The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1921-07-28
EXTENDING THE w. & a. r. r.
TO THE SEA.


mess from all quarters of the coun
try have stoutly maintained that such
an extension would easily make the
w. & A. one of the best money maxi
ers in the country.
OF late, since the visits of Governor
Hardwick and Chairman Hamilton to
Brunswick, on which occasions both
of these officials committed them
selves to the plan of the state pur-
chasing the A., B. & A. to be operat-
ed in conjunction with the w. & A.,
we have been more interested in the
subject than ever and have devoted
considerable of our space to the prob
lem.
1t is therefore pleasing to observe
that the plan is meeting with gener-
al approval, in the press, in the legis-
lative halls and elsewhere in Georgia
In its issue of yesterday, fer III
stance, the Atlanta Georgia carried
the following story from the pen Of
Hon. ]. D. Blalock, representative
in the Georgia legislature from Ware
county, which is interesting is well
said and shows how well Mr.. Bla-
lock thinks Of the proposition:
Il was much interested by publi-
cation in The Brunswick News a few
days ago, in which the chairman of
the w. & A. committee of the House
was quoted as saying that q bill would
be introduced probably at the next
session OF the Legislature. proposing
that the State buy the Atlanta, Bir-
mingham & Atlantic railroad and
make it part of the w. & A. system,
connecting the Tennessee River at
Chattanooga with the sea.
"In the same paper the following
day Governor Hardwick is quoted as
indorsing the project in connection
with Mr.. Kittrelrs bill CT establish
ing a State port on the Georgia coast
This idea of extending the State
read to the sea is dream of long
standing and every few years some
legislator brings 1t to the surface in
the House or the Senate. 1t invaria-
blv meets with great fay r, but never
gets anywhere. At this time it is es-
pecially interesting In view of Cover
nor HardwIck's strong statement in
his recent message to the Legisla-
ture in which he emphasized that
Georgia's credit was made doubly
strong by It's ownership OF the w. &
a.. and recommended that our finan-
cial dilemma be Strengthened out by
discounting the income from the w.
& A.
II do not take 1t that the governor
is In favor OF government ownership
of railroads, and neither am J, ard IL
we did not own the Western and At
lantic, | would never consider the
purchase or building of railroads by
the state. but | am not afraid of a
fetish when practical business is az
stake. | am -sure no gusd business
man is, and as this idea CT extending
the State road to the sell Las always
met with great favor Among the peo-
pie | am sure large per cent oil
the Georgia people are In favor Of
taking care OF our fine -allr0ad prop.
erty In the very best way possinis.
an the first place, the preservation
OF the w. & A. MS highly paying
piece Of property Is somewhat depen-
dent Oh it's having seapor. connec-
tion. The road will always have a
good local business. but II II should
ever be paralleled It's through bust.
ness might be cut off anil u be re-
duced 10 a purely LOCAL road. That
would reduce It's earnings and rentals,
and In order to prevent this, ] would
be heartily in favor of linking up the
A.. b. & A. to 1t and making Il one Of
The great systems of the South. or
course. would be in favor Of leasing
the addition just as we arc leasing
The original line.
with the Western and Atlantic ex-
tending from Chattanooga 10 the sea
and having branch lines to Birming.
ham. Thomasville and waycross. he
property in time would be worth $50,
600. 900 or more. aud II the A., u. 4
A. can be bought at this nme for he
present value Of its stock and bonds
ii would not bring over twelve q
fourteen millions. making the wholt
system. including the origirsl cost -
tae W. & A., total the STATE. in The
nelghborhood Of s2o.oOo.ooo. and an
told that the A., u. & A. cost aboat
$50, 600. 00o to build e.
If the state can make tass deal
look upon It as piece o. good bus
mess. The opportunity viii never
come again. There win never be an
ether line built from Atlanta To The
Georgia coast and IL this splendid
dream il ever to come true, now j.
a..