The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-09-21
umpu Globe Tells Of q Wonder.
full Enterprise New Elec-
trio Line, 1t Is Soid. Mill
Connect Several West
uDd East Const
Points.

From news from the west coast. 1t
seems that an electric railroad Is TO
be built TO conneet Tampa. Barlow
and other prominent places
in south Florida to Fort
Myers, on the Calasahatchee
river, and the following special dis
patch to the Tampa Daily Globe would
make it appear that the gigantic work
OF extending this road to Fort My
ers across the everglades to Miami
was part Of the project, and 1t may be.
II 80, however, 1t is more probable
that II. M. Flagler and not ]. ID.
Rockefeller is the man behind the en-
terprise. and that the road will be a
feeder for the Key West extension.
This Is the way the dispatch reads:
Information has just leaked out of
q most important move on the part
Of prominent New York and Cleveland
capitalists. who. are about to enter
the southern fields in the development
Of electric suburban railways.
At q meeting which was held in
tits city on Thursday. Chief Engi-
neer Saunders, formerly Of Cleveland,
but now of Winter Haven. Fla, sub
mitted reports OF the survey which
has been made for an electric road
which is to use Tampa, Fla, as one
OF the terminals and which is to be
extended In the near future to Plant
City. Fla, then to Mulberry. where
Q powerhouse has been erected, in
which $4,000 horse power will be gen
Grated; from there the line Is to run
TO Lakeland. Winter Haven, Barlow,
Arcadia. Punta Gorda and Fort My
ers.
All these places are located within
q short radius Of Tampa. where 1t is
stated that the headquarters Of the
company are to be located.
From this southern terminal Of the
road viii eventually be extended to
Miami. on the east coast, but that
part OF the scheme viii be an after
consideration. which will probably de-
pend upon the success Of tn efforts
now being made TO drain the ever
glades in the southern part OF the
state.
II was stated last night In the office
OF q capitalist who Is closely identi-
ned with the Standard Oil interests
that John ID. Rockefeller had agreed
to finance the road to the amount of
q million dollars, which will be ad-
vanced upon first mortgade securities
az soon as the road is constructed.
II Is also stated that the promoters
OF the road have secured sufficient
capital in New York and Cleveland to
push the road to an entire completion,
and that the installing Of the giant
power plant near Mulberry, Fla, is
but the first move in the gigantic un-
dertaking.
Standard Group Visited Florida.
In speaking of the matter before
leaving for the south. Chief Engineer
Saunders stated that he would return
at once to Mulberry and close several
contractc which were pending for
crossties and rails.
Cars have been arranged for, and
contracts viii be closed in the north
for early manufacture.
Mr.. Saunders has been prominently
connected with the building of several
OF the interurban lines which have
been constructed out Of Cleveland in
recent years.
Several months ago the promoters
OF the enterprise made trip to Flor
ida In the Rockefeller yacht and went
over q part Of the proposed route with
Mr.. saunders.-Palm Beach News.