The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-22
BIRMINGHAM SURE
TO Be A TERMINUS
Cochrane Undecided on Mobile
or Pensacola
SOME OF HIS PLANS
Well Known Young Aiabnmian Work.
Ing Out Financial Plans Which
VIII Result In Extension
of His Lines
ny CLYDE W. ENNIS

The plans of John T. Cochrane anu
associates eventually to connect BIZ
mingham with deep water by MS Ala
bama. Tennessee and Northern rail-
road and the Tombigbee Valley rail-
road has created intense Interest among
railroad and Industrial men of the BIZ
mingham district.
To oil those who have an eye to the
future. 1t is believed that the certain
increases in tonnage from Birmingham
which must find route to deep water
will more than repay any investments
that may be made in constructing
new railroad into this district
The plan of Mr.. Cochrane and his as
sociates as understood here, is TO De
alert to Birminghams future ana pc
sides to build through territory now
unserved In other words, the promo
tiers of the new lines believe they can
establish waterway connection, abso-
lutely new, on merits of their own work
and not upon the faults or dement's
of the present routes to Mobile or rem
sacola, as the case may be.
The proposed route of the new line
into Birmingham to be constructed In
the future by Mr.. Cochrane is rich IN
undeveloped resources. Add to this fer-
tility of territory, the natural tonnage
that would be secured here and the re-
suit would be excellent tonnage Tor any
beginner in local railroad work.
Mr. Cochrane is an enthusiastic Ala
bamian, and, although inducements are
held out by Pensacola for his proposed
new railroad, he prefers to build IL INTO
Mobile from Calvert, which is at THIS
time the southern terminus of his Tom
bigbee Valley railroad Mobile is Ala
bama's only seaport and, when discuss
ing the new line here, Mr.. Cochrane
stated that he was deeply attached TO
the city of Mobile and personally pre-
ferred that city as the deep waterway
connection. However, these plans have
been undecided for some time, and the
latest announcements do not carry any
definite data in regard to the southern
connection.
One thing is positive. however, and
that Is that Birmin CHAM will be the
northern terminus. Although the route
is in a measure undecided, and while
details must be arranged, they are be-
ing discussed, and any time definite an
nouncements may be made.
Last week Mr.. Cochrane was here
with a party of fnanciers from New
York and elsewhere. The visitors were
seeing every prominent place In the
state in order to get an Idea how
large this section was and to try and
decide, If possible, the magnitude of its
future. The fasteners were evidently
well pleased. for they went away deep
~ impressed with Birmingham's great
ness and satisfied that the entire state
was destined to blossom like the rose.
Mr.. Cochrane has been eminently sue
cessful in handling the vast details of
his two present lines. and every degree
of confidence is expressed in him BY
people of Birmingham. The industrial
people feel sure that every word that
is uttered by him carries that amount
of sincerity. They know he has de
livered the goods and are safely
counting on his new line to Birming
ham.
He Is now engaged in working out
the financial plans of the proposed ex
tension, and in letters to friends here
he says everything is running Smoothly.
while we have not completed our
financial plans as yet" says Mr.. Coeh-
rane, I'VE have them under way. 1t is
my hope to connect Birmingham with
q seaport town. / am a native Ala
bamian, and for this reason prefer that
Mobile, which is our only seaport,
should be the point but inducements
are held out by Pensacola that may
change our plans.
orally thought by the public. we hope
to connect up our properties and have
short line from the rich Birmin CHAM
district to the Gulf of Mexico. And we
feel by the time we are ready 10
operate such an extension there will
be plenty of business, not only for our
selves, but for the other excellent rail-
roads now serving the same field. Our
idea is that one should succeed as
of 20 tbar
on the dement's of others, or by taking
away business that the existing lines
have and are properly handling. We
are trying to build our line through
such territory is not now fully
served, and at the same time take care
of the vast amount of additional ton
mage that, to my mind, is bound to
develop In the Birmingh district
and must find its way to deep water"