The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-27
PLANTS TRIP TO HONDURAS.
TEN DAYS IN THE LITTLE CENTRAL
AMERICAN REPUBLIC.


pIete an InterOceauic Line-Mr.
Plants Opinion on National Quar-
antine and This COuntry's Rela-
lions With Spain.
President II. p. Plant and Mrs. Plant, ar
ter two days in Savannah. left last night
in their private car for Port Tampa, and
possibly other Florida points. They will
remain South some time.
After a pleasant trip to Honduras, Mr..
and Mrs. Plant reached Port Tampa a
week ago, and from there FASTENED across
to New Orleans by rail to attend the Mardi
Gras festivities. 1t is a custom with Mr..
Plant to visit the carnival each year
and he does not fail to embrace the OPP
| portunity unless there are engagements
that greatly interfere. In fact, he was
compelled in order to go this season TO
make considerable sacrifice and endure
a sudden change of climate For all this.
however, both Mr.. and Mrs. Plant consid-
er themselves we'll paid for the trip.
The fact that the party had just return
ed from Honduras, that young republic
about which so much is heard just now,
added interest to the visit. The trip was
for pleasure, but in his unfailing desire
to witness and encourage the upbuildlng
of commercial interests Mr.. Plant did not
fail to give considerable study to condi-
tons as he found them in Honduras, not
wlthstanding he did not visit the interior.
Railroad interests naturally attracted
his attention, principally for the reason
extensive railroad building, is now talked
of in the shape of resuming the great pro-
ject to build an interoceanic line from
Puerto Cortez to Amapala, on the Pacific
coast. The project was abandoned, how
ever on account of the civil war and The
building of the Union Pacific Railroad, in
which, il is said many of the Honduras
promoters We're largely interested it is
repoted to have been recently taken up
with view to carrying the great under
taking to a successful conclusion.
What do you think of Honduras and
it's future?" a Morning News reporter
asked yesterday
There were many runors regarding
| the action of the government of Honduras
toward certain gentlemen forming a syndl-
cate in New York, owing TO concessions
obtained and some commotion prevailed.
| The control of the railroad being con-
| structed there seems to be changing hands
and considerable progress, II is understood,
is being made on the upper end. The
| people of Puerto Cortez have great expec>
| tations of the completion of the line. The
| railroad has constructed a new warehouse
at Puerto Cortez, as well as a wharf reach
| ing out into deep water, and the man.
| agement expects at an early date to make
| considerable additions TO its power and
! equipment.
rft t.,
| ued Mr.. Plant, 81 was unable to make
| trip over the railroad extending into The
| interior from Puerto Cortez, as all the en-
| gines were at the upper end of the line.
| Mr.. Livingston, superintendent of the road
| under the old management, is sull In
| charge and offered to convey US over the
! line If we could extend our stay another
| day. and 1 should have liked to have done
so, but for the fact we had other en-
! gagements, which even prevented our see
! ing the interior
There have been many newspaper re-
| ports" Mr.. Plant said, "of the
concessions which have been grant
ed the syndicate for the privl-
| lege of conducting the road, but
1 do not think there have been any
accounts worthy of credence. am una
bic to say what these concessions are,
but my judgment inclnes me to the be-
| lief that no true and satisfactory report
! has yet reached the outside. Mr.. Aston
| who is among those interested in the syn
dictate, was expected in Puerto Cortez in a
short tiWe-in fact, before we left. Doubt
| less we shall soon hear of some actual
| movement on the part of the syndicate
| which will change the status of affairs
and place the railroad on a basis to bet
ter enable it to pursue the work originally
started. The intention is to complete the
line inward as far as Tegucigalpa, the
| capital and then continue 1t down through
| the Pacific coast, making it a roadway
| from ocean to ocean. However, they
work slowly in Spanish countries, and one
can never tell more than approximately
| when that roadbed will stretch from Puer-
| to Cortez through to the Pacific"
| The republic of Honduras has 49,
400 square miles of area and
population of 1887 according to
| the enumeration of 1899 The cap
has population of 1900 The natural
products are valuable and consist of SUI
| gar, cotton, tobacco, corn, wheat, coffee
and fruits which grow in the temperate
and tropical zones.
Mr.. Plant said that after a short stop
at Puerto Cortez, the Mascotte steamed
along the coast to Port Ceiha. having
grand and inspiring mountain scenery in
view all the time. The voyage back to
Tampa was made in fifty-eight hours
where mail for the North, East and West
was conveyed TO trains
What are your views with reference
10 quarantine regulations?"
There can be no question that proper
quarantine regulations are of paramount
necessity for the protection of the health
as well as the trade, of the great centers
of population and commerce in the United
States, as each epidemic obstructs and
more often paralyzes. the business of not
only the sections directly affected but de-
presses the commerce of the entire coun-
try. To prevent this it seems
that an efficient quarantine is
not only advisable. but essen
tial. Whether it should be regulated nv
state laws or those passed by Congress.
and at the expense of the national govern
ment seems at present mooted question.
In my judgment 1t is unfair TO EXPECT the
border states and seaports to bear the
whole burden and expense of keeping out
invading diseases. The health of the en-
tire country is concerned and therefore the
expenses of maintaining it should be borne
by the general government Without doubt
proper guarantees can be established and