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CHAPTER X.

The following extract is taken from the Florida number of Descriptive America.

RAILROAD AND EXPRESS PRESIDENT.

“In our Wisconsin number we gave the life-history of one man who, beginning as a farmer’s son, had, by his energy, ability, and integrity, come to occupy a position of great power, wealth, and usefulness, and we emphasized the point, that, while he had been wonderfully successful, his highest claim to our admiration, lay in the fact that, whenever the opportunity offered, he had sought the prosperity of the nation, the state, or the city of his adoption, and had made his own gain and increasing wealth subordinate to the public weal. In this number we have some similar characters, who, if their wealth does not equal that of the great banker and railroad king, have at least followed his good example.

“Such men are always modest, their achievements seem to them very small, compared with what they might and should have done, and they shrink from publicity with genuine dread. One of these men is the subject of our present sketch, Mr. H. B. Plant.

“Mr. Plant is of pure Puritan stock; his earliest American ancestors left England about 1640, and if they were not among the little company who came with John Davenport to Quinnipiac, afterward called New Haven, they followed very soon after. They settled in Branford, Connecticut, a town lying between New Haven and Guilford, at which place some of Davenport’s most eminent men soon established themselves. The Plants of Branford were a good family, and they have always borne a high reputation through the eight or nine generations which have elapsed since they first established themselves in Branford. They were intelligent, thoughtful farmers, industrious, sound thinkers, orthodox in faith, and leading those quiet country lives, of which the old New England towns presented so many examples. The village minister was a man greatly reverenced by all his people, and if a youth of more than ordinary promise could be instructed under his direction, it was something to be proud of.

“To one of these Branford families, the representative Plant family in the town, several children were born in the earlier decades of the present century; one of them, H. B. Plant, gladdening their hearts in October, 1819. He must have been a boy of considerable promise, for after the usual course of study in the District Schools, not at that time of a very high grade, he spent several terms in the Branford Academy, then under the oversight of the Branford pastor, Rev. Timothy P. Gillett, a man of high scholarship and great aptitude for teaching. Whether he had any aspirations for a collegiate course, we do not know; but he did not rest content, till he had completed his course of study with John E. Lovell, of New Haven, the founder of the Lancasterian system of instruction in America, and, at that time, the most celebrated teacher in the country.

“His school days over, Mr. Plant soon found employment on the steamboat line plying between New Haven and New York. Very soon, one of the first express lines ever established in this country, known as Beecher’s New York and New Haven Express, was started, and young Plant became interested in it, and from that time to the present has always been largely engaged in the express business. His first important interest in it was with Adams Express. In 1853, he went to the South, and established expresses upon the southern railroads, as a branch enterprise of Adams Express. In 1861, he organized the Southern Express Co., and became its president, and has continued so to the present time. He is also president of the Texas Express Co. In 1853, he visited Florida for the first time, for the benefit of the health of an invalid wife. There was no means of communication with Jacksonville, except by steamers up the St. John’s. The place was small and the accommodations meagre, but the fine climate and mild and balmy air were the means of prolonging her life many years, and from that time he made yearly visits thither. During these visits the place grew, and he saw the necessity for railway communication with that and many other points in Florida; but he devoted most of his attention to his extensive express business, until 1879, though owning large blocks of railroad stocks, particularly in the Georgia and Florida Railways. In 1879, with some friends, he purchased the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad of Georgia, and subsequently organized the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railroad, of which he became president. Soon afterwards he extended this railroad to the Chattahoochee River, and he also constructed a new line from Way Cross to Jacksonville.

“The Savannah and Charleston Railroad (now the Charleston and Savannah), had been in the courts for many years, but, in 1880, Mr. Plant purchased and thoroughly rebuilt it; his purpose being to perfect the connections between Florida, Charleston, and the North.

“The immense labor connected with the management of these railways, and of the vast business connected with the expresses, led Mr. Plant and his associates to organize the Plant Investment Co., to control these railways, and also to manage and extend, in the interest of its stockholders, the Florida Southern and the South Florida Railway. The former road was extended by the Investment Company to Tampa, and to Bartow, and they are now building it to Pemberton Ferry, where it will be joined by the South Florida line thus making connection via Gainesville with South Florida, and via Tampa for Key West and the West India Islands.

