The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-10-11
THE AVON PARK TRAMwAY.
A Thirty-EIght Mile Railroad with
out a Pound of Iron.

From the Jacksonville (Fla.) Citizen.
Work on the remarkable tramway which
is to connect Avon Park in De Soto
county. with some point on the Plant rail-
way system, viii be resumed this week.
The formal opening of the line from Avon
Park to Pabor Lake, the first station on
the route, was recently reported- The
place now to be reached next is midland,
Polk county, about seventeen miles south
east of Barlow, and twelve miles east of
Fort Meade. The objective point of the
tramway is said to be Haines City, on the
main line of the South Florida division of
the Plant system seven miles east of
Barlow junction. The directors are plan
ming for number Of bees" TO clear the
right Of way from the present terminus
to Midland. Large tents will be carried
along the road and the men win camp out
for week at a time, receiving for their
labor, besides board half cash and half
stock in the road. Many people have
promised to work in this way because Of
their desire to see the Avon Park Trans
portauon Company's project carried
Beginning at Avon Park the rails are
| being laid nOrthward through a beautiful
hill country, Astounding in lakes. The line
runs through Pabor Lake, FrOstproof,
| Midland, and Lake Buffalo, and thence,
! as projected, to Hanes city. Its compile
lion before next spring is now hoped Tor
| The country traversed is well adapted to
| the raising of vegetables and pineapples,
| and the road is expected not only to bring
| IN thousands of settlers, but also to de-
| rive a large income from hauling freight.
| Herds OF cattle are annually driven to
sea coast towns that will be carried on the
railroad as soon as it is completed.
| me Polk County tramway Is a remark
/ able novelty in railroad construction. Its
| distinguishing characteristic is the en-
/ ployment OF wooden rails instead of iron
| or steel. such a return to first principles
can hardly be found elsewhere on so large
/ q scale. This wooden-rail railway when
( nnished through to Haines City, will be
! no less thanNthirty-eigh miles in length.
| Locomo tives and cars of ordinary pattern,
! though light, are to be employed upon 1t,
| on oak crossties. with stone ballast. The
| tramway, moreover, is being constructed
| not IKE similar ones, by firm of lumber
men for logging road only, but by a
| regularly organized railroad company
| and for general freight and passenger traf-
nc. A wooden track is going down, in
| stead OF an iron one, merely because, in
| South Florida, timber is cheaper thar
| metal, and for a branch line with light
rails are thirty-two feet long, eight inches
| wide, and six inches deep. At each end OF
| the rail two holes are bored, through
! which eighteen-inch wooden pins are driv.
| en- to hold the rail firmly to four-fooi
| spices that are placed beneath the joints
! or the rails. Not a pound Of iron is used
| in the construction. No crossties are
| necessary, as the rails are wide and sink
/ firmly into the hard sand. The train runs
| smoothly, without jarring or humping, at
| the rate of fifteen miles an hour. Of the
| $4,000 deemed necessary to construct the
| road, over $4,000 has been subscribed In
| cash and labor.