The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-12-17
Savannah News.

TOWNSVILLE, GA, Dec. 7.--Editor Morning
1Ne,cs.' In common with many others, have
been gratifed at the interest you have of late ia
ken in the construction of a railroad from this
point to Tallahassee or Monticello. In order TO
continue her upward career Townsville needs
more railroad facilities l am informed, and
think the information correct, that Leon, Jeffer
son and Madison counties have lost population
within the last few years, and their loss in pro-
gressve, active an energetic young men has
been noteworthy. To bring fertile, but idle
lands into market and reclaim them, tn make it
possible TO divide up immense plantations in to
small farms and 10 recover vanishing prosper
lily, must foster and aid every enterprise
that promises The development of our country
Before speAking OF the road, l would call the
special attention of land owners between this
pIac. AMI Tallahassee 10 the fact that foreign
Immigration. and by this l mean immigrants
iFp.n other States, will occupy by purchase or
lrase, The lands adj .cent to railway lines first.
Strangers coming among Us are not going very
Tar b .ck into the country off of the railway lines
The land most distant from railroads will be the
very last land sold tn new corners.
But, recurring to the proposed line of road il
sltlkrs me that the line most desirable for Mid
lie Florida and this section Of Georgia would
5e one from Monticello to Townsville, and, to
one VIII" does not claim to be specially informed
il seems that the Florida Railway and Naviga-
lion Co. people have slept for many years over
project that would have brought them great re-
lief For instance, look at these figures: The
most direct connection between Monticello and
The West now is via Pensacola andMontgomery
the distance being from Monticello to Montgom
cry about 395 miles. Were road built across
to Townsville, the distance by rail TO Mont
gomcry-beyond which: point the route would
be common-would he about 265 miles, or saw
ing of 100 miles. The road that in all probable
iIy woulI pay best would be a road from Thom-
asville to Monticello, with branch TO Talahas
and on 10 the coast. This road would
"straddle," If l may use the term, u section of
country which produces from 10000 to $4,000
of cotton. lspeak of this crop, because with us
it is the commercial barometer. Now this does
not look exceedingly large, but if in coutemplat
ing its transportation as source of revenue, we
bear in mind that the Savannah, Florida and
Western. with over 500 miles of track, hauls only
10000 bales of cotton and the further fact that
all the counties through which it passes from
Chatham to Lowndes. distance Of 140 miles
did not, according TO the census Of 1880, produce
10000 bales, then the yield in the territory men,
toned rises into splendid proportion This road
built on the route indicated, would traverse not
barren wilderness, but it would pass through
the best farming lands in Southern Georgia and
Middle Florida These lands before the great
depression in agricultural pursuits and the hegra
to the towns and cities sold 1915 to $40 an acre,
and they can now be bought at from 81 to $40,
sales at the last figure being extremely rare.
As you have suggested. such road would
hold for Savannah, trade which she is fast los.
ing Three years ago commercial tourist from
New Orleans, or Mobile would have been some
thing OF curiosity on our streets Now, many
OF them come A narrow guage road would an
swer every purpose, as the transfers are made
quickly and cheaply. Direct connection with
the gulf would add greatly to the advantages of
Thomasvile 10 winter and in summef Our
people stand ready to aid any company that
will build the road.
Adventures will get little encouragement, but
any company composed of responsible men,
whose words go al par, will receive very general
and very substantial encouragement in The build.
ing OF this much needed road hope you will
commune I'd agitate the matter. THOMAS