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Alabama, Florida & Georgia Railroad

1,847 bytes added, 13:15, 29 January 2009
New page: The '''Florida, Alabama & Georgia Railroad Company''' ('''A, F&G''') was the earliest company in the Pensacola area to attempt construction of a railroad, though it was ultimately unsucces...
The '''Florida, Alabama & Georgia Railroad Company''' ('''A, F&G''') was the earliest company in the Pensacola area to attempt construction of a railroad, though it was ultimately unsuccessful. It was the predecessor of the [[Alabama & Florida Railroad]].

==Origins==
As railroads first began operation in the 1820s, Pensacola's business leaders began planning a way to connect the harbor to this new transportation network. In December [[1833]], a public meeting was held that resulted in a request to the Alabama state legislature and Florida territorial council for permission to construct a 210-mile railroad. Finding enthusiastic approval from the Florida lawmakers, the Florida, Alabama & Georgia Railroad was incorporated on [[February 14]], [[1834]], authorized to build a road from Pensacola to the Florida-Alabama border, where it would join a road from Columbus, Georgia.

The Alabama legislature was less enthusiastic, as [[Mobile]] delegates worried that a proposed branch line to Montgomery would affect commerce down the [[Alabama River]]. When their delegation blocked a first attempt to pass a charter, a compromise was reached that scrapped the Montgomery line, after which the plan was approved in late 1834. Florida endorsed the Alabama charter in February of the next year.

==Funding & planning==
In December [[1834]], 15,000 shares of A, F&G stock were put on the market at $0.25 per share and quickly purchased, bringing in $3,750 and allowing the company to organize as per its charter. This occurred on [[December 17]]. Military engineer [[William H. Chase]] was elected the board's president.

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==References==
{{refbegin}}
Charles H. Hildreth. "Railroads Out Of Pensacola, 1833-1883." ''Florida Historical Quarterly'', Volume XXXCII, Numbers 3 and 4, January-April 1959.
{{refend}}

[[Category:Railroads]]

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