The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-20
,oNGwOOD's HEAVY Loss.
reeets of the Freeze Severely
-.,,-Nevvs of the Railroads.

-.,,-Nevvs of the Railroads.
GOOD. Fla. July 1s.-It is doubtful
- are many places in the state that
- the depressing effects OF the re-
blizzards worse than this
live and prosperous little city.
-. boom" days that Witnessed the
-,c,ion Of the South Florida railroad,
ARROW gauge local line. LOngwood
-.--sat expectations and was marked
railroad center, the Orange Belt
-be Florida Midland roads to cross
s1uth Florida at this point. The
- aid not materialize permanently.
y tbe latter got stuck here and has
4, the hands Of a receiver for sew
\ Id years
-,ines. residences, mills and ware
with a fine hotel, followed. But
- few years of prosperity the boom
-..-sI and now its monuments may
Ian in deserted structures of all
Still. there were many original
1 --lsrs who chung to their investments
RI looked hopefully ahead to better
r. Apparently, the past season opened
m every prospect of renewed life and
rs,sing prosperity. The hotel property
Itsnred hands, was greatly improved at
1 siderable expense, and was preparing
4 opan when the first blizzard came
,rg and did its deadly work.
M Florida Midland railroad took on
N life under the active management
Il Receiver H. S. Chubb, making close
Emotions with the South Florida rail-
ad trains. and also putting up a neat
ttle passenger depot for its city patrons.
f. South Florida replaced its burnt de-
|or with a very handsome new one, and
|s-slv put down fine shell walks around
There were many other improvements
[tartel OF contemplated that the freeze
tpped in the bud, and in consequence
pur hopes of regaining lost ground were
IHghted. But worse than this was the
Fear that we might lose even some of the
Prosperity spared US when the boom
tursted.
Tn court has just ordered the sale of
tbe Florida Midland railroad, and this fact
has given a more hopeful spirit to our
Immunity, as several citizens hold large
rlaims against the road. In the event of
he payment of the same considerable
ready money would come into circulation
here ana help tide over the present hard
times.
II is a singular fact that the Georgia
Midland railroad. the Tennessee Midland
abroad, and the Florida Midland are all
low being advertised for sale under court
Judgments, the Virginian Midland railroad
.aving been already sold. AS this seems
o be the fate of nearly all railroads, it
5 not safe to attribute the selling out
h this manner as being caused by the
anne Midland" However, it must be
oted that all these Midland roads be
in nowhere and end in the woods" in
ONE respects, and il is only a question
T time when connecting lines freeze
hem out" They are generally started in
lidland with the view of reaching the
past in one direction and some impor-
ant point inland in the other direction.
he Florida Midland had great expecta-
ons in this respect, its purpose being
connect the east coast, or Indian River.
it'll the west, or gulf coast. But the
N were laid only from Kissimmee to
lngwood, at both of which places it had
acome a feeder to the South Florida
lilway. At Apopka, a once important
nd booming place, il crossed the Florida
entral and Peninsular railroad, from
hich it has received considerable bust
sss for Ocoee, Gotha, Kissimmee and
ongwood
The fate of this road ought to be large
dependent upon the sale of the jack
nville, Tampa and Key West railroad.
lould the Southern Railway get that
Jad as it is limited they may, by building
me dozen miles from Sanford they could
lnnect with the Florida Midland, by the
lrchase of which they would have a
)ntinuous line from Atlanta and be-
md down to Kissimmee, the heart of
he great rice and sugar growing indus
y. From Apopka they could easily run
it'll Orlando and Ovideo over the Flor
IA Central and Peninsular railroad, now
ne of their close connections. From Kis-
mmee the Florida Midland could easily
extended to Tampa or the Gulf coast,
nd from Longwood carried to the East
)ast.
If the Plant system secures the Jack
lnville. Tampa and Key West railway
Sanford it is possible that the Florida
entral and Peninsular railroad may bid
,r the Florida Midland and, through a
Tort extension from Longwood, secure
much desired entrance into Sanford,
well as a short route to Kissimmee,
9TH from the Apopka junction. Should
either of these companies desire the
lad it is safe to believe that it Will fall
Ito the hands of the Plant system at
very low price. AS an independent line
is Of no value, nor would it pay to eX-
md it in any direction with reasona-
10 hope of success. 1t is wcrth little to
ny other than one of the present great
lllway systems of Florida.
Rumors have been afioat that President
lagler might extend his Orange City
ranch road from the junction Of the J. I.
X. w. railway, to Sanford, and in case
q did so might take q fancy to gobble up
ne Florida Midland and extend 1t In three
irectons to Sanford, the east coast and
ne Gulf coast. But do not think these
lmors will materialize, for President
lagler now has a bigger scheme in hand
nd one that will require all his time and
loney to comprehensive extension OF his
asst coast railway on to Key West. The
lorida Midland, therefore, will probably