The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-19
MARKHAM RATHER INDEFINITE ABOUT !. PROPOSED l. [. LINE Party of Directors Here Last Night, Including
 Cornelius Vanderbilt START TO SAVANNAH EARLY THIS MORNING President Markham and Other Off, cials Optimistic About Business.
 Talks of Central of Geor-
 gia Bond Issue

Rather indefinite reference to the re- ported intention of the Illinois Central railroad to construct a line to Jackson from Birmingham was given here yes terday by Charles H. Markham, presi- dent of that company. who headed a large party of officers and directors of the line. The party remained in Birming- ham last night and included Cornelius Vanderbilt.
 President Markham was asked the di- rect question as to the meaning of the en- gineering corps in this district surveying south of Birmingham through Tuscaloosa and in the general direction of the gulf coast.
 q have nothing to say in that re- spect just now" said MT. Markham, but r."
 That is virtually a confirmation, MT. Markham" he was told
 Well, do not mean to affirm the re- port" he said. .'As was going to say, we have engineering forces out everywhere along our line where it might be pos sible to do some work.s However, we cannot say what will be done with the reports made as to the line south of Birmingham"
 MT. Markham, the engineers have l. e. painted on their equipment" he was informed. And the general impression is that those initials mean your conn pany."
 50 I am told" he enigmatically ob- served. However, young man. i've cannot discuss that line one way or the other.
 Those in Party
 The party which MT. Markham is show the properties of the Central of Georgia is composed of four directors and sew eral officials The directors are MT. Van- derbilt, John w. Auchincloss. Charles A. Peabody and Walter Luttgen. The of- ficials were MT Markham, w. l.. Parke, vice president and general manager, and John Porterfield, general superintendent of the Illinois Central southern lines. The officials of the Illinois Central were met here by the Central of Georgia officials, who will show the directors over the Gen. tral of Georgia properties beginning this morning at 8 o'clock They will go to Savannah and will return through Mont gomery aud Atlanta.
 The officials of the Central of Georgia meeting the directors here included Col. Alexander Lawton, vice president; w. A. Winburn, vice president; T. S. Noise, general manager.
 Business generally is very good," said Mr. Markham. T am told that Birming- ham is in this respect far ahead of the past year or so. Our lines have shown a fine crop movement, and We confidently expect an unusually busy season. Every where business seems 10 be on the up grade and the affairs of the country gen orally are good
 The optimistic sentences of MT. Mark ham were cordially concurred in by Vice President Parke, who added that the H. linois Central railroad was doing a fine volume of business in Birmingham and was well pleased with the general traffic situation.
 Sfr. Parke and his party will return to Chicago this morning operating to Jack son by special train.
 It is generally understood here that the Illinois Central is anxious to get an- other line from this city to a gulf port. Reports that the Cochrane lines were to be purchased to link out the proposed lines have gone begging for want of af- firmation or serious consideration by