The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-16
RAILROADS AND THE CAMPS.
JACKSONVILLE SITUATION WILL
DE REVERSED HERE.

The Camps and Hospitals at Jack
sonviIIe Are On the Line of the
Florida Central and PeninsuIar.
Here They VIII BE Much Nearer
the Plant sy stem Than the Florida
Central and PeninsuIar-Proxim
fty Of the Camps and Hospitals n
Great Advantage TO "A Railroad In
a Contest for business - other
News of the Roads.
An interesting point in connection with
the location of the troops in camp when
they get here this week will be the revor-
sal of conditions that have obtained at
Jacksonville during the four or five months
they have been eneamped near that city.
That is. it will be interesting to railroad
men, particularly the Plant System Off
Gals, as it will give them something like
the same advantage the Florida Central
and Peninsular has enjoyed in having the
camps and hospitals near Panama, a sta
ton on its line just out of Jacksonville.
Here the camps will be located much near
er the line Of The Plant System than the
Florida Central and Peninsular. and the
former road will have an opportunity TO
the latter had at the camp that is 10 be
deserted.
At Jacksonville the Florida Central and
Peninsular has been in a position TO con-
troll great deal of the business in fact
the greater part of it, both in handling
troops and the quartermaster and COM
missary supplies. In making the bids for
business the Florida Central and PENN
sular had the advantage of having the
destination right on its line. Now things
will be so that the Plant System, though
the camps will not be right on its line,
will be able to control the business in
about the same way as the Florida Cen
trail and Peninsular did at jacksonville.
The Plants line will not run to the camp.
but the spur of more than 1900 feet IN
length il is to build along Estill avenue
in the direction of the camp win give it
that much more advantage in the matter
of distance than the Florida Central and
Peninsular has, and many cars of sup
plies will doubtless be unloaded from the
spur
The hospitals were also a big thing for
the railroads, as many of the sick soldiers
have been carried from the field hospi-
tails to the regular army hospitals further
north. As the Florida Central and PENN
sular could run its hospital trains right
this business. The big hospital here will
be right on the line of the Plant System
and that road will probably get what bust
ness there is for It, This hospital how
over, is to be well equipped, and the
government will probably see no neces-
sity for sending men away from 1t to the
North, as they win be able to get the
same treatment here. 1t may not be COM
pleted, though, until after the Seventh
Army Corps leaves.
Both the Florida Central and Peninsu-
lar and the Plant System did an immense
business at jacksonville, and the roads
are sure to do the same thing here on
account of the establishment of the camps
and the hospital. There will be a plenty
of it for both them and the other lines
AMI the Plant System and the Florida Cen
trail and Peninsular are to be congratu-
lated upon having had such opportunities
as the war has presented Many lines
have not been the one-hundredth part 50
fortunate in the matter of receipts direct
ly attributable to the handling of troops
and supplies. Regimental company indl-
Nldual soldier and stores movements have
kept them more busy than they have ever
been In their history
One thing that will be missed by the
roads here that was enjoyed while the
men have been at Jacksonville is the
movement of furloughed soldiers Travel
ing passenger agents have always been
on the lookout to catch this business, but
it VIII be cut into here, as word has gone
forth from corps headquarters that no
more furloughs are to be- granted
A hospital train of thirteen cars passed
through Savannah early yesterday morn
Ing by the Plant System for the hospital
at Fortress Monroe from the camps at
Jacksonville. There were 1888 sick soldiers
aboard the train. There have been many
of these trains through Savannah since the
bat in,
and wounded were being sent back to the
states through Port Tampa from Cuba and
Porto Rico but many more have taken
other routes, either by the Florida Central
and Peninsular and the Southern or by the
Georgia Southern and Florida through
Macon. large hospital is at Atlanta and
Others are in Kentucky. These have been
Kept full by the train loads that have been
sent to them from camps in the South.
The Florida Central and Peninsular Rail
road has made Meinhard, a few miles north
of Savannah. an agency Mr.. J. f. He's
ter has been appointed agent for the road at
that place. The new agency will he a con-
venience to the people of the place and
its vicinity.
Chief Engineer Tuttweiler of the Plant
System left yesterday for Port Tampa,
where he viii spend a day or two looking
over the extensive work the construction
department of the system is engaged upon.
This work has been in progress for about
three years. When 1t is completed, Port
Tampa VIII have as fine docks as any in
the South. 1t is estimated that nearly two
years more will be required for the com
pletion of the work.
The principle feature of the docks is the
great canal that has been cut from the bay
right inland for a mile This canal is really
great slip,as 1t IS used for the loading and
unloading of vessels 1t is 200 feet wide
and of a depth that will admit of Vessels
of the deepest draught coming in. More
than twenty vessels can find berth room
In the slip at the same time. Either side
has docks arranged along II, ard sufficient
space is left down the middle of the slip
between the lines Of vessers to allow the
passage of others in and out Strong bulk
heads were built along either side of the
canal, and the ground behind them was
filled in with the dirt that was excavated