The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-04-17
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iDzzH this weak ! copy 1T the PFospectus|
Of the Townsville, Talhhasses and Galf
Railroad, which Has jnst been printed Il
shis Office, and i intended chiefly for dls-
tribution abroad. Itpressnts. 8 brief
space, the most important Of the many
facts and circumstances which combine
to make this one Of the most practical
and promising enterprises Of the kind
now projected in the South and demon
strates that its successful completion viii
mark q new era in the prosperity and
progress of Middle Florida.
To those familiar with the facts stated
in the Prospectus, it needs no introduc-
ton; while its pefusal by readers who
have never visited this immediate section
Of the South, or studied its advantages
and resources, will give them very cor
rect and not at all too highly colored i'm
preston of the benefits likely to follow
the opening of this short but important
line, to the commerce of Florida, Alaba-
ma, Georgia and perhaps of the entire
South.
Among the possible results contempla-
ted by the company, in this circular, the
most important. next to the re-opening of
direct trade with New Orleans is, per-
haps, the establishment of q trade be-
tween the South American ports and the
southern terminus of the road on the wa
tiers of the Gulf at Dog Island Harbor,
which will be by far the nearest and most
available depot for the expectation of the
vast quantities of manufactured cottons
with which the countries of South Amer
lea are supplied by American mills The
natural increase of cotton manufacture
in the South will be thus practically and
largely encouraged, and the already rapid
decline of the power of the New England
manufacturers to control foreign markets
in cotton goods will be vastly accelerated.
1t has already been demonstrated that
the cost of manufacture in the South is
far less ttan in the North, not only on &C
count of the immense saving of freights
on the raw material, and in the distribu-
ton of the manufactured article to do
nestle consumers, but also in consequence
of the lower rates of wages paid to ope-
ratives in the South. In Massachusetts,
in 1880, the average amount paid to ope-
ratives was $3.50, and in Maine, 1921 :;
while the operatives employed in the
Southern mills received only an average
yearly wage of $l69 each, and were bet
ter fed, clothed and housed on that than
the Northern operatives were on their
larger income.
If to these advantages there be added
new facilities for reaching foreign markets
without the long and expensive "haul :"
of the Southern product to Northern and
Eastern ports for expectation, the benfits
likely to accrue to Southern industries
can scarcely be computed.
A corps of engineers is now in the
field locating by preliminary surveys the
line of the new road, and it will not be
long before the advance guard of laborers
will be engaged in actual construction
The company has in contemplation the
establishment of three or more distinct
routes between Thomasville and this CITY.
the adoption of one of which is expected
to depend chiefly upon the public spirit of
the people living along the one selected
in the granting of rights of way and
other concessions to the company. One
route, that leading near enough to
Lake Jackson to enable travellers over the
line to enjoy the charming landscape in
the vicinity of that beautiful sheet of
water, has unfortunately been abandoned
by the company, for good and sufficient
reasons but the other routes are now.
or soon will be, so far designated by sur
veys now being made, as to enable the
people residing in their respective neigh.
borhoods to engage in generous rivalry
as to which route shall present to the
company, through inducements offered to
it, the most substantial advantages.
The people of The different sections of
this county through which the road is
likely to pass should be alive to their own
interests, and be prepared to offer such
inducements, in the way of grants of
rights of way and of such other contig-
uous lands as the company may re-
quire or desire, to secure the location of
its line near them.