The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-08-26
Tavares, ApsplEa and Cuff Bsa1'
rood

Tavares, ApoplEa and 0un Besss
ROOD.
There H. perhaps, no railroad ever inccrpo-
rated within tho 6tate Whose propfietofs nave
exercised greater. 1oeeeight, or TAKE more com
rreheoGivs view ii the situation. The contem-
plated rouis from the iourishing city o. TayaIes'
shence eussring new Aeld to The south, taking
In me Kissimmee river valleys, Lake HAtcnineha,
Take Cvpress. Lake Roeahe, Lake ktssammees
Lake Arbuckle, Lake Ishtokpoga, passing mui-
titude of lakes, tapping the famous LAKE Uxee-
chobee at Fort Center at the mouth OF FISH
eating creek. striking boldly to the soutnwest,
croesine the beautiful Caloosahatchee at Fort
THOMPSON. thence along the rich valley OF the
Caloosahatchee river, tapping the rich valley OF
Twelye-mile creek, and on to Fort Myers. the
head of navigation for sea-going vessels. Here
it enters upon the threshold OF The tropics turn
ing to the south along the Gulf coast and through
Gulf, seventy miles nearer Key west and CuDa
than any other road.
Here Is route laid down upon the great tres
tie board which efectually blanks, and at sim
gle strike scoops up every other ROAD now ngur-
ing on the lower peninsula of Florida, 30 far as
quick and rapid transit to Key West and Cuba
is concerned 1t is safe to say that good steam
ers can make the ruin from Havana to Marco,
via Key West Ia twelve hours and from Key
West TO Marco inlet in FIVE hours. Such being
the case, passengers may take breakfast In Key
West and supper in Jacksonville. Quick time
that; but 1t seems quite possible. The whole
route would be one continued excitement OF pic
turesque scenery-pine and oak forest, beautiful
lakes belted with beautiful shores and tropical
like forests broad stretches of prairie dotted with
groves OF pine live oak and cabbage palmetto,
with countless herds Of half-wild cattle, deer and
turkey.
At each of the above named lakes landings for
steamers employed on the great inland naviga-
ton route from the Gulf to Kiseimmee City
can, with perfect safety, land at any of these
points, conveying building material for the con-
struction of the road, and for the general well
fare of the country, convenience OF tourists and
sportsmen, to say nothing of the advantage to
gardeners and farmers, who will at once avail
themselves of the great inducement which these
rivers and lakes afford in the way of rich lands
and water protection
The completion of this road, and its opera
ton in connection with the great scheme OF
drainage of the marshes adjacent to these rivers
and lakes, now in process by the A. q g., q. q
L. o. D. Co., the wonderful climatic advantages
benefcently bestowed by the unerring hand OF
providence, would create an enterprise and sys-
tenn of industry which doubtless would far sur
pass the most sangune anticipatiOns OF the pro-
prietors of the system. Your writer is person
ally familiar with every foot of the ground, and
knows whereof he speaks, and il is hoped that il
may be undertaken with that vim and determi-
nation commensurate with its importance. No
such boom has ever been known in all Florida
as would be realized under its auspices. The
long neglected waste places of the central pen
insula Of Florida, the backbone ridge-these OBJ
scure beautiful lakes, the rich valleys, these high
hills known only by an occasional hunter, the
retreat of the forlorn Seminole in his silent wan
behring's, would soon present a busy, thriving
and industrious throng of which Florida might
justly be proud and the traffic along the road
assume proportions far beyond our most hope
full anticipations.-F. A. Hendry in Fort Myers