The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-05-15


more staple articles for exports con.
sequently food, clothing, and most Of
thenecessities and Injuries of life they
import Naturally, therefore, we find
that our leading articles of exports
to them have been flour and bacon.
ana that other principal exports have
been butter, cheese, lard, petroleum,
coal, drugs, lumber, and cotton fab
TICS Our imports from these coun-
tries are principally coffee, sugar and
molasses.
Many causes of course contribute
to bring about the condition of trade
we have recited. and MANY elements
must unite to changeit. 1t is not our
province here to discuss those. but to
confine our enquiry to whether this
proposed line of railway is likely to
produce any beneficial results.
We have seen that the principal ar
tlcles OF our exports to those countries
are the products of the West 1t is
also well known fact that the West
Is the great consumer of the articles
OF our imports from those countries.
The problem is to increase the amount
OF our exports so as to pay for our
imports. Shortening the distance
and increasing the facilities of com
munication between the point of pro-
duction and the point CT consumption
must, of course, tend to. increase com
merce. The large commerce with
the countries we are considering is
now carried on through. the port of
New York The products of the
West are carried to New York by
rail and thence by ocean transporta-
ton to the countries for which they
are destined. From New York to
Cuba involves an ocean voyage. of
about 200 miles. We find that from
the Northwest and from the great
producing centres Of the Mississippi
and Ohio valleys the distance by rail
to Key West is little more than to
New York, and that key West is
only ninety miles from Cuba. It
would appear that the saving of /, $50
miles Of ocean transportation would
tend to largely increase the export of
the articles we are now furnishing,
and also open a market for MANY 9TH |
er articles Of Western manufacture.
such as agricultural machinery, furni- |
ture, etc, and for cotton tabrics-the |
manufacture of which is so rapidly in
-creasing in Georgia.
1t by opening close connection and
direct communication with the West
Indies we may by it develope great
ly enlarged market for our products,
to wrest from Europe the control Of
the commerce of those Islands, reduce
tho balance of trad 50 largely
against us, andrevive the Depressed !
business interest of our country, the
proposed line of railway is worthy OF
serious consideration.
Other considerations are urged i'll
favor of this railway, among which
we may mention the development
of the great resources of Florida
Large tracts of country in Florida.
which are now inaccessible, are adapt
ed to the cultivation of cotton, sugar,
tobacco, and products which cannot
be raised elsewhere in the United
States. 1t is stated that it is the only
country, except few islands on the
coast of South Carolina in which it
is possible to raise sea-island cot
ton. The rapid destruction of the
forests of the Northwest, and the fact
that lumber is a large article of ex-
port to the West Indies and South
America also make it worthy of at
tention this railway would make avail
able millions of acres of the best vel
low pine and live oak timber.
AS far as the direct interest OF the
government are concerned in the
consideration of the road, it would be
in increased mail facilities, and it is
also important for military purposes.
In consideration of the enormously
expensive forts on Tortugas and Key
West. we have realized the impor-
lance of holding control of the en-
trance Of the Gulf of Mexico, and
thereby being able in event of war OF
guarding the mouth of the Mississippi
The ninety miles between Key w est
and Cuba could be easily held by our
navy as convenient base for supplies
and coal. If the occasion should
arise, this line of railway, would,
therefore, necessarily prove an i.Apor-
tant element in our means of defence.
! The bill provides that the Company
NAV issue bonds to the amount OF Sl5,-
LOCO per mile of their road and they
ask the government to endorse the
payment Of the interest of these bonds.
They state that they ask this endorse
ment nv the government for the rea-