The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-18

largest shipper of any community in the
south and ranks with the larger cities of
America.
1t is not very widely known. but one
station in this district that is to say
the whole state of Georgia. That is a
fact that is used often by traffic man
ayers on railroad presidents to get their
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offices located in this city
Where such possibilities abound it is
no occasion for surprise that railroad
men are anxious TO get to that commu-
nifty The handlers of freight here are
all alive and it is no cinch for travel
ing freight agent to put one over the
other fellow in this community They
watch the game like hawks and they
are all strong for routing over their re-
spective lines.
Birmingham is 50 important as freight
point that traffic club is maintained
here in the Brown-Marx building. The
club has no buffet or restaurant or, roof
garden. But it has tariff files and infor-
nation of value that is often used by the
members. Rest rooms are there provided
and every few weeks the traffic men get
together and help each other solve the
problems that constantly arise in the
game here. 1t is club of worth which
is helping the traffic men considerably.
All Are Well Built
Physically few cities have such rail-
roads as Birmingham. In ballasting,
rails, equipment and motive power the
best is procured for Birmingham and
maintained here. All of the lines have
fine shops located in this community
Birmingham is a division point for all of
the lines and all of them have superin
tendents here except two.
The two notable shops built here re-
Gently are the Illinois Central and Frisco
line joint shops, which also includes the
Central of Georgia and the Louisville
and Nashville shops that are located in
Boyles. The former are at East Thomas.
In no center of railroad operations are
better shops maintained than at Boyles
and East Thomas At either of them
wrecked engines may be repaired quickly,
while it would not be impossible for the
shops to build locomotive.
The shops are equipped with every mod
ern facility. The Louisville and Nash
vile cost nearly s1OO0,OoO as they now
stand, and it would not be surprising If
they finally cost more. t
The worth of this district can be ap-
preciated more when it is recalled that
the Louisville and Nashville is spending
over s5.ooOOoO double tracking it's lines
from Nashville to Birmingham. No doubt
ts,,4
tend south to New Orleans eventually.
The Queen and Crescent route, q compet-
itor of the Louisville and Nashville for
north and south business, Is lettering it's
lines. even after they have been and are
now in fine shape. That indicates that
without question the Panama canal bus
mess will be routed through Birmingham
over the double track lines of the two
railways reaching the southern ports
through Birmingham.
Harriman's Connection Here
AS observed, Birmingham has fine
place in the railway world now. That
was greatly emphasized when Hartman
bought the Central of Georgia to connect
here with his Illinois Central, thus form
ing across the continent connection with
Birmingham as the center of the web.
Birmingham by that proposition became
established as the vital place in the Har-
riman southeastern link of railways.
However, from time to time greater
things will be DONE The lines are all
keeping in touch with things They are
building side tracks to keep the mines
running. They are building extensions to
promote industry. They have agricultural
agents that promote farming in this sec
tion and they have alert officials that are
constantly figuring out some plan where
by the district may be bettered. They
have placed almost perfect service here