The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-04
Announcement of Importance
to District Made Yester-
day BY g. H. Fisk
ANOTHER ROUTE FROM
HERE TO CHATTANOOGA
Matter Has Been Frequently Discussed
But No Official Announcement Was
Made Until Neutrality-suspicious.
UndevelOped Territory

That the trains of the Tennessee, Ala
bama and Georgia Railroad company
would be operating into Birmingham by
June l, 1912, was the announcement made
yesterday by c. H. Fisk, chief engineer
of that line, who was in Birmingham.
While in the city yesterday Mr. Fisk,
who is supervising the work of construc-
ton, held a conference with Claud
Mimms. the widely-known contractor, and
also with officers of the Birmingham Stag
company, relative to the immediate pur-
chase of a quantity of Stag. 1t is under
stood that Mr.. Mimms will get the con-
tract to complete some of the construc-
ton for the line.
The new railroad will come into Bir-
mingham over the tracks of the Seaboard
Air Line from Odenville, where connec-
lions will be built to Chattanooga Inc
direction the remainder of the route will
take is problematical at this time, as
Gadsden and Piedmont are both being
considered in the fight for the new line.
Mr.. Fisk said yesterday that connec-
tons would be constructed to the Chatta-
nooga Southern owned by the new COM
pany. with line for Birmingham by June
1 of next year
Ii the line comes from Gadsden to Bir-
mingham the company will construct be-
tween 45 and 80 miles of new tracks. l.
the line comes by way of Piedmont about
So or so miles will have to be built.
The entire plan to build the line into
Birmingham has already been arranged
and work will be started on actual con-
struction within the next few weeks.
The coming to Birmingham of the Ten
nessee, Alabama and Georgia railroad will
give Birmingham the only competitive
route to Chattanooga, and that city will
be brought into closer operating contact
with Birmingham than is at present the
case. In addition to providing this city
with new route to Chattanooga, Mr..
Fisk says connections with lines to Chi
cago will be made at Chattanooga, thus
to what is admitted to be the gateway to
the western states.
The line has been frequently talked
about, but Birmingham has received no
official notice until yesterday. Mr.. Fisk
said the railroad did not want any favors
of this city in the way of inducement
and would pay every cent of its own
way to all its stations. He said, how
ever. that when the time arrived his COM
pany would apply for some franchises and
other concessions, which would be entire
-ly reasonable and would, he hoped, be
granted.
He said yesterday that his company, of
which Newman Erb is president, was not
trying to conceal its coming from any
one and that the officers had set a prece-
dent in this respect by making known
their plans and inviting comment from
the people interested in the line
He said, in speaking of the route, that
Gadsden was on only one main line at
this time, the main line of the Chatta-
nooga Southern, owned by the new com
pany, and although this was true the
property owners in that city were trying
to make the company pay excessive prices
for some land. He said the matter had
been taken up with the business men s
organization there, and unless reason
able settlement were made the line wound
Hol SO illO GduSueIl dl all. IL IfllS SnOulQ
be the case the line will leave the Chat
tanooga main line at Blue Pond and run
direct to Piedmont, and thence through
Ashville to Odenville, where traffic con-
nections have been made with the Sea-
board Air Line railroad for Birmingham
Granting an interview as to the plans
of his company, Mr.. Fisk said:
I'VE are now operating daily trains
from Chattanooga to Gadsden over the
Chattanooga Southern railroad, which is
owned by Newman Erb and associates
We have determined to build that line
from the terminus there to this city 1t
is our hope to come via Gadsden, but
there seems to be desire on the part OF
Gadsden people to charge us heavily for
some rights in their town. We cannot
agree to the prices named, and unless
they recede from their present position
they will not have the line in that city
Inasmuch as this company owns the only
main line into Gadsden 1t would seem
that they should be friendly to US.
piedmont, on the other hand, has Of
fered us right of way IS miles long
and bonus of $125.OOO to run our line
through that city. However, we are not
nf he