Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-27

TALLAHASSEE, May S5.-EditOr Morning Nelcs:
For years past the people OF this section have
desired other outlets to Savannah than the
present one, which subjects us to many incon-
veniences. MOnOpohes are not desirable, but
competition should be encouraged. At present,
whether we ship by st. Marks Cbattahoochee.
Live Oak or Jacksonville, we must submit to
whatever charges the railroad officials see fr
competing line OF railroad, except by
the Jacksonville. Pensacola and Mobile.
and we have no direct connection with the
great Northwest. On our Gulf coast. and
within thirty-five miles Of Tallahassee, is ALI
gator harbor. where the British fleet rendez-
voused after the battle of New Orleans. 1t is
second in expansiveness and depth of water to
that of Pensacola, and those familiar with the
topography Of this section, the adaptabiIity Of
Alligator harbor as the terminus OF a road
connecting with trunk lines leading to the great
Western cities, have long talked Of the
possibility Of such a railroad. Some
twelve years ago, articles Of Incorporation
we're filed, providing for a portion Of
this line, to-wit: a road from Tallahassee to
some point on the Georgia line. The capital
stock was subscribed. ten thousand dollars
paid in. and preliminary survey made. But
owing TO difference OF opinion as to the route
and other causes the company dissolved and
the money paid in. less the expenses of the
survey, was refunded TO those who had paid
their quota. again, during the session of
our Legislature in February, 1881, an
ect was passed to incorporate the Car
rabelle and ThomaSville Railroad Company
with a capital stock OF three hundred thousand
dollars. with the privilege OF increasing it to
eight hundred thousand. It was contemplated
to build the road from Carrabelle. on Alligator
harbOr. through Tallahassee to Thomasville
But though a year and a quarter has passed
hear of no organic alton or preliminary survey
made So this project is destined to prove,
like many others, paper railroad. But other
parties have seen the advantages of the pro-
posed route. and propose TO compete with
Pensacola for the immense freight that
IS destined tn fad its way to our Gulf
coast Mr.. John z. Page, of Albany,
New York. has carefully gone over all the
ground. He has examined the fine harbor to
the south Of US; has inspected carefully the ex
client timhered lands In this and the ad Join
ing county Of WaRulla; has trave'ed leisurely
from here to ThOmasville. and been delighted
with the fertile lands OF that fine rolling sec
ton: and so convinced is he Of the feasibility
OF the scheme that will benefit this section
that he has taken steps to file articles of ncOr-
poration for the ThomasvIlle, Tallahassee
and Gulf Railroad Company. The corpo-
rators are Hon. Charles H Adams, New
York; John F. Page, Albany, New York; Hon.
Edward DanfOrth, Flmira, New York; Vim. v
Page Albany. New York, and Edward Lewis.
Tallahassee. Florida Length of road about
one hundred miles. Capital stock, one million
dollars Termini, Thomasville, Georgia, and
some point on James Island, on the Gulf of
Mexico. The articles of incorporation have
been forwarded to New York to be signed by
the c1rDOratOrs there, and Will be filed in the
Office of Secretary OF State as soon as they
shall be received. The company intend
to nut surveyors in the field at once,
and as soon as possible make the final loca-
Iion and file the plot therefor in the office
of Commissioner OF Lands and Immigration. in
order to obtain the benefits of the internal i'm
movement act. II is hoped that the Legisia-
fure that will meet in January, 1888, will deal
literally with this company Heretofore Mid
die Florida has received little or no benefit
from the internal improvement fund. The
counties of Leon. Jefferson and Madison are
beinp taxed to this day for bonds issued to aid
in building the Pensacola and Georgia Rail
road. Old Leon especially has never
defaulted in her interest, but 1t
For this reason our citizens have every reason
TO expect that a liberal grant Of the internal
Improvement lands will be made. Nor is di-
rect connection with roads leading to the great
Northwest the only benefit likely to accrue
The company propose introducing large colo
nv OF thrifty German agriculturlsts to settle
on the line bet cen here and Thomas county,
Georgia. These immigrants, with their known
fruqality will soon develop the large old cot
ton plantatiOns into rich and thriving farms
Heretofore we must acknowledge that East
Florida has Outstrpped this section in her on
ward p1arch But now a brighter day is dawn
ing and this old settled portion of the State IS
renewing its youth and being infused with the
spirit Of progress
The late cold spell, which lasted fully a week.
was unpreceden- -ed-nOt for the severity of the
cold. but its duration. After further careful
inquiry among a number of intelligent plant
ers, still find that no injury has been done the
growing crops except 10 slightly retard them.
twenty-five OF thirty years ago such long
cold spell would have materially injured them.
The cause is this: Planting was commenced
much later in the season then than now, and
for that reason the plant was much more ten
der and liable to injury. Then the planter
was busy in the spring clearing 3p his
lands rolling logs, having rails split TO repair
fences aud for that reason he was late getting
his crop in the ground. Now there are no logs
70 roll and very few rails to split. In some
portions OF the county one can go FOR miles
without seeing any fence. The negro tenants
are indispOsed to such hard work, and timber.
too. is getting scarce. Hence, under the present
state OF things but little preparations compare
lively are made for planting Corn and cotton
are both planted six weeks earlier than in for
mer years
The truck easOn IS about over, nearly all of
the truckers having made their last shipments.
The result has been gratifying-fair crops and
good prices. While the season was more
favorable than last year, all admit that but for
the late dry spell, the crops would have done
better. Nevertheless, as the yield has been so
good and the prices obtained so remunerative.
a number who made their first essay this year
will try il again another sson on a larger
scale One OF our enterprising planters, who
has heretofore been welded to cotton culture,
for exp -riment this year planted hve acres in
Irish potatoes. using no fertilizers except fifty
bushels Of cotton seed TO the acre. From this
he made 165 barrels, which he shipped to
Sew York. besides thirty barrels of cuus, useful
for feeCing stock One hundred and sixty
barrels, sold in New York, netted S563 O4. Here
vas a profit (cl-arl OF SOD or more per acre,
aud the land ready for another crop Of cotton
or corn. OF course, with such a gratifying
result this gentleman will hencufOrth be far
mer as we'll as planter. But in this climate
there is one great drawback to this culture.
Occasionally we have long dry spell in the
spring that proves fatal TO the truckers s pros
poets The only remedy is irrigation. A gentle
man who bad been successful in raising the
largest and finest vegetables assured me that
there was hardly any limit to the amount OF
fertilizers use1, provided the soil was kept
moist This he said, was the secret or his sue
,srss With a well or tank in the centre Of
ten-acre field. and a wind mil with machinery
for pumpiug the water, the trucker would be
comparatively Independent OF the dreaded
drought. learn in some portions Of the State
this system is introduced with success, and
our truckers will have 70 resort TO it eventu-
ally.
A singular and fatal accident occurred at
Colonel BradfOrd's mill, some ten miles
north of this place. on Saturday, 9Th
inst His miller had just given the
signal to the engineer to shut of steam. when
the milestone burst into a thousand fragments,
killing the miller instantly, mortally wOunding
man VINO el1ou ntdTs anu WIZ uiCu cnoi bi9
afterward and iniuring three others. Those
who were near state that almost insi antsneOus-
IL with the explosion they saw bright flash
Il is said that had the miller taken the proper
precaution in lOosening the nut that held the
stones together, that the accident would not
have occurred. When two heavy stones are
brought in such close juxtapositlon, and run
ming at a fearful raie the friction thus pro-
duced must necessarily be attended with fatal
results The unfortunate man did not observe
the proper safeguards, and hence the fearful
-asulfs LEON