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About The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) 1898-1902 | View Entire Issue (May 24, 1900)
12 Cbe Conservative. PKOGKKSS OF SOUTHERN ROADS. Many good judges are of the opinion that the nest great development of rail road prosperity , if not of railroad con solidation , will be seen in the South. That region possesses vast possibilities as yet but little cultivated by modern promoters. The field is rich and the re wards of enterprise are close at hand. In some of the states better laws for the protection of creditors are needed as a part of the foundation for industrial success. These doubtless will come in time. As for natural products , the South has an iron region that rivals in richness and surpasses in cheapness of production that of Pennsylvania , bitum inous coal of superior quality in inex haustible amounts , timber of world wide fame , a favorable climate for live stock and miscellaneous agricultural products of infinite variety , culminating in cotton , still the king of the South , as corn and wheat are the king and the queen of the west. As elsewhere , of course , the industries of the South , to whatever extent estab lished , require facilities for transporta tion , and speaking broadly , these already are provided abundantly. One has only to travel below the Potomac and the Ohio to become impressed with the great amount of railway mileage , considering the sparseuess of population , and with the general excellence of the transporta tion service. The average speed of pass enger trains is by no means low. Indeed , in the mountainous regions of the Appalachian system , in which sharp and frequent curves are inevitable , it is quite high enough for comfort. The freight service in like manner , particu larly in the handling of perishable fruits and vegetables , is fairly up-to date , although the rules of rate making in the southern territory are sui generis , and are open to attack. One hardly could ask for a better system than that , for example , of the Central of Georgia , in which merchandise sent by steamer to Savannah is laid down regularly , as if by clockwork , in Birmingham , Ala. , in five days from New York , or for more expeditious traveling than that of the Southern's fast mail at two hours and a half for the 106 miles between Alexan dria and Oharlottesville. Tendency to Consolidate. The tendency to consolidation has been less marked below the Potomac and the Ohio than north of these natural boundaries , although it has gone on to no smnll extent. Numerous cross country and local lines still exist at a poor dying rate , the only logical end of which will bo annexation to their more powerful neighbors. Amalgamation is prevented to some extent by hostile legislation , but more by differences of opinion with regard to value. Railway lines "built to sell" are not unknown At the present time the greater part of the southern mileage east of the Mis sissippi is embraced in ten systems , viz : Chesapeake & Ohio , Norfoik & Western , Southern , Seaboard , Atlantic Coast , Plant , Central of Georgia , Louisville & Nashville , Mobile & Ohio and Illinois Central. Of these , of course , the Illinois Central is more a northern than a southern company , while the Louis ville & Nashville , Mobile & Ohio and Norfolk & Western also have important interests north of the Ohio. The Southern and the Seaboard alone are showing marked tendencies to contin ued expansion. What further consolidations , if any , among the ten systems , mentioned are likely to come about , it would be difficult to say. In the case of the Chesapeake & Ohio and the Norfolk & Western , the joint operation of which would be natural enough , geographically and to pographically speaking , a formal union would add little to the security of in vestors , in view of the large interest and the powerful influence of the Pennsyl vania railroad in both properties. The Central of Georgia already is affiliated in interest with the Southern. The Mobile & Ohio is a thorn in the flesh of the Southern , the Louisville & Nashville and the Illinois Central , but it is easily self-sustaining , and to be acquired will have to be paid for. The Southern has picked up a number of feeders within a few mouths , and the Seaboard probably will follow suit after the completion of the consolidation of the present system , but , so far as is known , no great "deals" like those of late in Lake Erie & Western , Chesapeake & Ohio , etc. , are in sight. Revenues Increasing- ; Most of the southern companies for two years past have had steadily in creasing revenues , and money for im provements has not been given out with a niggardly hand. The conditions of traffic in the South generally do not lend themselves to such a maximum of econ omy in transportation as is possible in the grain belt of the Northwest or among the coal and ore carrie'rs of the trunk lines. More depends there upon management , less upon natural con ditions. The important subject of train mileage has been grappled with great in telligence by some of the leading man agers , and particularly those of the Southern Railway with gratifying re sults in net income. Much goncl western blood is now employed with dis tinguished success in the railroad work of the South. In the markets for stocks and bonds , the securities of the leading lines in that part of the country have gained in credit materially since 1898. The disappearance of the distrust that used to be felt concerning them is no more than the natural consequence of the manifest improvement that , accord ing to all present indications , will go on to gain strength for some time to come. Railway Age. AN INTERESTING DISCOVERY IN ARCII/KOLOGY. An inscription , which is regarded as a verification of biblical history , was recently discovered on the gateway of an old palace at Ephesus. This important - ' portant discovery was first announced to the archieological congress at Rome by Professor Bohermann of the Vienna University. The professor of the British museum has investigated the inscription and has pronounced it genuine. He re gards it of great importance as it estab lishes , ! saysthe authenticity of the cor respondence alleged to have taken place between Jesus Christ and King Agrippa. These letters were written A. D. 97 , and were found about 84 miles from Icouium. The letter of King Agrippa to Christ reads as follows : "I have heard of theo , and the cures wrought by theo without herbs or medi cines. For it is reported that thou restoreth sight to the blind and make the lame to walk ; cleauseth the leper ; raiseth the dead ; casteth out devils and unclean spirits and healeth those that are tormented of disease of a long con tinuance. Hearing all this of thee I was fully persuaded that thou art the H.W.dt % HNS' ASBESTOS ROOFINGS PURE ASBESTOS NO COAL TAR WATER & ACID PROOF REQUIRE NO COATING ONE QUALITY MANY STYLES LOW PRICES ! APPLICATION SIM PLE & INEXPENSIVE ( ASBESTOS ROOFINGS A * FULLY GUARANTEED H.W.dOHN S -M'F'G CO. NEW YORK-CHICAGO PH | LAt > EUPHIA BOSTON MAKE R&PF ASBESTOS MATERIALS , LIQUID PAINTS & STAINS IPIPE & BOILER COVERINGS ELECTRICAL MATERIALS