The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1905-04-14
FLAGLER'S FORESIGHT.
Wonderful Railway over Flor.
ida Keys to Key West VIII
be Completed in Seven
Xoar

CdA
Senator Grill of Putnam county
has undoubtedly introduced thu
most important measure to come be.
fore the legislature in his bill pro
viding for the construction of rail
way from the mainland of Florida
along the Florida keys. to Key West
No one can grasp the great advan.
tage to Florida that will follow in
the wake of the opening up OF direct
communication from the mainland
to Key West, which must be, on ac-
count of its geographical location,
the nearest deep water port in line
between the A Atlantic and Pacific
oceans. The volume of business
that this Improvement would bring
through the state of Florida cannot
be estimated.
The preamble to the bill says that
it is 'an act to secure the construc-
| ton of q line of railway from the
mainland of Florida to Key West;
to provide for fair and equitable as
sessment of taxes of the corporation
constructing it; to provide for fair
and reasonable rates OF irelght and
passage by the corporation construc-
ting it, and to grant right of way
over the submerged and other lands
belonging to the state, and over the
waters of the state, and to authorize
the filling of the submerged lands,
and to construct buildings, docks
and depots thereon.
Whereas, The construction OF the
Panama Canal renders it desirable
and important for the proper devel-
ment of the State of Florida, and to
secure to the state Il fair proportion
of the traffic passing through the
said canal, that a line of railroad
should be constructed from the main
land of the state to the island of Key
West; and
Whereas, To connect the mainland
with the Island of Key West will re-
uuire the construction of nearly one
hundred and fifty miles Of railroad,
II large portion of which must neces-
sarily be over rocky islands and
through the waters of the state,
which can never be made to produce
any revenue; and
Whereas, 1t is certain that the
traffic realized on said line of road
will not pay it's operating expenses,
ration constructing it; and
Whereas, 1t is estimated that the
cost of properly constructing and
equipping said line of railroad will
aggregate many millions of dollars;
and
Whereas, 1t is desirable that said
line of railway shall be constructed
as speedily as possible, and that
pledges shall be given by the State of
Florida that will. encourage the in
vestment of the capital needed for
the construction of said great high
wap of traffic.
Section one of the bill provides
that any existing railroad corpora
ton in Florida which shall within
three months after the passage OF
this act file in the Office of the Secre-
tary of State Il plat showing sur
veyed route and definitely located
ard described railroad FROM the
mainland of Florida to Key West
shall on complying with the other
provisions of the act have the right
to construct and operate line of
railroad as described. Section two
provides that the corporation so fill
ing the plat shall begin the actual
work of construction within six
months from the time OF filing same
and that the road shall be completed
and in operation TO Key West within
seven years after the passage of the
act.
1t is well-known that Henry NJ.
Flagler has been having these sur
veys and plats made and that this |
vast scheme is his. OF course the
bill will pass and the road will be
built within the time limit provided |
for in the bill.