“In connection with these railroads, we may well answer the question which is of special importance to us in this Florida number.

“What has Mr. Plant done for Florida? We answer in general, that he has rendered the culture of the orange and of the other perishable products of the State profitable, has greatly facilitated the occupation of the best lands of the State, opened the way for the settlement of the lands of Southern Florida, given free and ready access to the Gulf ports, and thence to Mobile, New Orleans, and Galveston, and established a regular, frequent, and prompt steamboat service on the St. John’s River.

“How has he done this? When he had purchased and rebuilt the Charleston and Savannah Railroad, access to the interior of Florida was difficult and almost impracticable except by wagon road. There was irregular and fitful navigation of the St. John’s River, but the steamboats ran when they had sufficient freight, and only then. There had been some railroads built (especially those of the Yulee system) but the country was undeveloped, and as the orange groves required from five to ten years of growth before they came into profitable bearing, meanwhile the railways were suffering for want of freight and were unprofitable. Mr. Plant was convinced that although a more rapid development was in progress, there would still be delay before the railroads he proposed to build would prove paying investments. He therefore determined to avail himself of the land grants already made, and to keep them in repair.

“The orange product would not bear jolting over wagon roads, or being stacked up on the wharves waiting for the uncertain coming of the steamers. His first move was to build a railway direct from Way Cross, Ga., to Jacksonville, thus bringing his Georgia roads into immediate communication with a port on the St. John’s River. He then established a steamboat line on that river which was regular, prompt, efficient, and carried freight at low rates. Meantime a road had been constructed from Jacksonville to Palatka, making connection with St. Augustine via Tocoi; this road is now being extended to cross the river a few miles above Palatka and thence by way of De Land and other places, re-crossing the St. John’s a short distance north of Lake Monroe; thence proceeding to Sanford where it will form a connection with the South Florida, thus opening up the fine highlands west of the St. John’s and those east of that river to a ready market, and giving choice of a river or rail transportation at several points. The Legislature having granted a charter for a railway connecting Palatka with Lake City by way of Gainesville and thence down the peninsula it was taken in hand by capitalists from Boston, and connection made by rail between Gainesville, Palatka, and Leesburg.

“With this company Mr. Plant made arrangements for the construction of the road from Gainesville west to a connection with the Southern extension of the Savannah, Florida and Western Railroad which has been constructed and is now in operation.

“A branch will soon be built to connect it with Lake City.

“By reference to our map, it will be seen that these roads traverse all the counties of the interior, down to the Everglades, and open them to settlement and to profitable orange culture and the production of sugar, cotton, and rice. These roads have brought actual settlers by scores of thousands to occupy these rich and fertile lands, the finest in the State, and other railway companies, stimulated by their example and encouragement, have constructed roads connecting with these. By the charters of bankrupt railroads which they have bought, the Plant Investment Company is entitled to a large amount of lands from the State, 10,000 acres to the mile, in most cases, as well as later grants on their newly constructed roads; but the State has not yet the lands to deed to them, except to a small amount, though eventually it may have.

“Mr. Plant is a man of fine and commanding appearance, dignified and quiet, yet genial in manners, and of the most genuine modesty and gentleness in his intercourse with others. No judge of character could fail to observe, however, that he is a man of remarkable executive ability and sound judgment, or that he has a greater amount of reserve power than most business men possess. His associates, and those with whom he is brought into business relations, all speak of him in terms of the highest admiration and esteem.”

The City Item for December 4, 1886, says:

