The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-07-19
sEARoARD,s NEW ROUTE
West Coast Florida Line Through Ac-
QUESTION of Tampa Northern


The acquisition of the Tampa
Northern railroad by the Seaboard
Air Line, which has just been an
nounced, indicates that some very i'm
portant changes in the railroad map
of Florida are pending. The Tampa
Northern has so miles of line in OPP
GRAFTON from Tampa north to Brooks
vile, Fla, and it has long been pro-
posed to extend it about 40 miles far
Their in the same direction to Dunnel-
lon, Fla. The company has excellent
terminals at Tampa, which will be OF
particular value to the Seaboard, al
though the latter also possesses supe-
rior harbor terminals at the same
city.
But the chief worth of the Tampa
Northern to the Seaboard lies in the
fact that it offers way to easily and
speedily provide a through route be-
tween Tampa and the north and west
without going through Jacksonville,
as is necessary now, and which re-
quires quite a swing to the eastward.
That the Seaboard will build the pro-
jected extension from Brooksville to
Dunnellon is accepted as fact, or II
will build only about 25 miles and
connect at Inverness, Fla, with it's
line there, and which will afford di-
rect through route between Tampa
and Gainesville, Fla. From Gaines
vile, the construction of 40 miles
more of new road would connect at
Lake City with the Seaboard's east
and west line across the northern part
of Florida between Jacksonville and
Tallahassee, and afford the new route
desired in and out of the state.
Yet, it is possible, if not immediate
ly probable, that the Seaboard, with
it's promise of revived activity in con-
struction under the direction of s.
Davies Warfield and associates, may
see fit to build an entirely new and
very direct line not far from the gulf
coast in order to reach Tallahassee.
This would demand about $50 miles
of work from Dunnellon northwest
through Marion. Levy, Lafayette and
Taylor counties, to meet its present
line, which extends southeast to Gov
ington, Fla, or a total Of about 100
miles of new construction, as COM
pared with about IS miles if it be de-
cided to go via Gainesville.
The construction of such a line
would open up an entirely new region
to settlement, although the Atlantic
Coast Line has a road through part
of the territory which would be ira
versed And this directs attention to
the fact that the Coast Line is push
ing construction on it's new west coast
route from Dunnellon to Old Town,
Fla, and that it will also build from
Perry to Monticello, Fla. Both of
these pieces of construction are I'M
der contract, and will doubtless be
soon completed, as it is understood
there are no serious engineering diff
ficulties to be encountered 1t is said
that the roadbed is being made wide |
enough for two tracks, so that if at |
any time it be desired to make it a |
double-track line the change can be |
readily accomplished.
Dispatches from Tampa say that |
the Tampa Northern has been reor-
ganized, with Seaboard Air Line Off |
Gals in charge. 1t is stated that |
Charles R. Capps is elected president; |
R. L. Mutt, secretary and treasurer;
d. G. Porteous, assistant secretary;
T. w. Roby, comptroller, and Peter o. |
Right, general counsel Mr.. Capps is |
vice president of the Seaboard, and |
the others are also of it's official staff |
at Portsmouth, Va, in positions SIM
liar to those named-Manufactu |
Record.