Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-07
GAINESVILLE'S GALA DAY
A WARM WELCOME TO THE NEW
RAILROAD CONNECTION.

The Savannah, Florida and Western
Railway Officials Received with
Speeches, Feasts and TOasts-The Wis
itors Given the Freedom of the City
Text of the Speech of Welcome.
GAINESVILLE, FLA, Nay 6.-The ex-
eursiOn party to attend the opening of the
Gainesville Division, consisting of the
officers Of the Savannah. Florida and West
ern Railway and invited guests as pub
lished in the News, left Savannah at $40
Monday night. The party was Joined by
a number of other invited guests from va
rious places on the line of the road. It is
not necessary to say that the trip was a
very pleasant one. On the arrival at
Gainesville the eXcursiOnists We're receiv-
ed by the citizens en- HldSSe, whose well
come was in keeping with the great event
which was about to be celebrated.
This railroad connection is one of the most
important that has been built since the Chi
nese wall system of Florida was broken down
and the old railroads of the State connected
with those of Georgia and other systems fur
ther North. Gainesville is the centre of large
trade, and does the largest cotton business
Of any city in Florida. The extension of the
Savannah, Florida and Western gives the CITY
the first direct rail outlet it has ever had.
Heretofore Its business has gone by way of
Baldwin to Fernandina, to Jacksonville, and
thence by vessels North, or has reached Sa-
vannah by the roundabout way of Live
Oak. The city has railway to Palatka,
fifty miles distant. Probably no place in
Florida is so eligibly located for large and
prosperous inland city, and every railroad
movement in central Florida is tending to the
benefit of Gainesville. 1t is an open secret
that line will soon connect Gainesville with
the South Florida Railroad, and then passen-
gers going either to Tampa and other points
on the west coast, those going TO Indian
a nf fba
State, VIII go by this route. The nearest large
mercantile city to the immense fertile and
rapidly developing country is Savannah, and
IL IS expected that great impetus VIII be given
to the trade of Savannah, as well as of Gaines
vile, from this day forward. l trust that our
merchants will at once fully occupy this field.
which they held years ago when the Florida
boom was in its infancy, and which, by
reason Of a want of quick communication,
they to certain extent lost. Before many
years-and in fact, it might be said. months
this city will be one of the stopping places
for tourists and travellers who arc bound to
the West Indies and South America.
The visitors were met this morning at
Hagae by Messrs. y. X. Philips, L. L. King
John q. Nichols, w. W. Scott, J. Il. McNli-
Ian, George +. BrOOme, L. y. Barnes. j. ID.
MathersOn, John Narnum, j. b. Brown and
ii. f. DuttOn, of the Reception Committee of
the citizens of Gainesville. After a general
greeting the train proceeded to its destina-
ton, and on entering the city was greeted
by an artillery salute Of fifteen guns, fired by
Il u6LaCDlnenL OF the tlOrlQa seminary Guards.
under command of Lieutenant Wagner. The
visitors dlsmOunted, and, ACCOMPANIED bv the
committee, proceeded to the Plant House
where they were welcomed by Rev. Frederick
PascO.
