The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-24
His Interesting Career.

Henry Bradley Plant was born In Bran
ford Conn.,, Oct q, 1919. He has an inter-
esting lineage, running back in this coun-
Try to 1886. Mr.. Plants great-grandfather
on the paternal side served in Washing
TONS army, and was one of the guard of
Maj. Andre on the occasion of that unfor-
tunate mans execution. Another ances-
tor was an officer in the Revolution.
After a brief education in the common
schools of Connecticut and from private
tutors Mr. Plant began active life in the
calling with which he has ever since been
closely connected-the transportation in
dustry. Entering the service of the New
Haven Steamboat Company in 1887, he
was soon placed in charge of the express
business upon the steamboats, between
New York and New Haven. On the com
pletion of the railroad between these two
cities, he took charge of the express bust
ness thus carried on. When the Adams
Express Company was organized, Mr..
Plant went South in the service of the cor
poration In the fall of 1854 he was ap-
pointed superintendent of the Southern di-
vision of the company, with headquarters
al Augusta. Ga, and continued in that
Office until 1861. In that year he organ
lied the Southern Express Company, and
has since been president thereof continu-
ously In 1867 he became president of the
Texas Express Company, and has ever
since retained the position.
Many people commonly think of Mr..
Plant in connection with Florida, and are
not familiar with his earlier career sum-
married. above. He first visited the Ever
glade State in 1854, that his invalid wife
might test the health-giving qualities of
the climate. Her health was prolonged
Tor years by frequent visits there, and
Mr. Plant came to see clearly the possi-
ollities of the country. 1t was not until
1873, however, that he found convenient
opportunity to carry out his plans. AT
Ter purchasing, with other investors, the
Atlantic and Gulf Railroad of Georgia,
and reorganizing the company as the Sa-
Vannah, Florida and Western, he short
ened the route to Florida by building a
line from Waycross, Ga, to Jacksonville.
IN 1880 he purchased, with associates, the
Charleston and Savannah Railway, and
greatly improved the property. Mr..
Plants plans were far-reaching, and
IN order to carry them out with unity Of
management and persistent progress, he
obtained in 1882 from the legislature of
connecticut a charter incorporating the
rant Investment Company. He has been
president of the company from the begin
nlng. Several powerful capitalists were
associated with him in the venture, and its
success was long ago assured. Various
i"es Of railway have been bought from
'ihe to time; connecting links have been
ouiti and an extensive and wel-conceived
system Of lines now grid.rons the south
eastern corner Of the United States, and
serves effectively an increasingly inn
portant section of the country Supple
"entng the railway properties, and oper
'Nns in harmony with them, are several
steamship lines. The most important of
''ese is the line from Port Tampa. Fla,
Aey West and Havana, which has been
N operation since 1886. and has become an
important artery OF commerce. The fa-
nlllar symbol of the Plant steamers may
a'So be seen ia New England waters every
sumner, as service Is regularly main
'aIhed between Boston and Halifax by an
OAshoot Of the Plant company.
mr. Plants first wife was Ellen Eliza
'e'h Blackstone, of Branford, a lineal de-
''endant Of Thomas Blackstone who set
'el N Boston in 1884. She died in 1861, and
III 1878 Mr.. Plant married Miss Margaret
oose phine Loughman, of New York, who.
n''h her only child, Morton Freeman
amt survives him. Mr. Plants vast
'us'ness interests will continue to be man
Ssed by the corporation that bears his
name
NF' Pant was fine type of the yigor-
'S' resoureeful and indomitable Ameri-
"a" who have opened up the country, and
uc'iiied the earth in numberless ways.
i is not too much to say that Florida and
slJacent parts of the South are altogether