The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-08-31

The engineer in charge has so far
declined to give any information, but
the members of the party have been
positively identified as engineers in
the employ of the Tennessee Central
Railroad company. It is also known
that teams and camp supplies have
been secured here, indicating that
the party will take the field for an
extended trip.
The supposition here is that the
party is headed for Paducah and that
the survey is the beginning of the
long loked for extension of the Ten
nessee Central to the Ohio river to
connect with the Chicago, Burlington
& Quincy, which is also headed for
that point.
Is II the Frisco?
Concerning the two roads the Ten
nesseean says:
"a new line through virgin terri
tory from Hopkinsville, KY, to Pa
ducah, KY, which will give the road
an outlet through one of the most
important commercial centers in the
south is the latest rumored under
taking of the Tennessee Central rail-
road company. IL is understood that
a preliminary survey has just been
completed and that the survey for
the definite location of the roadbed
will begin Wednesday. starting from
Hopkinsville. The new line will cover
a distance of 40 miles.
This new turn has led to many
speculations on the part of shippers
and the heads of other lines, but as
yet the company behind the move
has told nothing of the end sought in
building the road in question. II is
probable that the Tennessee Central,
feeling the effect Of having its terri
tory somewhat drained by the
branches of the Louisville & Nash
VILE, and the Nashville, Chattanooga
& st. Louis roads. has resorted to the
Hopkinsville-Paduc line as a sal
walton from being cooped up in a
limited distract.
Considering this phase of the
matter the minds of the disinterested
lookerson have easily hit upon Shaw
neetown, ILL.,, on the Ohio river, as a
northern terminus of the Tennessee
Central, because this would put it in
touch with two other roads that en-
ter the place from the north, the
Baltimore & Ohio and the Louisville
K Nashville. AS long as the Ten
nessee Central was considered pro-
tege of the Illinois Central this was,
deemed a most natural thing to do
and popular judgment among the
railroaders have had il fixed that
way for some time.
But when the Tennessee Central
is caught building a line from Hop
kinsyille to Paducah the plot thick
ems into somewhat of n mystery, for
the Illinois Central already has a
line over the very territory covered.
Il. of course, would lend no support,
moral or otherwise, to an enterprise
of this kind. SO il is taken as con-
elusive that the Tennessee Central is
building the road independent of the
interests OF the Illinois Central.
1.-THE deal to put the new road
through was financed in st. Louis
and everything is ready for actual
construction TO begin just as soon as
the permanent survey shall have
been completed. The determination
of the Frisco system TO enter Padu-
cab from st. Louis in the near flu
ture suggests itself to many as evil
dence of a strong alliance to be
welded at the terminal of these pro-
posed new lines. If this be true, the
Tennessee Central will be able to de-
fleet enormous quantities of freight
from its competing lines in Tonnes
see.
"The Frisco system has long
looked toward Paducah as a gateway
to Kentucky from the west. Con-
sidering Kentucky and Tennessee as
one general territory. the Frisco
system would welcome an inlet to
the dark and bloody ground. For all
practical purposes the Tennessee
1tHiIdi nOluS the htg W tue ciNNotioh
in the short line soon to be con-
structed between the two Kentucky
points.
"The effect of such an alignment
would be felt greatly throughout
Middle and East Tennessee. probably
more than through the correspond
ing sections of Kentucky. The Ten
nessee Central is in a position to
offer inducements to northern and
western lines impossible to other
railroads. because the established
lines through that part of the coun-
try all have outlets of their own and
could not consistently throw their
business into the hands of the Frisco
system or any other road that con-
templates entering the field.
whether these things be true or
not, it is a known fact that before
a great while shall have elapsed the
Tennessee Central will have a tentacle