The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-24
PEOPLE BLOCKING SOUTH
THF WINTERS TRAVEL COMING
WITH A RUSH.

| foC1 hsdiA-i ne N6bJlUul0 1rdlu LC
Be Put on New Years Day-The
Savannah, Florida and Westerns
New Depot.
General Manager 81. s. Haines of the
Savannah, Florida and Western railway
and Capt. j. w. Fitzgerald, commodore OF
the Plant line of steamers, who have re-
turned from a two weeks tour of South
| Florida, and Traffic Manager c. D. Owens
who has just returned from Washington,
where he appeared before the interstate
commerce commission, composed trio who
talked very entertainingly last night
Mr.. Owens report was more technical
than descriptive in character. With
oGher railroad men from the south, among
whom were Gen. E.. p. Alexander, presi-
dent, and Maj. w. F, Shellman, traffic man
ager of the Central, Mr.. Owens was before
the interstate commission, where, to quote
his language, the interstate commissioners
conducted IAN acute examination upon the
long and short haul problem and the pooling
system of railway management. Mr..
Owens expressed himself as pleased with
the manner in which the commissioners
treated the railroad people, and he was
favorably impressed with the care they
| seemed to be exercising in familiarizng
themselves with a subject upon which to
base conservative action.
FLORIDA LIvENING UP.
There was no mo 1Dtony in the southern
trip of Messrs Haines and Fitzgerald, nor
did they have to talk about technical de-
tails of railway operation. They were
viewing the country, taking note of the sit
| uation in Florida all the way from Jack
| sonville to Key West, and they bring back
favorable report Of the peninsular statA
| They report travel steadily flowing int
Florida, and heavy freight traffic coming
out.
Mr.. Haines said that when he got to Way
cross on his southwark trip, there was a
| company of twenty-five colonists on their
| way to the neighborhood of Sanford, in
charge OF gentleman from Kansas City.
They propose to embark in vegetable gar
dening. This, said Mr. Haines, did
not look discouraging. Upon further in-
quiry he found that every train is taking
people into Florida, and no such volume of
traYel was ever known before at this sea-
son.
AT Jacksonville he found the city looking
well. The grading of miles of streets, at
time when it was charity to give employ
ment, has helped the city in more ways
than as sanitary measure alone.
The fever has disappeared throughout.
Florida, Mr.. HalneS says, and Jacksonville
is assuming its old time appearance as a
prosperous city. 1t should be remembered
that very small portion of Florida was in
fected and from financial standpoint a
heavy freeze would be more disastrous to
that state than fever epidemic Distributed
in greater area than that affected last
summer. FloridianS with one of the most
fruitful orange crops known to the state,
are interested more in an equable tempera-
ture than in thinking about the epidemic
which has been stamped out. All train.
since Dec. 16, have been going out of
Florida taxed to the utmost tension of pow
erful locomo ives to haul the oranges to the
north and west for the Christmas tree, and
the orange harvest will continue to feed
the traffic until May. To give an idea
of the increasing demand upon the carrying
facilities of the Savannah, Florida and
Western railway. Mr.. Hams said that the
car shops in this city are turning out fifty
freight cars monthly, and thirty-four loco
motives have been added to the rolling
stock, nearly all of which are now in ser
vice and the others will soon be received
from the factory. Notwithstanding the
restrictions of the fever season, Mr.. Haines
says that the freight business of the South
Florida railroad will be in excess of last
year.
KIssIMMEE's SUGAR INDUSTRY.
At Kissimmee Mr.. Haines saws the
drained lands have been utilized in the cul-
tivation of sugar cane, aud have yielded al
abundant harvest. II would not like to say
positively how large is the estimate of the
sugar they expect TO ship from this section"
he said, "out | think they expect to have
sone 1900 to 1900 TONS" English immi-
grants are locating throughout this section.
AT Tampa work is progressing favorably
on the new hotel, and Mr.. Haines says thu
new hotel at Savannah will he q baby in
size by comparison with the Tampa struct-
ure, which will have frontage of 700 feet
1t will not be completed in time for the
tourist travel this winter, but one wing of
the edifice is now ready for the roof.
South Florida Is settling up very rapidly,
and Mr.. Haynes says the land agents Of the
Plant system report increasing sales of
lands to actual settlers. The condition of
the people is that of progress, and those who
suffered financial emba rassment from the
damage inflicted by the heavy freeze of
and are now in more prosperous condition
than before.
BUSINESS FOR THE RAILROADS.
Wherever Messrs. Haines and Fitzgerald
stopped on their tour of inspection they
found every indication of a prosperous
business in store for the land and water
lines OF the Plant system, which will be
taxed to the utmost to take the semi
tropical products Of the growing state to
the distributing points, while every indica-
ton points to a tide of tourist travel t.
Florida equal to, if not in excess of that of
any former year. Mr.. Haines says that
the trains are full Of people going south
ward, and the vestbnled train will be put
on Jan. l, at which date the new passen-
ger depot in this city will be formally
thrown open. It will be brillia lily illumi-
mated by night with the electric light. and
will give the tourist much moro favorable
impression of the city than the meagre ac-
commodations afforded by the old depot.
1t was the intention of Messrs. Haines
aud Fitzgerald to have extended their trip
to Havana. but they spent so much of their
time pleasantly and proftably in South
Florida, that the near approach Of the holi-
days caused them to turn homeward, and
Mr.. Haines will remain in tn city until
the inaugural of the new passenger depot
What ceremonies will be incident to its
opening have not yet been fully determined
upon.
EOmathinc for tho Nauu War