The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-09-17
In AND ABOUT THE CITY.
THE COMING WINTERS TRAVEL

!
Northern People Hungry to Get
South-The Plant Systems Affairs.
General Manager Haines, of the Plant
system, talked in an entertaining way to a
MORNING NEWS reporter yesterday Of the
affairs Of the system and Of the prospects
OF trade and southern travel.
Col. Haines said that the indications point
to good fall trade, impressions deduced
from his observations while in New York,
and he added that the Florida travel will
be heavy the coming winter, and that
Sayannahs new hotel, the De Soto,
Will open in an suspicious season
as the tourist travel promises to be one of
| the largest ever known. The people of the
| north, he said, are hungry to get south on
the approach of cold weather, as so many
did not make their usual winter tour south
last season. They are determined to winter
/ IN Florida this year. The tourists stop
along the way and Savannah is one Of the
most popular points of interest on the
route, tourists usually spending several
days and even weeks here on their south
ward and homeward journey.
Col. Haines is much pleased with the
outlook for freight and travel. The Plant
system, he says, is increasing its facilities
TO accommodate the growing patronage of
railway and steamship lines. The car shops
of the Savannah, Florida and Western
railway IN this city are turning out about
sixty freight cars month, which the
increasing traffic justifes.
Tne Alabama Midland was opened from
cambridge, Ga, TO Ozark, Ala, yesterday,
and this connection, Col. Haines said, will
make wide territory directly tributary to
Savannah which has heretofore been only
| Indirectly so. 1t opens cut a wider agrl-
cultural area to the Plant systems carrying
trade Those portions Of the line which
are sparsely settled are heavily timbered
with pine. Under the quickening inhu-
ence of railway communication rapid de-
velopment will follow.
OF Port Tampa Col Haines speaks in
glowing terms. 1t is rapidly becoming one
OF the principal ports of the Gulf, and is
favorite resort for tourist travel. The
Plant company is building extensive
| wharves and warehouses there, and the new
hotel In process of erection by the company
VIII DO opened for tourist travel this season.
1t is stupendous edifice and will be one of
the finest hotels in Florida
The growing trade between the west and
| South Florida has led the Plant company
TO put steamship on the line between Port
Tampa and Mobile. and the Juniata, pur-
chased recently from the Ocean Steamship
| Company, Col. Haines says, is being re-
nodded at the docks in Philadelphia,
and will enter her trade about
October 15. Passenger accommodations
are being added, SO that the vessel will
carry thirty-hve passengers frst-class, and
| about thirty second-class A new pro-
peller wheel and new pump are being put
in, and the vessel is to be thoroughly over
hauled, handsomely painted and put in ex-
ceilent condition for the route. 1t is in
tended to have a schedule. 50 that she will
leave Fort Tampa every Tuesday and Mobile
every Saturday, the run being only about
thirty-six hours. Cold storage accommo-
datlons will also be provided, so that western
meats and perishable freight may be
! brought from the west into Key West aud
south Florida without deterioration, and
direct communication with south Florida
and Havana will be maintained.
Col. HaineS is inclined TO believe that the
freight of the Gulf coast will be moved
by the Port Tampa aud Mobile line.
The Investment company has built dock
at Port Tampa for the purpose of bringing
| Alabama coal to Tampa to supply its own
vessels, and for supplying other vessels US
| ing coal, with view of making Port
Tampa coaling station on the Gulf coast.
| Col Haines expects to go down in few
| days to see what progress is being made on
| the improvents now under way.
Inquiry was made as to the prospects of
the orange crop, and the general manager
said that advices point to a large yield of
flOElud oranges. winch Will Degln to move
next month, but the fruit will not begin to
be handled in heavy volume until Novem-
Der, when the quality will be better than
| first shipments
| The advices are that the experiment of
tobacco culture in Florida has been quite
satisfactory, and good crops are reported
| You can get some idea of the extent of
the cigar industry of Florida" said Col
| Haines, "when tell YOU that the steam
ship Mascotte on her last trip over from
Havana to Key West and Tampa brought
III bales of Havana tobacco, the largest
cargo Of tobacco ever landed in Florida. -
The general manager referred to other
departments of the company for the cotton
movements on the road, where it was
learned that there has been a marked in
crease in receipts of cotton thus far by
comparison with the corresponding period
last season. The yard yesterday was full of
cotton, and trucks we're coming and going
in an almost unbroken line to move the
cotton to the warehouses