The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-03-21

WAy1. projected railways o. nsEigable streams
A The gEeateE part 81 them are, and those
that are not wiil soon 3 because new roads are
being projected and bufit al over the Stare
q. h the demand fog tAess timber lands crow
ing rapidly, and what b he average prices for
thamt
A. The demand now 3 immense. The prices
range from 81 to % per sere
Q. Ia q gFsas deal Of Northern capital being
invested in themf ef
A. There ID. The timber i purchased in small
bodies and in tracts Of 1900 to 5000 acres
@. Has there been married increase in the
lumhef busineas Of the esate In the last yearP
A Thers hes. The number of saw-milh
erected in the last Twelve m0nths and that is pui
up every month, s simply surprising. The
present. b along the St JeAns river and on PEN
sAcola, Perdido and EscAmhia hays; also, along
the line of all the railroads New mills are put
in operation as fast transportion for machinery
can be furnished In fact the mills get ahead OF
the projected roads. The transportation Of lum-
Der is the chief business Of many Of the rail-
WAYS There il one mill On the railway running
from Jacksonville to Tallahassee-that of ex.
Governor Drew-whlch furnishes train load of
lumber every day.
O. Is there NOT at present great activity in the
manufacture of tnrpentinef
A There Is The price Of both turpeniine
and rosin 10 excellent, and there Ii, therefore,
great many new turpentine farms are being
opened Trees in this State a.e q" bledr from
i've TO seven years.
RAILWAYS.
O. Does the State encourage, in any way, the
building of railways?
A Yes, TO every railway company, whose line
runs through State lands, alternate sections,
within six miles each side of the line are given.
To one railway company the State has given as
much As 90 800 acres 10 the mile
Q. What new lines of railway are in process
of construction, or projected?
A. The Florida Tropical. From Ocala To
Tampa, distance 100 miles, 50 miles nearly COM
pleted.
Florida Southern From Lake City to Gaines
vile, with branch to Palatka, and from Gaines
vile to Tampa and Charlotte Harbor. now con-
structed from Palatka 10 Gainesville; also con-
structed from Gainesville to Ocala, and now be-
ing constructed from Gainesville north to Lake
City, all under contract
South Florida Railway From Sanford on
st. Johns river, to Barlow in Polk County, and
thence TO Tampa; completed from Sanford TO
Lake Tahopekeliga, about 40 miles.
Pensacola and Atlantic. From Pensacola to
Chattahoochee on Apalachcola river, connect
ing with the Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mobile
Road length OF road $50 miles; road is being
built in sections and road bed will be completed
in few months.
Jacksonville, ST. Johns and Halifax River
Road. Eleven miles graded from Jacksonville,
and eighteen miles cleared
Palatka and Indian River From Palatka, on
the ST. Johns river, to Titusvlle, on Indian river,
work on the road-bed commenced
Saville and Halifax From Saville on Lake
George, to Daytona, on the Halifax river; engi-
neeTs now surveying the route.
Jackson vile, Tampa and Key West. From
Jacksonville to Key West by way of Tampa
construction reported begun
The Rowland's Bluff Railway From Live
Oak, in Suwannee to Rowland's Bluff, in La
fayette; length 40 miles; will be completed in a
month or 90.
The Chattahocchee and East Pass Railway.
From cambridge, Ga, by way Of Chattaheochee,
to Deepwater, Franklin county, near Apalachi-
cola length, IS miles: route is being surveyed.
Orange Ridge, DeLand and Atlantic From
point on ST. Johns river to a point near New
Smyrna, on the Atlantic coast length of line,
about 80 miles work of construction COM
menced.
Green Cove and Melrose From Green Cove,
on St Johns river, toward Gainesville: length,
about 60 miles surveys made and work of con-
struction about commenced.
Florida, Midland and Georgia. From Geor-
gia line, by way of Madison. to Deadman's bay,
in Taylor county length of line, about IS miles
route surveyed and staked out.
Within the last two years two roads have
been completed-One from Fernandina to Jack
s. F. and w. road, to Jacksonville.
Q. What is the rate of passenger fare?
A The law allows charge Of five cents; the
usual charge is three cents
Q. What effect have the railways had on the
prosperity Of the State.
A. Railways have done great deal for Flor
ida They have added immensely to the value
Of our lands by bringing immigrants and by
furnishing transportation for our lumber, oranges
and other products Our seacoast towns would
not have reached their present size and prosper
ity without the assistance of the railways
Q. Are railway companies limited by law in
their charges?
A. Yes, both in respect to passengers and
freight.
Q. What is your method of taxing railways?
A They are taxed on valuation made by
the State
Q. Have you State Commissioners 10 super
wise your railways?
Q. Are the railway companies doing anything
to assist immigration,
A Yes; they advertising their lands in
circulars and pamphlets, and some are furnish
ing TO immigrants low rates of transportation.
MANUFACTURED
Q. What is the feeling in your State with re-
gard to manufactures!
A. The people are ready to encourage them
and would like to see them established here.
The State. however, has as yet done nothing in
the way Of exemptiug them from taxation or Of
bonuses 70 assist them, owing TO q prohibitory
provision in the Constitution.
@. How many cotton factories have you?
A There is q small one a. Tallahassee, in
which about $25 900 are invested. understand
that it Is in q prosperous condition. i think
there is one other in the State.
Q. Are there any cotton seed oil factories in
the States
A. No; but several are about to be established
O. What important factories have you?
A. We have in process OF construction sugar
reneries, starch factories and paper mills, which
will make paper out of our palmetto.
O. Do you think that the prospects Of the
South becoming . great manufacturing section
are latteFingf
A. think they are. 1t is beginning to be un-
derstood that it Is much cheaper to bring the
spindle to the raw material than to take the raw
material TO the spindle. The success which has
attended the efforts at manufacturing in the
South will influence the investment of other cap
ital in factories in this section.
EDUCATION.
@. What is the condition Of your public
schools 3?
A. Il ID decidedly progressive. Commencing
Is years ago without organization We have now
over 200 schools. Under our efficient system
the remotest sections are net ignored, and Wher
ever . sufficient number OF children can be gath
cred together . school b established.
@. In what way ID public education promoiedf
A Thus far, in some Of the counties, the work
has not gone further than 10 establish and pat in
operation the schools, and to complete our or
gnnization. In others, however, which are more
and in the high schools normal instruction Is
Vxnada ar,erial fpak k1ra FL