The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-09
THE NEW FLORIDA ROUTE
TO BE COMPLETED BY SEPT. 10
AND PROBABLY BY JULY.
The Vice President and General Mana

The Vice President and General Mana
ger in the City Last Night-They
Discuss the New Lines Prospects.
The Construction Company's Gangs
to Be Here Next Week-Work VIII
Be Pushed Upon six Sections of the
Line at Once.
| Col. John E. Henderson, vice president
and general counsel; D. Z. Maxwell, general
manager. and J. Z. Tucker. real estate
agent OF the Florida Central and Peninsu-
lar railroad, arrived in Savannah last night
from New York via the South Bound rail-
road. The party registered at the De
Soto.
The Florida Central and Peninsular rail-
road. as is well known, has leased the South
Bound railroad. and is now preparing to
build short line to Florida to connect
with its large system there.
Col. Henderson was seen last night by a
MORNING NEWS reporter and talked readily
about the Florida extensioa.
As announced in the MORNING NEWS a
day or two ago the contract to build the
road has been given to the Atlanta Supply
Company, of which Maj. Sage, formerly
general manager OF the Georgia
Pacific, is president. This is the
construction company which has recently
completed the line of the Georgia, Carolina
and Northern railroad from Monroe, N. c.,
TO Atlanta. This line has been generally
praised as the finest piece Of railroad con-
stTuotion in the south.
Col. Henderson said that the contract
with the Southern Supply Company called
for the best kind Of construction work. The
road is to be laid with 7O-pound steel rails.
The rails have already been purchased and
will be supplied by a Pennsylvania concern.
There will be four steel drawbridges on the
line over the st. Mary's, the Ogeechee, the
Satilla and the Altamaha rivers. The
material for these bridges will be
manufactured at Wilmington, DEL, and
will be shipped via water transportation
direct to the places on the rivers where they
are TO be erected, thus saving the great in
convenience OF transporting heavy bridge
work by rail.
Contrary to general expectation there
Will be only very small amount of treste-
Work ON the line, the amount being esti-
mated at four miles The line does not run
along the coast as was at first projected,
thus avoiding the bays and inlets.
TO BE AN AIR LINE.
The line Is to be ia 3-5 miles In length
and is very near an air line. Surveyors
have been at work for several DAYS laying
out the work for the construction gangs and
q gang Of laborers is now at work outing
through the right Of way from Harris Road
BY Its contract the construction COM
ysny is TO have its work com pleted by
Sept. 10 or suffer a large forfeiture.
presidents Sage, however, is preparing
to complete the road by the end Of July In
order to avoid the rainy sesson.
The construction companies, superin-
tendenss aud engineers with their working
gangs will arrive from Atlanta next week.
Inc line Will be divided into six sections and
SIX separate gangs will be put at work
The construction company will have from
LOCO 10 800 men constantly at work, be-
sides several hundred teams.
The cost OF the road to the Florida Gen.
trail and Peninsular railroad is placed at
81. 800 900. This Is exclusive of the equip
ment.
NO DOUBT ABOUT THE ROAD.
Col. Henderson said that he regarded the
prospect for the early complexion Of the
road as very satisfactory, and he believed
the construction company would be able 10
keep Its promise TO have the road completed
by July. It would certainly be completed
and ready for operation not later than Sep
| tember.
| Col Henderson was told that some doubt
had been cast by parties In this section upon
the intention of the Florida Central and
Peninsular railroad with regard to this ex-
tension and some reflections had been made
upon its ability to complete IL.
The money is In bank with which tc
build the line" said Col. Henderson.
THE contract has been signed
the material has been bought and the work
begun. The line is as certain as anything
human can be. There Ia not the least doubi
OF its early completion in my mind"
THROUGH sAvANNAH's OWN TERRITORY.
"Tbe line will be the shortest route to
| Florida" continued Col. Henderson, In
answer to a question. Further than that
1t will give tie most direct route to all i'm
! portant points In Florida and to the hes;
territory OF this state. Another thing ID
that it opens the territory more fully il
which Savannah already has a large foot
| ing. The people are very favorably dis
posed toward Savannah there and Savannah
merchants will have no difficulty In
increasing their trade there. We expect
to do an immense traffic through Savannah
from the very opening OF the line 10 phos-
phate. fruit, truck, cotton and general az
riculturRl products to Savannah and in
| general merchandise and machinery south.
ward. The Florida Central and Peninsular
railroad penetrates the orange territory OF
| Florida, and fully so per cent. of the Or
anges and truck now brought to this port
are from its territory.
''The Florida, Central and Peninsular wal
laid out under state direction and the best
and most direct routes through the best
sections OF the state were selected One
| line runs across the northern portion Of the
state to the Chattehooohee river, where 1t
connects with the Louisville and Nashville
Another line runs directly south to Tampa,
with connecting lines at all important
points. A plumb line dropped south from
Columbia 90 Tampa, speaking by the map,
would give very nearly the line OF the
Florida Central and Peninsular between
those two points when the extension tc
Harts Road is completed
General Manager Maxwell continued or
his way to Florida last night. Col Hen
derson and Mr.. Tucker will remain In the
city to-day. The party came south via the
South Bound and were very much pleased
with the road. both with its schedule and ac
commodations and its fine physical oondi-
ton. Supt. Ford was very highly compli-
mented by them upon the fine condition Of
the road and its excellent accommodations
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