Mr.. Pasco said: "Gentlemen, to me has been
assigned the pleasing duty of extending to
you the hospitality Of the city of Gainesville
1t is no ordinary pleasure to receive as our
guests men like yourselves of fine business
capacities, welding high and respon-
slDle positions IN your respective spheres
and peculiarly successful in the various
duties Of your business and social life: but the
pleasure which we feel in bidding you well
come Is increased when do this in your
othclal capacity as representatives of one of
the most extensive railroad systems of the
country. There may appear, at first sight, an
IneOngruity in selecting my profession to
ofhclate upon this occasion, but the time has
passed when men considered the clergy to
have no other mission in the world than to
isolate themselves from contact with the
practical side Of life and compose hOmilies on
the vanit% of all earthly pursuits. To
the enllghtening influence of Christianity
we owe all the civilization and enlightenment
of this nineteenth century, and | recognize in
your hearty cooperation IN my work: for
what greater ciVillzer of society are there
among human instrumentalities than those
ribs ~ steel, and, by the mighty agency Of
steam, brought into close contact the
points OF the earth, thus annihilating
space, and uniting all nations in intimate
communication, thus breaking down all bar
riers between them. In our own beloved land
the railroad systems have been no mean fac
tors IN abollshlng sectionalism and O5liter-
atlng state lines, where these have existed
as wall OF separation, in uniting together in
a common fraternity, the East and the West
the North and the South, thus making us in
reality what we are in name-a Union Of
states. This has been more especially mani
tested here in Florida, lying so far away from
the busy centres of population. Her immense
advantages and her undevelOped resources
were found out. Men fOcked hither bv the
hundreds. The railroads came, and now thev
90 there by the thousands. and to-day, under
our own tropical sky, in the midst Of our or
ange groves, we, the citizens of Gainesville
brought here from all parts of our common
country by the corporation which you gentle
men represent, the warm Outgushing
and the less emotional. but no
less deep feelings which swells the bosom
from the colder regions of the North, bid YOU
welcOme-thrlce welcome, welcomed Cen
tlemen, let me assure you that these words
are spoken in all sincerity. / have not been
placed before you by my fellow citizens to
so through formal ceremonial of welcome
nor 10 speak with the lips what the heart does
not prompt. There is not one in our midst
who does not feel the sentiment that / utter
IN their name, and 1 know full well
that they have opened to you their
hearts and home because they appreciate
all that the arrival Of the Savannah. Florida
and Western Railway in Gainesville means
Time was when the Indian rOamed unmOlested
Il
Here where we stand stood perchance the
Wlgwam, while around wandered the deerand
the panther and the bear. In the process of
time the pioneers of civilization invaded the
home Of the red man and the haunts Of the
wild beast. cleared the lands. and the little
hamlet of Gainesville made its appearance.
The name of Bud HIgginbOtham should be
household word in every home. In
1925 he set up his cabin, but
short distance from here on Main street and
planted his stakes. The Indian did not ex-
tend to him the cordial welcome that you,
hfty-nlne years later, have received.
They tried to burn him out as their
successors in meanness and wickedness
tried to burn US ont a few nights ago,
and he stayed. Men like him of pluck and
energy followed. Gainesville grew to a pros
porous village and then became possessed OF q
laudable ambition to be something more than
a quaint country town. Outside Of the main
line of travel she must have a railroad.
This all soon was gratifed by the completion
Of the Florida Railroad, as it was then called
running between Fernandina and Cedar
Keys, giving us communication with the out
side world at these points, and through Jack
sonyille by way OF the Florida Central
at Baldwin. Wars rude alarms then
sounded, and the march of civilization was
Obstructed for four unhappy years until peace
was once more declared. Then the citizens
returned to their desOlated homes and
battled as bravely with the grave foe
poverty as they had done with the
enemy whom they met in the field
But the magnificent resources of Florida were
now known to the world. The men who had
stood on her soil in hostile array returned to
settle her as citizens and assist in developing
the almost marvellous resources which Law hid
as mines of wealth beneath the soil. Emigra-
tion began to pour in from every side
GAINESVILLE shared in the general prosperity
but her progress was comparatively slow
until in 1881 the Florida Southern was com
pleted and gave us increased introduction
with the extensive region north Of us bv
way OF Palatka. Then the Southern position
of the State was opened to US by
connection with Ocala. These years OF Steady
development and growth passed away. and
then upon the horizon of our hopes a still
brighter day dawned. The Savannah, Florida
T,.l anu estern ROAD turned their eye upon us.
They recognized the Importance OF our
position as the geographical centre
Of the State. They saw the
advantage to themselves of connecting us to
them while they appreciated our efforts to as
pre- to position among the cities OF the
United States, and were willing to help u.s.
to plan with US, and to put into effect, and the
order was given to complete the road to
Gainesville. Great was the sus-
pense when at last a third railway
laid through West Main street for the broad
gauge, which was soon to run over the road
bed Of the Florida Southern. "They are com
ing" went the cry as the unsIghtly
fiat cars came in sight with their
freight Of dusky workmen, begrimed
and solled, who were TO touch everything
with their magic wands and turn
all to Gold, and now to-day has dawned. this
9th of May, in the year of grace 1884, and we
behold seated in our midst the magnates Of
the mighty corporation which spans two
States and has connections with all
the leading lines of travel through
out the Union. They have come peaceablv
and quietly to take possession of us. and give
us an hOnored place as the emporium Of the
Savannah, Florida and Western in Florida.
Such, in brief, is the relation which
we sustain to each other. But there
is something more to do upon the
present occasion as your hosts than