The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-08
Tampa is to be Made Export
Port For all South Amer
lean Trade
FLORIDA AND GEORGIA
GET BULK OF THE MONEY
Thousands Will Be Expended at Jack
sonville, Fernandlna and Tampa In
Yard Extensions and Pier
Improvements.

The first announcement of immense I'M
provement by the seaboard Air Line We're
made here yesterday by w. A. Garrett
first vice president and general mania
ger. Mr.. Garrett outlined plans Tor I'M
provements that will cost 100000 OF
So. 600 600, most of which will be in the
seaport cities in Florida and Georgia.
In addition to these improvements Or
ders have been placed by the seapoafo
for 100 new locomotives besides the hfty
already ordered. The 100 are to be de-
livered in July. 1908, and the order for
fifty engines is for delivery this year.
Several thousand freight cars OF various
sizes have also been contracted for.
Following is statement which was
made by Mr.. Garrett yesterday in regard
to the improvements:
Tampa Made Export Point.
ut is the purpose of the Seaooafd
to make Tampa the export point FOR
South America, Central America and
Panama. The company has recently pur-
chased Grassy Island, IA miles in length,
situated 600 feet south of the old garrison
at Tampa Plans are being drawn and
contracts will be let in a few days for
Scherzer lift bridge to connect the
main land with the island. The Seaboard
will then develop the island, using the
extreme north end for export lumber,
soft lumber being in great demand in
Cuba, Jamaica, Central and South Amer
lea for building purposes.
1.-THE next slip south of the lumber pier
will be for phosphate. There are three
million tons of phosphate on the Sea-
board right of way, forty-six miles SOUTH
east of Tampa. This pebble phosphate
is used for fertilizer and great amount
is exported to Germany. Swift & Co.,
Armour & Co. and Royster & Co. all
have large deposits. 1t will be the inten-
ton of the Seaboard to provide mod
ern dump cars for the proper handling
of this material to the island and also
modern elevators SO that the phosphate
may be put aboard ships. The main ship
channel alongside Grassy Island will be
twenty feet deep by July 81 and the Tam
pa people expect to have a twenty-four
foot channel in two years time. This
improvement will revolutionize the water
service in the vicinity of Tampa.
Big Yards at Jacksonville.
"At Jacksonville, Fla, the Seaboard is
building yard with 1900 car capacity
and plans are being prepared and tracks
will be laid inside of sixty days for a
modern electrically operated machine
shop to cost $550,O0o. Modern coal sta
lions will be provided and the company
will be able. with the abandonment of
to get coal by water from Baltimore and
Philadelphia TO Jacksonville put in stor-
age and loaded with modern appliances on
to cars for use at the several coaling
stations in Florida. The company has
laid tracks at Jacksonville for two mod
ern slips to be built upon property re-
Gently acquired to be used for export lum-
Der shipments.
At Fernandina. Florida, the government
has recently made an appropriation for
deepening the channel and the Seaboard
has purchased 400 additional feet of
wharf front SO that this port can be used
for extensive coastwise lumber shipments
and in addition the phosphate elevator
that the company owns will be overhauled
and enlarged.
Savannah Terminals Enlarged.
At Savannah the Hutchinson Island ter
mlnals, which are recognized as one OF
the finest export piers south of Baltimore,
will be enlarged, new fire proof fertilizer
warehouses are being erected and a new
train yard is being built with capacity
of 800 cars, thus relieving the present
yard at Savannah