“Mr. Henry B. Plant is a very admirable type of that class of successful men of enterprise who owe their prosperity to broad business views, large public spirit, and commanding integrity of character joined to solid capacity. Born in Branford, Conn., his entrance upon active life was in connection with transportation on the New Haven steamboat line, and his subsequent career has been identified with similar enterprises. Ultimately entering the service of Adams Express Company, he was instrumental in extending its business throughout the Southern States, and finally, with others, purchased its lines, and formed the Southern Express Company, of which he became president. This position he still holds, having by his energy and enterprise greatly enlarged and extended the business of the company. In 1853, when the delightful climate, attractiveness and fertility of Florida were as yet but poorly appreciated, Mr. Plant recognized the possibilities which that State opened up, and an opportunity being presented for the extention of transportation facilities by the sale of the Savannah and Charleston Railway, and the Atlantic and Gulf Railway, those properties were purchased and reconstructed by him, the name of the former being changed to the Charleston and Savannah, and the latter to the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railway. This last he extended to the Chattahoochee River, to Jacksonville and Gainesville, in Florida. Subsequently he constructed the road between Way Cross, Georgia, and Jacksonville, and Live Oak and Gainesville, and also placed steamship lines on the Chattahoochee and St. John’s Rivers, connecting the railroad at Jacksonville with Sanford on Lake Monroe, and building the South Florida Railway thence to Bartow and Tampa, establishing steamboat communication to the Manatee River and other points on Tampa Bay. More recently he has established a steamboat line between Tampa, Key West, and Havana. This service was increased on the 1st inst. to tri-weekly trips, under special contract with the Post-office Department. By this route, in connection with the railroad from Tampa, the line from New York to Havana is only three days, thus enabling the invalid or pleasure seeker of the metropolis to exchange the rigors of our winter climate for the delicious temperature of Cuba, with an ease and under conditions of travel which must make this line increasingly popular with the lapse of years. The Mascotte, now running on this route, is one of the most handsome and complete steamships built, its appointments being in every respect really luxurious, while in point of seaworthiness it is everything that the most expert mechanism could make it. Its staterooms are dainty boudoirs, while its saloon is as exquisitely fitted up as any drawing-room. A second vessel, now building for the line, will be equally attractive in all its interior arrangements. Mr. Plant, while a thorough man of business, and deeply immersed in material pursuits, has never lost the courtliness of manner and genial whole-heartedness which are Nature’s choicest gifts to her favorites; and among all who know him he ranks as the loyal friend and elegant gentleman.”

Railroad Topics says:

“In this day of vast individual fortunes, it is no special compliment to say of a man that he is rich. If the public takes any interest in his wealth, there is generally more concern manifested in the manner in which he made his money, than in the mere fact that he has it. But conspicuous success and marked prominence do, and will always, command attention and challenge admiration. The spirit of the American people is to applaud achievement and honor distinction wherever they are observed, and when found combined in one man, they make him a popular object of praise and an interesting subject for biographical sketch. Such a case we have in the person of Mr. Henry B. Plant, whose record we attempt to outline in the following brief story:

“Mr. Plant was born at Branford, Conn., in October, 1819, and is consequently now in the seventieth year of his age. It is indeed a pleasure to contemplate the record of a man who has fulfilled the sacred tradition of his allotted time, and stamped that rounded life with innumerable evidences of steadily growing strength, constantly increasing usefulness, continually widening reputation, and vastly expanding possessions. The personal history of H. B. Plant, if shorn of all details, would stand complete in that one paragraph.

“He has thus far lived to excellent purpose, and in the run of that existence has accomplished in fullest measure all that is comprehended in the descriptive suggestion.

“If we wrote not another line, we would feel that we had made a practical analysis of his life and set forth the salient truths of it. But when a man has attained Mr. Plant’s prominence, and compassed achievements such as his, people are interested in the details of his career, and naturally inquire as to his distinguishing characteristics. In deference to that reasonable curiosity, and likewise for the pleasure that there is in it to ourselves, we gladly make this sketch of him.

“It is nothing remarkable to say that he was born poor. Most men who have ever amounted to much were. Hence in that particular he is not exceptional. Neither would we be satisfied simply to class him with that great multitude, popularly termed, “self made men.” He does belong in that catagory, but is so far above the average, that we incline to think of that descriptive fact more as an accident than as a cardinal virtue.

“The first account we have of him is only a meagre record of his school days. He never went to college, but had to content his ambitious young spirit with a good academic course, supplemented by a brief term of finishing study under a thoroughly competent tutor. This, however, was only a theoretical disadvantage, from the fact that the termination of his school days was no interruption to his mental acquirements. He was born with an ambition for knowledge, and does not to this day feel himself too old, or too wise, to learn.

“Mr. Plant’s first experience in business, was when, a mere boy, he secured employment on one of that line of steamboats, then running between New Haven and New York. Although very young, he appreciated even then that the only way to learn any business thoroughly was by beginning at the bottom. Accordingly he took his first lessons in steamboat life in a humble position. It was not long, however, before, by faithfulness and efficiency, he lifted himself into higher and more responsible places. That first and prompt promotion was the initial sign of what his life would be, and from then till now, he has steadily marched onward and upward, overcoming obstacles and mastering difficulties with heroic energy, and winning success in the various lines of his broadening operations with positive brilliancy.

