The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-04-13
THAT KEY WEST RAILROAD.
1t VIII De Number of Years Before
1t Is Built

Sanford. Fla, April 12.-The Florida
Central and Peninsular railroad does not
seem to mind the transfer of the Sanford
and St. Petersburg railway to the Plant
system. so far as its business in this city
is concerned. Instead of closing its ticket
Office in Phillips drug store. Capt C. s.
Preston has been promoted to soliciting
passenger agent at this point, and he is
now actively engaged in ticketing north
bound tourists by the Clyde line of river
steamers to Jacksonville and thence by
the Florida Central and Penisular rail-
road. Having been night ticket agent at
the Union depot here, Capt. Preston is
thoroughly posted in the business, and be-
ing a hustler of the first water he Is
giving the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key
West railway a hard push. / saw him
send Off a big party this morning, and
on Monday mornings steamer he ticketed
twenty TO points in the north. Whether
he is "scalping" or not / cannot say, but
1t is evident that the war of rates has
struck Sanford, the Gate City of South
Florida" and hundreds of north bound
travellers are being captured here by the
Florida Central and Peninsular's huStling
local agent. This not only cuts deep into
the Jacksonville Tampa and Kew West
railway. but hurts the Plant system CON
sieerably out of Jacksonville. OF course,
the river competition must soon end, as
the tide Of travel Will subside rapidly after
the coming week Rumor SAYS the steam
or Fred de Barry viii be taken off next
Sunday, and probably the City of Jack
sonville viii be withdrawn within the
next two weeks, unless business continues
unusually good.
There has been a great deal Of unre-
liable gossip about Flagler's proposed ex-
tension OF his East Coast Line of railway
on to Key West. The whole story start
ed in this city from person who over
heard a private conversation between
Mr.. Flagler and some of his subordinate
officials. There was just enough truth in
the story TO give rise to it's expansion
into d sensational special telegram. 1t
Flagler has had his eye on Key West
all the time as the proper terminus of
his east coast enterprise. But it will be
the work Of years. not months, to con-
struct a railroad from Palm Beach on
to Key West 1t will require great en-
cheering skill to construct steel tresties
from key 10 key, and millions of money
viii be needed 10 complete the work
When done, however, IL will be a monop-
oily that ought 10 pay a good dividend
upon the cost be that great as it may.
During my early visits to Florida for the
Morning News / frequently met the New
York men who then had a charter for n
railroad from Millen, Ga. / think all the
way to Key West. A volume Of several
hundred pages was published about the
enterprise but at that time (over a dozen
years ago. the charter which was hawked
about freely could not be sold for enough
to pay cost OF publishing the book which
was a hansCmely bound volume From
that time 70 the present day the matter
has never assumed a prominent place in
the public eve. After Flagler pushed his
line On 20 llochedge Il became evident
that ne was aiming TO catch on" 20 this
old abandoned scheme 10 reach Key West
the last point Of land accessible on the