The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1911-04-14
MR.. FLACLER'S HOROSCOPE
OF THE SOUTH'S FUTURE
HAS SEEN RAILROADS GROW
FROM "a MILES TO 100000
MILES DURING HIS LIFE
At the Age of 80 Begins the construc-
ton of Another Road Down the Pc
ninsuIar-The South the Place of
Achievement

Achievement
Mr.. H. NJ. Flagler has recently CIV
en- the Baltimore Manufacturer
Record a somewhat lengthy inter-
view in which he draws a picture Of
the south's future. He says that in
the year in which he was born there
were only twenry-Tour miles of rail-
road in the United States. What a
tremendous growth he has witnessed.
There are now 100000 miles, and
railroad construction has by no means
reached it's limitations. Mr. Flagler
Bays:
Amazing as has been the growth
of our country in the past, the future
is destined to show a still more won
derful expansion Instead of our
country having attained unto the ze-
NTH of its material progress and
prosperity, as some have assumed, we
are only in the infancy of our growth.
The possibilities of the future far
exceed all that has been achieved"
Continuing, Mr. Flagler says:
Never in human history has there
been such limitless scope for men
of broad horizon, of energy and we'll
directed enterprise as there is today,
and as the future will continue to open
up to coming generations. For the in
dividual man there is, I am sure, a
broader field of activity, with great
er opportunities for fame and for for
tune than the past ever afforded to
those who have achieved success. The
limitless resources of our country
awaiting development will furnish op-
portunities for profitable employment
and for the creation of wealth beyond
the dreams of the most far-seeing OPP
timist of today.
while the development of the
whole country affords scope for CAPT
tai and energy, 1 believe that the
resources of the south in climate, soil
and mineral advantages, and in geo.
graphical position for commerce, will
enable this section to create greater
business development and greater
wealth than that of the entire coun-
try today. My own experience in the
ida is. 1 believe, typical of the posi-
bilities of the south. Though
thought l had measured the probable
growth of this section, its advance
ment has far exceeded my anticipa-
tions. Outside of the great rush into
Oklahoma, some II or Is years ago,
population in the history of our coun-
try, nothing like the present move
ment to Florida has ever been known
in the United States.
1.-TWO weeks ago the East Coast
Railway carried into the Fort Lauder
dale section of southern Florida over
5000 men from the north and west,
who went there to select one of the
desirable Everglades tracts previous
| ly purchased from one of the land COM
panies operating in that section.
There were camped on the ground at
one time nearly $500 men, living in
tents. arranging to secure their allot-
ment under the purchase plan. My ad-
vices are that these men are of the
most substantial character of western
and northwestern farmers and bust
ness men.
The growth of the east coast,
which has been developing much more
rapidly than it has been possible to
provide facilities for, is indicated in
the fact that on Sunday night last in
a distance of 800 miles, we had 80
loaded freight trains going in both di-
reetions, and last night we had sn the
line $50 carloads of miscellaneous
merchandise from Jacksonville bound
down the road to the Fort Pierce Sec
ton. In order to meet this rapid
growth of business We are now build
ing 10 miles of sidings and have plac-
ed an order for % heavy locomotives
of the Pacific type. Were it not for
the fact that l am now carrying out
the building of 10 miles under con-
tract to be completed not later than
October. 1912. through the center of
the state, to the head OF Lake Okee-
chobee, in addition to the Key West
extension, l would Immediately under.
take the double tracking of the entire
system, which | am Satisfiad must be
done within the next few years in or
der to meet the rapid expansion of
traffic
The growth of business on the
East Coast Line is indicated in the
fact that during the first week of
March the earnings exceeded the earn
ings of the corresponding week of last
year by 36.1S per cent; for the Sec
ond week of March the increase over