The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-17
Will Be Constructed Just as Soon as Commercial POssi- bilities Are Taken Ad-
 vantage of by Shippers
BIRMINGHAM WILL BENEFIT GREATLY
 BY THE NEW LINE
Water--ContempIated Step Is Prac- tically Officially Announced. President Markham Says Work
 by Road Not Interrupted

The Illinois Central railroad has
 completed a survey of line following Pearl river from Jackson. Miss. to Bir-
 mingham and that line will be con structed. It will be about 240 miles
 long. This announcement Is official. The
 survey has been completed some months. That had been rumored but not admitted until yesterday by Illinois Central officials. Tho survey follows the Pearl river and 1t is stated that the line will be built just as soon as the commercial possibilities of the Pan anna canal are taken advantage of. That naturally Is expected to be- within a reasonably short space of time. The officials of the Illinois Central railroad have never before gone so far In regard to the Jackson line as to give the slightest indication of interest in the rumors and the fact that in official circles the foregoing Is ad- mitted is the nearest yet to officially announcing the coming of the Illinois Central to Birmingham from Jackson. Big Benefit to Birmingham This line will be of immense ben eft to Birmingham as it will give this district an additional outlet to the gull coast and will enable local coal men and other shippers to reach water more quickly than Is now possible.
 President Markham of the Illinois Central, who was here yesterday, d.d not hesitate to say that the constant reports about building from Haleyville to Birmingham were without founda- tion. He said that there might be made statement to tho effect that the | T fa l operation a contract with the Frisco lines for a long number of years which
 Is entirely satisfactory to the manage rucnt and which entirely obNiates the necessity of building line or any character from Haleyville to this city by way of Jasper. He said that the contract with the Illinois central pro
 vides for the accommodation of all the Illinois Central trains and that neces- sity did not call for additional track Tn many particulars MT Markham
 was optimistic. When first asked Tor A direct statement about conditions he answered:
 "It would be folly for me to say that business was rushing in this section of the United States for business men would instantly say that I had given out an optimistic statement in lieu or n statement less hopeful and roseate which would have been nearer the mark However, I will say this; All our work, in extent amounting to sec eral millions of dollars, is going ahead without Interruption.
 Situation Will Improve Soon we have not stopped the coal planl at New orleans, which will be very helpful for Alabama coal shippers. We have some work of double tracking and of rcarrangements that Is being carried out without any thought of stopping. but that Is about all. Frankly, the slt- uation does not warrant undertaking to map out any big improvements. The situation will improve, however, ana then " worlx will be started on some oth- CT betterments that we have in mind. "There is another optimistic state ment that can be made and that is our lines out west are doing fine busi- ness. The western farmers and that section in general are in very good shape and they are gathering big harvest. In this section there seems to be the greatest distress occasioned by the low price of cotton and you have n world of the fleecy staple. so l am informed
 able to spend two days here. Birming- ham looks awfully good and am firm in the conviction that the betterment wner if does come will bring Birming- hNn n great reward.
 MT Markham spent yesterday morn line with Erskine Ramsay looking over inc western part of the district and was guest at luncheon given by E F. Stovall at the Tutwiler Several nrominent Birmingham rneu were pres ent at the luncheon. Mir. Markham left on the Frisco for Memphis last nighr'