Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-27
NEW FIELDS OF TRADE.
WESTERN FLORIDA SEEKING AN
OUTLET HERE.

The ThomssvEIIe and Tallahassee Kali
road Delegation Before the Board OF
Trade-The Advantages of the Pro
posed Road 30 savanDah-The Board
OF Trade Pledges Its support to the
Enterprise.
Messrs. Z. H. Crawford and g. W. Sax
on, Of the Thomasville and Tallahassee
railroad delegation, were before the Board
OF Trade yesterday morning IN the inter
est of the proposed road. President james
b. Clarke presided.
Mr.. Saxon stated that the committee
hoped to be able to show to the business
men of Savannah the importance OF their
cooperation in securing a line OF road
connecting Tallahassee and middle FIori-
da with Savannah by some direct route
IF we did not believe and know that
railway connection between Tallahassee
and Thomasville would be OF great cement
TO the business of Savannah as well as TO
our own section we would not ask herpeo-
pie to subscribe one dollar. When we
come to examine the past business record
between these two cities and compare
it with the present, we are naturally in
clined 10 inquire what is the matter" The
reason. Mr.. Saxon continued, is not be-
cause the railway facilities are less, nor
because there is a greater difference in
prices of goods, but because transporta-
ton facilities to other markets have been
80 improved that while the distance IN
miles is greater the distance in time is
shorter. Merchants OF Tallahassee do not
expect goods to arrive from Savannah in
less than week or ten days, and often
the delay Is even longer. Formerly COM
mercial travellers from Savannah houses
took great many orders from that sec
tion. Now New Orleans and Mobile con-
troll the trade. Ii is not a matter of
preference or prejudice, but simply of
business.
Tallahassee's merchants have found it
10 their Interest to deal with other cities
than Savannah because those other cities
have better trsv sportatiOn facilities. MIR.
Saxon continued that the committee was
not after immediate subscriptions, but to
see IL Savannah could be relied upon to
take one-fourth of the stock. The dele
Cation was reliably informed that the SO
miles of road between Townsville and
Tallahassee can be graded and the ties
laid down for $50, 900, or about $2,250 per
mile. Three-fourths Of that amount can
be raised In the section through which
the road will pass. AS Savannah would
become the natural outlet for the produce
of that section and the market in which
the supplies for the same territory would
be obtained, Mr. Saxon hoped to have
the coop ~ tA'oD Of Savannah.
The proposed line OF road is from ITALIA
hassee TO some point on the Savannah,
Florida and Western Railway, very prob
ably Townsville. 1t will be thirty-six
TO thirty-eight miles long. 1t will afford
transportation for the products of Leon,
Wakulla, Franklin, and a portion of Lib
erty, the eastern half of Gordon, and the
northern half of jefferson counties.
More than this it will build up an impor-
tant fish and oyster trade at st. Marks
through its connection at Tallahassee
with the st. Marks railroad now in oper-
alton.
Remarks were made by Messrs. T.. A.
Well, q. Lucien Jones, J. IL. Estill and
others. The following resolutions, offered
BY Col. j IL. Estill, were unanimously
adopted;
WHEREAS, The Savannah Board OF Trade
fully appreciates the advantages which a
railroad between Tallahassee and Thomas
vile, or some other point on the Savannah,
Florida and Western Railway, will confer on
savannah in the way Of trade, and recognizes
that its construction will more fully carry out
the purposes which the people of Savannah
had IN view when they gave their support to
the building OF the pre- ent Savannah, Florida
and Western Railway, and
WHEREAS, The construction of the proposed
railroad viii open to speedy settlement one of
the finest sections of Florida, and furnish an
outlet for its products; therefore be II
Resob0ed, Thatlthe Savannah Board Of Trade
will give the proposed road not only its moral
support and encourage it in every possible
way in It's power, but will, when the enter
prise Is put into business shape, do what lt
can toward securing for 1t material aid.