The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-21
THE FLORIDA MIDLAND RAILROAD.
What the Plant system May Do With
This New Purcbn.e

AA"t INT rant system Way Do With
This New Purchase.
Sanford, Fla, May 2O.-The recent visit
of General Superintendent Durham and
other Plant system officials to this city
has started anew the old gossip about
proposed changes and consultations here
in connection with the purchase of the
Florida Midland railroad. Already Mr.
Cruise Barnes, formerly a head clerk in
the division offices here before their re-
moval to Tampa and Savannah, has been
transferred lf1m the agency at Kissimmee
70 the more Important position of agent
mere, with Capt Parham, whom he sue
ceeds, as his assistant in the Office Since
the purchase OF the Orange Belt railroad,
lDe lfelghl business here, which also COW
eis the Wndrt connection with the CLYDE
river steamers, has largely increased
agent Bafnes is comparatively young
man, from the FAMOUS hotel Barnes family
OF Albany, Ca, and a thoroughly experf-
ehceu railroad Official. His transfer here
indicates an anticipated increase of freight
trallc ana the necessity for an active out
door man q the head of the freight de-
partment. One suggestion as to this pro
posed increase seems to be generally ac-
of the terminus Of the FLORIDA AfbIia6d
from LongwOod to Sanford. With this
chanSe a through train of a mixed charac-
ter could be run from Narcoossee. on the
sugar Belt railroad, through Kissimmee
over the Florida Midland to Sanford and
thence 10 Oveido. A round trip daily could
be made with one train crew, thus saving
quite an item of expense. AT the present
time three trains do this work
by widening the gauge of the Sanford
ana ST. Petersburg railroad (the old
Orange BelD from Palm Springs to this
CITY, the Florida Midland can be brought
here at very little expense. as a change
of gauge of the former road from San
ford to Trlby is simply a matter Of time
in the near future. An accommodation
(ml%ed) traln from Narcoosee to Oviedo
would pay much better than any present
Arrangement covering three separate
roads. It is true that the business on all
three of these branch roads is very duh
in summer, yet a single mixed train a
day run continuously over the three
branches would come very near bringing
a desirable profit to the Plant system.
Whether or not this through train from
Narcoosee to OV.edo is established it is
pretty generally believed that the Florida
Midland terminus is to be changed from
Longwood to Sanford, via Palm Springs.
be changed to Narcoosee by attaching
the Sugar Belt road at that end. All
this Wall greatly reduce expenses and
facilitate both passenger and freight bust
ness The Plant system, under its new
plan of operations, seems to be deter
mined to gather up its fragments and put
ida. The widening of the gauge of the
Florida Southern on Sunday is
but the beginning of grand
movement looking to the same process. in
branch lines of the system. Under this
process there will not only be a reduction
of expenses but a manifest increase in
daily receipts. One thing is certain, the
present unusual summer activity all along
the Plant systems lines indicates that
with the opening of the business season
next fall, the travelling public will be
treated to several surprises of a most
gratifying, character. While the freight
traffic will open with many much needed
improvements in the matter of prompt
and continuous transportation facilities
The new summer schedule went into eff
feet on Sunday, as the Clyde river steam
er Fred deBary made her last trip from
here on Monday morning. This steamer
and the City of Jacksonville run dur
ing the summer between Boston and Ma
hant, and the freight steamer Evergiade
under Capt w. a. Shaw. takes the sum
mer run on the St. Johns river laying at
the wharf here over night and leaving at
5 O'Clock next morning. Under this sched-
ule there is no railroad connection and
consequently but little passenger travel,
except from points along the river Next
season, if the signs of the times do not
fail. we shall have a big tide of travel and
a fine winter business all around