Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-10


Editor Morning NeleS: The combina-
ton formed between the Plant Investment
Company and the Florida Southern Rail-
way Company, whereby the former will
now shortly establish a through line of
railway between Jacksonville and Tampa
Bay, and thus between those points and
Savannah, seems to have created unneces-
sary alarm in few localities, where,
perhaps, local and private interests are
esteemed above the general good. 1t is
commendable, indeed, for one to advo-
cate his own and the local interests of his
community, for that belongs to local
enterprise and thrift, which every
person is bound to consider Of high i'm
portance; but the public good should go
before private or local interests, lest the
high destiny aimed ut be cut short or
dwarfed by views and actions after the
''penny wise and pound fOolish' order
too contracted for metropolitan growth
and prosperity.
If Mr.. Plant had not found the way
open he would not have undertaken that
splendid enterprise, which, it seems to
the writer, promises even greater things
to Jacksonville tlan to the city of SaVan-
nah. If the former, situated as tits, on
the most romantic and beautiful river in
the South, open to the Atlantic by deep
water, and nearly 200 miles nearer to the
peninsular products than the latter, can
not arrest in transitu, and turn the tide
of freights into the mouth of the st. Johns
or through the splendid harbOr OF Fernan-
dina, there should certainly be no CON-
plant againt the Plant Company in max
ing it possible for the people Of that long
neglected region to reach the welcoming
seaport of Georgia. The truth is, that
when Mr.. Plants sagaciOus eyes survey
ed the situation, he noted at glance that
the railroads Of the peninsula were not
projected in a manner to subserye the best
interests of the State, but having secured
an east and west line along their northern
border as sort OF bulWark
against invasion from without, the Flo
ridians relied upon the st. Johns river for
the main peninsular transportation, and
contented themselves with few cross
sections in the more settled parts Of the
territory, with the view of combining the
trade to the limits of the State. This was
we'll enough for those who were 10 enjoy
the profits Of the TRANSPORTATION SC it could
be carried out; but if the policy was too
narrow and failed on that account, there
should be no cause for alarm when a for
eign company comes to the rescue, and,
without asking a dollar Of the citizens,
places them in open communication with
the rest Of the world.
Floridians are justly proud of the great
advance made by their State within the
past few years, and yet they found it al
most impossible to enter upon that for.
ward movement until they receded, though
but single step, from their policy of eX-
Guiding foreign railroad companies, 1t
will hardly be denied that the great
"boOm'' OfJacksOnville and the St, Johns
country, to say nothing Of other sections,
had its origin in the connection of the At
lantIc and Gulf with the Jacksonville,
Pensacola and Georgia Railroad at Live
Oak. BY this connection all Middle and
East Florida were at once opened up to
the outside world, and the uninterrupted
stream of passengers from that day forth
poured into the Gland of Flowers
from all parts of the Union, has made it
famous, not only as land of health and
pleasure-a needed prOyidential retreat
from the rigor of Northern winters-but a
land Of wealth whose material resources
seem as bOundleSs as the luxurious infiu-
ence Of it's perennial sunshine. The re-
suits which flowed from this connection
proved the powerful advocate of another,
and under the Plant syndicate the Jackson
vile and WaycrOss Short Line sprung like
magic into existence. The great stream
of Northern travel was no longer obliged
to flow around the distant elbow of Live
Oak toward the west in order to arrive at
the st. Johns in the east. 1t could now
proceed direct at less expense of time
and money, and at infinitely less wear
and tear of health and patience. And
what has been the result of this second
with the outside world? The
small tide set in motion by the Live Oak
branch has increased its volume to a food
over the Waycross Short Line, and the
wild forests of the peninsula have fallen
with unprecedented rapidity in order to
give place to delightful groves of frat
trees, while the breezy coves, the pictur-
esque hill tops and emerald banks of
beautiful lakes, so recently obscure or
wholly unknown, are crowned with
happy homes. or adorned with magnii-
cent hotels, already famed for the splen- |
Tor of their appointments and the poetic /
'Omance Of their surroundings. But even /
lhese great advantages do not constitute
he chief benefit conferred upon the State |
by her outside railway connections. They I
)pen her eyes not only to her superlative
advantages as winter and health resort (
or strangers and Invalids, but also to her |
lnriValed capacity as the winter garden |
If the nation, the home Of the fruit-grower
ind the truck farmer, which must have
wild and uncultivated for
much longer period, but for the abandon
nent of the short-sighted policy first I
adopted.
What intelligent FlOridian would now (
AVE these connections severed, with the [
proud record of the past Eve years crops, /
before him? Who can stand at either of I
is chief depots, especially that of Way
ross. and witness the passage of i'm /
nense trains almost every hour in the I
1fxrf 4
aden with the rich products of Florida [
groves, orchards and truck farms, With
'ut sense of becoming pride in the coun--
ry, IN the industry that produced and the I
,reat renovating, revolutionary system Of /
which alone renders such (
PRODUCTS valuable at so great distance I
rom market? Through this means cnly /
could the mighty developments take place !
n so brief period that have so dlStia- /
suished the last quarter of a century of /
'ur great nation, and it is through the I
,erfectiOn of the same that our civili1l-
ion is to be raised to the loftiest emf |
renee, and prosperity confirmed to midas
ry in the ultimate minimum reductionOf
be cost Of transportation.
But to accomplish this grand purpose
md hasten the prosperity of the labOFers
n the broad fields of industry, short lines
must give place to long ones; wayside TO
through tickets, and transfer of cars, not /
FOODS, must create dispatch instead of
.Ost; that the producer as well IS the |
.arrier, may profit by the yields of labor.
Through lines are the inYeterable fore
of lower freights, as seen in the |
history of all the great railway combina- /
ions of the country. the exceptions, if /
my, necessitated temporarily by paucity /
# income, Or-Other embarrassmeAtS to be /
emOved by time and prosperity. True, |
ome tOwnsaud cities, ambitious of rapid /
growth ard distraction, will be in some
Measure retarded by this Concession to
he general good, but what is, thus lost in
handling to the locality, is gained in pro-
luction to the public, which all right
hink ing men must regard as the more
and desirable benefit OF the
,wO. SPECT ATOR,
A great many people feel themselves
gradually falling. They don't know Just
what is the matter, but they suffer from
of iAdescribable aches and
pains, which each month seem to grow
worse. The only sure remedy known that
will o0unteract shis feeling and restore
perfect health IS Browns Iron BItters.
By rapid assimilation it purifies the blood,
drives out disease, gives health and
strength to every portion reached by the
tOry system, renews wasted tissues
and restores robust health and strength.
Wood and Coal
For sale by r. b. CasseIs, Taylor and East
Broad streets, Telephone No, 77,-AdU,