from Hazehurst to Meridian. The road Is about 80 miles from Hazehurst to Natchez, and about 11O from Hazlehurst to Meridian. I understand that it pene- trates fine timber region and a great farming country, and do not doubt the success of the enterprise.
 I've expect to begin construction work in 90 days, and to push it to rapid com pleton. It may be that we will let the grading to a firm that Is able to place great force of men at work at once all along the line, but it may be that work 1 will begin at Hazlehurst. Our idea is to build the western end of the road first, and I suppose Hazlehurst will be the base of our operations"
 There is no kind of doubt, according to Mr. Scofield, that the road is going to be built, and built at once. The stockhold- 1 CTS and the men behind the enterprise have the money to build it, and all that remains to be done in a preliminary way l is to let the contract for constructions and, the company hopes to be able to let 1t l to a firm that is able to get to work all along the road at one time. They are now negotiating with just such firm. the concern that bid on the Panama canal work, and which has all the means neces- sary to do whatever they may under take.
 | MT. Seofeld Is a northern man who has been living until quite recently in Ala bama for 25 years, and who has become thoroughly southernized. He states that
  publican, but after living here three or | four years and seeing what negro rule meant, he transferred his allegiance to the democratic party save in national cleo tions, and finds that he gets along very well with his friends and neighbors. 1 MT. Scofields idea in getting data from | the state officials Is to prepare a folder l for one of the big railroad companies of the east, and that Is looking for con nections down this way. These folders | will be distributed by the hundreds of thousands in Europe and all foreign coun- tries where 1t Is thought they will do the | most good in divertng immigration to 1 this section of the United States sec ton that has been ignored by the great transportation companies of the east and west for many years. Now that the west Is pretty well settled up and the prices | of lands has gone out of reason, the rail- roads find that they can get cheap lands in the south and are -Sing to try to fill them with settlers of q Nfsirable class. l This the Mississippi River and Western | will begin at once to advertise the won derful resources of Mississippi in foreign lands and should be given every possible assistance.
 The friends of Prof J. C. Hardy, presi- dent of the A. and M. college, are happy to see him able to be out on the streets l again, though he has the appearance of having been dragged through keyhole" Sure enough. However President Hardy states that he has gained 40 or 50 pounds in weight since his operation he Under went a month or more ago, and that he feels like he is on the high road to re- covery. For several days Professor Hardy and family have been with Mrs. Hardy's parents on Fertilization street, and where he Is being nursed back to health and strength Next week he expects to return to Starkville to resume his post as head of that great institution, the A. and NJ. college, and from which he has been separated several weeks.
 The faculty of Millsap college have se- lected Mir J. w. Trisler as representa- tive of that institution in the oratorical contest between the colleges of the state at the Crystal Springs chautauqua. and Mir Boyd Campbell as representative in similar contest at Hattiesburg next l summer These young men are said to be among the best orators in the college, and the faculty expect one or both to land the prize
 Yesterday was the date agreed on by the Partners union for a vote on several amendments to their constitution and by laws, same having been submitted by
 
 weeks since. There are more than 5000 members of the union in Mississippi, and the idea was for all of them to meet at their respective halls and vote on the propositions. These Include suggestions as to handling of the next crop, the man agement of the warehouses, cotton hold ing movement and the establishment of an official organ that is to be distributed free of charge to the members out of thd --eral fund of the organization.
 John w. Gates, the man who does things on Wall street occasionally and who has been down in Texas and Mexico for the benefit of his health and to get a rest, passed through Jackson today en route to the east. It had been an- nounced in advance that the millionaire was to pass through on the Illinois Cen tlnl No 4. and the crowd about the depot jostled around lively to get a squint at him. real live millionaire be- ing quite show down this way. MT. Gates does not look as If he was ever sick a day in his life.