The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-04-18

I'll -
Nsnsaeeaa 60 Atlsnsie y. i.
1he President Ana Dirsctor Of the
Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad Com
pany have made their frst annual report,
which we End printed at length ia the
Pensacola Ccmm~cSd1 Of the I4eh. The
-rep0Et il Gull IT interest and Min Be read
By the Florida pablic with unusual salts
faction. Tia company (to qnote the
opsAing pasagnpAs.) waschartersd March
4, 1891. The organization was effected
April II, 1881, and the contract with the
Louisville d Nashville Railroad Com
pany, executed Nay Q, when work was
Immediately started. Several engineering
parties took the Geld on experimental
lines, and, after many trial lines, the loca-
ton was finally adopted. 1t was decided
to make it irst-class line, with steel
rails, iron bridges, creesoted timbes in
salt water, and foundations, improved
split switches, in fact, all of the most
modern Improvements, and at the same
time to push The work - soon Is possible
to completion, 90 that a. to make connec-
ton At Chattahoochee with the Florida
and Georgia systems
At the time of making this report there
were 2,27s men at work grading, getting
out cross-ties, clearing out right of way,
piling and bridging and laying track.
The length of the road will be 100 miles.
Fifteen miles Of track have been laid
Steel rails for 90 $40 miles have been re-
ceived Pensacola, at cost of &5o5, $780,
II. Rails are distributed as follows:
AT Pensacola, steel rails for So $40 miles,
joints complete for 70 miles, and spikes for 10
2-10 miles.
At Milton, at which point we are laying track
eastward, we have steel rails for 10 416 miles.
joints complete for 80 miles, and spikes for 81
miles
At Chactawhatchee river crossing, where, also,
track Will be started both ways, we have steel
rails for 80 miles of track, joints complete
for miles, and spikes for IL $40 miles
At Apalachicola river crossing, where track
will be laid westward, we have steel rails for 10
40 miles, joints complete for miles, and spikes
for 10 miles Of track.
Of the steel rails on hand at Pensacola we
have 10 miles stored At the Navy Yard wharf,
where boats can load il to ChoctaW hatchee river.
or any other point without extra handling"
This was at the date of the report.
Of the Apalachicola river crossing the
report says:
The high water at this point has greatly de-
layed the work, and all that has been done ia TO
get ready to push the work vigorously as soon as
the water subsidies. The contractors have four
(D pile-drivers and material on hand TO 20
ahead, and by this time are at work. This is the
only point where we may be delayed somewhat
in the construction of the bridge, and it will be
about the last gap we will close.
The bridging and piling at other points
is progressing rapidly.
Of the company's land grant the re-
port gives this description:
The Pensacola & Atlantic lands, as stated in
the charter, consists of three different grants:
First-The State lands.
6econd-The United States grant to the State
Of Florida.
Both Of the above grants being for lands on
both sides of the line of the road
Third-This grant ls from the internal inn
provement and gives Us $1,000 acres of land per
mile. consisting Of lands nearest the road This
last grant, which had lien upon ii, has been,
since the granting OF the charter, freed from the
lien and this twenty thousand (2O,0OO acres per
mile goes to the company free from all incum-
brance.
Cnder these three grants, and on q basis of 100
miles Of main line, we will have under the grant
10 Section 10, 5000 acres under the grant in
Section 10. 6SS60O acres. and from the internal
lon t. y or
acres, making a total of 1855, 600 acres.
Of this we will have west Of the Apalachi-
cola river, 2,186, 900 acres and east of the Ana
lachicola river 100 900 acres.
The lands under the charter grant 10 Section IS,
IS 900 acres are within six miles on both sides of
the road. The land under charter grant, Sec-
ton 49, 683 800, are all within six miles ON each
side of the road, excepting where lands have
already been taken up prior to grant For such
lands already taken mp we can indemnify our.
selves with lands within fifteen Q6) miles. Bv
careful examination and selection of these lands
we can make our indemnify valuable 10 every
foot selected under IL.
Under the /" Internal Improvement Land
Grant," Section II, We receive 8 200 900 acres
OF this amount about ], 500 900 acres are 10 West
Florida. Il embraces every description OF land
and extends from the eastern 10 the western and
from the northern TO the southern borders of the
western portion Of the Stale.
line MAJOR PSttt0u Vi buSS6 IouQS ID DINE ana
I The remaining 1,700,e00 acres under this grant
are in East Florida and extend to the Atlantic
and 10 the Disston purchase in the south and
embrace every description of land known in
East Florida, including orange and other agri-
cultural lands
By pushing the road to completion, which we
are doing now, we win get these lands before
they can he settled, and before other roads, now
in courae of construction, can get them
There IL no doubt that the land grants under
our charter are very valuable, and in regard to
the management and best utilization Of these
grants your board OF directors will soon submit
to Won 4 plan for your consideration
Z Your Vice President and General Eupcrin-
tendani, Mr.. w. d. Chipley. accompanied by an
expert in the timber and another expert in the
tnrpcntine business, has just returned from trip
of examination Of the lands along the line OF
road, and the reports of all three are extremely
ENCOURAGING for the future prospects, of the line,
especially IN turpentine and timber business.
Experts are now In the deld to classify and ex.
anime these lands thoroughly, aud the Land De-
partmeut b assiduOusly working on the plats
aad maps Of the lands, 90 90 to have full and
thorough record thereof
These lands will be classified under four "a
headings. Wis:
First--Swamp.
Second Turpentine.
Third-Pine
Fourth-Agricnlture.
The State auihoFities have stepped the sale OF
al lands where they may interfere with our char
Ter grants until We have selected the lands
granted to ~
The report, after an interesting review
Of che prospects Of the line, concludes a.
foIlowa: