The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-26
TWO B|G RAILROADS ARE IN NOVEL RACE ID GET GULF TRADE Illinois Central and l.. & N. Sparring for Position
 in Alabama PORTS AT PENSACOLA AND MOBILE GOALS Mobile Understands Illinois Central May Use COchrane Lines to
 Get It's Share of the
 Gulf Business
By BEN H. THOMAS

tN%f~~f-~-'f
 mored intention of the Illinois Central railroad to secure another outlet on the gulf coast, over the lines of the Ala bama, Tennessee and Northern and rom bigbee Valley railroads, has again brought the railroad situation in this section Of the south to the front. It was believed, some time ago, that officials of the liinois Central contemplated securing control or the New Orleans, Mobile and Chicago, hut the acquisition of this line by the Frisco system and the Louisville ana Nashville have been strong competitors for gulf coast business in the past ls we'll known, and it was the threatened in- frineement of the Illinois Central into the Birmingham district, which the LoulsVliie and Nashville claimed as its own, that re- suited in the construction Of an immense grain elevator at Pensacola several years ago. the object of the Louisville and Nashville being to cut into the Illinois Central southern grain shipments unless the Illinois Central withdrew from Br- mngbam. or at least made an amicable arrangement of the differences relative to tonnage from the mineral district Of the state of Alabama.
 Surveyors Near Tuscaloosa
 Closely following the acquisition of the New Orleans. Mobile and Chicago railroad hy the Frisco and Louisville and Nashville comes the announcement that the Illinois Central has corps of surveyors in the field at or near Tuscaloosa for the purpose or surveying a line from the Birmingham district that will connect with the Ala bama, Tennessee and Northern, over which, and the Tombigbee Valley raii- road the Illinois Central can secure port facilities at Mobile. In view of the fact that a preliminary survey has already been made for an extension of the Ala hama. Tennessee and Northern into the mineral belt, and the further fact that the Illinois Central appreciates the neces- sity of securing additional facilities on the gulf coast for handling business follow ing the opening of the Panama canal, itI follows that the Illinois Central would be interested In the only independ- ent lines that would give such facilities the Cochrane lines
 An interesting fact in connection With the statement that the Illinois Central either control or traffic ar with the Cochrane lines, is tfe fact that recently an immense quantity of terminal property has been purchaseo by John T. Cochrane. including what IS known as Farmers island, just north or the city limits, and thousands of feet of water frontage Blakely island, 1m- mediately opposite the city of Mobile. The purchase of the Bakely island tract is significant because of the fact that the United States governm Tt will not allow the Mobile river to be bridged below that point, and a bridge at the upper end of Farmers island would give the Coehrane lines thousands of feet of water front age for tracks on Blakely island ana would open a large tract to manufacturing purposes where the factories could be reached by the rails of the company.
 New Baldwin County Road
 For a long time it has ,been the firm belief that the road now being constructed across Baldwin county by w. H. Me Ieughlin, who owns the terminal prop critics at Pensacola known as Perdido wharf, was in some way backed by the Illinois Central. It is a fact that sev- eral weeks awo MT. Mclaughlin had charge of construction work for the H. linois Central, and although he has all along been firm in the statement that ne alone was building the road, the Tact re- mains that the traffic of such line, with out trunk line connection. would not nav for it's operation and maintenance. The terminal of the Mclaughlin road on th., shores of Mobile bay will be north of Daphne, and the grading to that point has been completed. Mclaughlin tried to secure permission to construct bridge across Mobile river near it's mouth, but this was denied. The construction of the Mclaughlin road to Blakely island Is a -t al ,,,at ttar an lC- ton, presuming that the Cochrane lines and the Illinois Central get together. the Illinois Central would secure immeasur- ably valuable terminal facilities at both Mobile and Pensacola.
 Trains are running on the Alabama, Tennessee and Northern from Reform to Ward. and on the Tombgbee Valley from Calvert. just above Mobile, northward to West Butler The strip between West Butler and Ward is being rapidly con structed and about 12 miles of line are yet to be built before through trains can be run The construction of the line be- tween Calvert and Mobile is an easy mat te:', and it is understood practically all right of way necessary to the connection of the present terminus at Nannahubba, near Calvert, and the terminal properties at Mobile, has been secured.
 Survey North of Reform
 Several weeks ago President John T. Cochrane announced that a preliminary survey was under way north of Reform with a view to an extension of the line into the mineral belt, but he has all along declined to stateeexactly where the line was headed for. The construction of a line between Reform and Haleyville, with connection at the latter .pont with the Illinois Central, would give the H. lnois Central short line between Mobile and Chicago and St. Louis, and place it in position to compete with the Frisco and the Louisville and Nashville. with even better terminal facilities on the gulf. If. in addition to the Cochrane lines the Me- Lpughlin road is also in the deal, as seems probable, the Illinois Central would gain facilities at both Mobile and Pensacola. Then, with line from Reform or some other point into the Birmingham district or even with the use of the present line between Birmingham and the point of con nection with the Alabama. Tennessee and Northern, the Illinois Central could sue cessfully compete against the Louisville and Nashville for tidewater business from the mineral belt of Alabama.
 There has been considerable speculation relative to the real packers of the line known as the Megargle road, now under construction between Pensacola and Jask per and rumor has 1t that the Louis vile and Nashville, with possibly the Frisco in the deal is heavily interested. The Illinois Central has also been mem toned but only in casual way. The franchise granted the Megargle road by the city of Pensacola contains a clause which would operate against Louisville and Nashville control, but could hardly be construed to operate against ''com-