The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-07-19
TRAFFIC WAR
.BETWEEN;ROADS
WILL Be BITTER
MONTGOMERY ADVERTISER SAYS
THAT THE HARTMAN AND VAN
DERBILT ROADS ARE COMING
TO A CLASH OVER CONTROL OF
PORTS.

The Montgomery Advertiser of yes
terday contained the following relative
to gulf ports and the approaching clash
and rate war between the Hartman
and Vanderbilt lines:
1t begins to look as IL the fight for
the Chicago New Orleans business is
going to be a lively one, and will de-
Velop into a struggle between the Van
derbilt group of railroads and the Har-
rfrnan group.
The sudden fight for port and wharf
age privileges at New Orleans has been
Z Hoped by the approaching compile
Of the Panama canal The export
import traffic from the Big Ditch
. (; mean millions Of dollars In trade
with the Orient and the trans CONT
mental railroads are playing gigantic
chess game for position at different
harbors. Within the next few days 1t
is possible that some developments will
be heard Of at Pensacola. At present
the Louisville and Nashville with It's
magnificent wharfage facilities, has
control OF that splendid harbor.
The Illinois Central, however, is
making strenuous efforts to get into
that port and the Indications are that
long before 191J--the date set for the
completion of the Panama caEal-that
cago and the west generally into Pen
sacola.
New Road Pro jected.
road from Pensacola to Jasper has
been projected and Is now undergoing
construction. Jasper is on the line of
the Chicago. st. Louis and Birmingham
division Of the Illinois Central, and the
natural supposition is that the branch
from Pensacola to Jasper is being
backed by the I. G. At any rate the
new road will prove a big boom for
Marion, Townsville and other south
east Alabama towns, as it will probably
run through them.
The deal between the New York Gem
trail and Louisville and Nashville for
Chicago New Orleans business to fight
the Frisco, which Is trying to get into
New Orleans, will make a lively fight
The Louisville and Nashville IL now
double tracking the system in antici-
patton of the big increase In freight
traffic to be brought about by the
building Of the Panama canal.
Tuscaloosa Mineral.
Out of Tuscaloosa a road is now
being built to be styled THE Tusca-
loosa Mineral" It seems to be the i'm
by the Louisville and Nashville to run
from Tuscaloosa to Brookwood, a sta
tion on the line of the Birmingham
Mineral branch of the Louisville and
Nashville.
Out of Tuscaloosa another. road is
being built in the direction of Selma.
The Raul Lumber Company is sup
posed to be behind this road which il
supposed to be a. lumber road, but the
chances are that It will be built from
Tuscaloosa to Selma and become the
property of the Louisville and Nash
Vile. connecting at Selma with the
Flomaton-P Pine Apple branch of the
Louisville and Nashville and giving
that system a straight line from Bir-
Fn1ihgfam, Tuscaloosa and the rich coal
fields of Alabama into the port of Pen
sacola. BY building q gap between
Selma and Blocton on the line Of the
Birmingham Mineral the Louisville and
Nashville would have a double track
from Birmingham to F1omaton, re-
ilieving the M. and M. division by
Montgomery Of the congestion OF traf-
&c that II now suffers from at times,
though going bit out of the way by
Tuscaloosa would give them the double
track from Birmingham to Flornaton
without building the gap between Sell
ma and Blocton.
Fighting for Strategic Point.
The ports of Pensacola and New Or
leans are not the only deep water out
let's that the Louisville and Nashville
and Illinois Central are fighting for. as
another strategic point for export end
import business from the Panama cs
nal is offered by the harbors along the
st. Andrews Bay.
For long time 1t has been expected
that the Louisville and Nashville would
extend the Alabama and Florida branch
from Gecrgfana to Graceville Fla Tho
extension of this liIe from Graceville
70 the ST. Andrews Bay country would
cross the Pensacola and Atlantic di-
vision Of the Louisville and Nashville
at. Cottondale.
Now the Atlanta and ST. Andrews
Bay Railroad runs from Dothan to
Panama City. crossing the line of the
P. and A. division OF the louisville and
Nashville at Cottondale. It remains to
be seen whether the Louisville and
Nashville win absorb or make close
traffic affiliations with the Atlanta and
st. Andrews Bay road or extend their
line from Graceville through Cotton
dale to st. Andrews Bay.
Illinois Central Well Fixed.
Through It's ownership of the Central
of Georgia the Illinois Central has a
choice Of one or two routes to the St
Andrews Bay country, ard the indica-
tions are that construction will begin
ior one Of these routes in the near fu-
iture. From Smithville, Ga. the Cen
trail has line running through Albany
and Dothan to F7orala and I.ockhart
ard from Columbus through Union
Springs and Troy to Andalusia ON the
line OF the A. and F. branch Of the
louisville and Nashville. From Climax
Ga. on the line Of the Atlantic Coast
Line, the Apalachicola Northern Rail-
road runs for 133 miles, crossing the
river at River Junction which is the
terminus of the P. and A. division OF
the Louisville and Nashville on the
east side Of the river and the termins
OF the Florida branch Of the Seaboard
Air Line on the west side OF the river
From River Junction the Apalachicola
Northern runs to st. Joe, said to be
bne OF the finest natural harbors on
4he St. Andrews Bay coast. This gives
two railroads already in operation tc
the st. Andrews Bay ports-the At
danta and ST. Andrews Bay to Panama
City and the Apalachicola Northern tc
St Joe.
Position Important.
The important strategic position Oh
the l. c. can be seen at q glance. The
road would have It's own rails from
Chicago to the ports Of New Orleans
Pensacola and st. Andrews Bay and be
an position to take care Of the biggest
business that could be had from the
Panama canal.
So IL looks as If the Louisville and
Nashville will have another gigantic
light to get to the st. Andrews Bay
coast before the Illinois Central and