“While employed by the New York and New Haven Steamboat Company, one of the first express lines ever established in this country was inaugurated between New Haven and New York, and the enterprise at once fascinated young Plant. He bent every energy toward the acquirement of a small interest in the new express company, and in reasonable time accomplished his purpose. From that day to this, express business has been his best love throughout the wide range of his material interests. His first important connection in that line was with the Adams Express Company about 1847. In that corporation he became a leading spirit and holds such position to-day. His special pet, however, among the various express systems with which he is identified is the Southern Express Company which he established in 1862. This child of his wisdom has grown to be a giant, and is to-day one of the richest, most influential, and ably managed corporations in this country. It traverses all the Southern States, and is, for all practical purposes, permanently established on nearly every important railroad system in the South.

“Of late years Mr. Plant has been giving much of his attention to the acquisition of railroad properties, and in admirable continuance of his previous record, he has crowned this undertaking with splendid success. He is virtually master and largely owner of the Savannah, Florida, and Western Railway, and likewise of the Charleston and Savannah Railway. This gives him a direct and popular line from Charleston, South Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida. He has also made various branches from his main line, penetrating the principal districts of Florida, and by this wise railroad building has done far more than can be computed or told, toward that marvellous development of Florida which has been accomplished within the last ten years. Mr. Plant was truly a pioneer in this praiseworthy work, and there is probably no man who deserves more than he does the grateful acknowledgements of the Florida people, as well as the hearty gratitude of the countless thousands who have gone from all other sections of the country to enjoy the healing benefits of that curative climate, and the sweet restfulness of that floral dreamland.

“The Plant Investment Co., of which Mr. H. B. Plant is the head, and in which he has associated with him several sagacious millionaires, is a powerful corporation which was organized for co-operative investment in valuable southern railroad properties and advantageous control of the same. This company is managed with exceptional ability, and by its vast acquisitions and extensions, has become a great power in the railroad world, and is rapidly accumulating for its stockholders untold wealth. This Investment Company is practically controlled by Mr. Plant, and its entire policy is shaped by his judgment. One of his latest enterprises, under the auspices of the Investment Company, is the establishment of a fast line of steamers from Tampa, Florida, to Cuba. At Tampa, Mr. Plant has extended one of his railroads out to deep water, and thereby made it an excellent port for even heavy draught ships. The whole of Florida bears the impress of his energy, enterprise, and wisdom.

“Mr. Plant’s home is New York City, where he has a palatial residence on Fifth avenue, and luxurious business quarters at No. 12 West 23d street. Whenever a man amasses a fortune he naturally drifts into Wall Street, the financial centre of America. Mr. Plant is a conspicuous exception to this rule. He rarely treads the narrow golden street leading from Trinity Church to East River. There is no speculative element in his nature. He is conservative to the last degree, and works on no plan that is not founded on reason and justified by a positive trend from cause to effect. He has all the vigor and alertness usually to be found in a man of fifty years of age. He is keenly alive to all the possibilities of affairs that come under his observation, and quick to determine any question that is presented to him.

“He is a thoughtful man and extremely reserved. It is necessary to know him well to appreciate the excellent fairness of his mind, and the kindness of his heart. He is ostentatious in nothing, but under all circumstances conducts himself with modest dignity and irresistible reserve force. He is emphatically what might be called an extractive man. That is, he has an inexplicable faculty for drawing any one out, without ever appearing inquisitive, or leading on by talking much himself. If he has one characteristic stronger than all others, it is his wonderful genius for keeping his own counsel. He never lacks cordiality of manner, but is always gracious and genial. Another forceful point of his character, is that inexhaustible patience which has enabled him to live undisturbed in the faith that ‘all things come to him who knows how to wait.’

“He thoroughly systematizes every department of his life, and keeps his house in such perfect order that if he should shake the harness off and quit work to-morrow, all those far-reaching plans which have had their foundations laid under his wise direction, would by his faithful followers be worked out to rounded completeness and finished perfection.

“And thus by the mighty working of his master brain he has achieved success, won renown, accumulated an immense fortune, done great good, and made for himself an undisputed place among the leaders of this day. And besides all these victories, he has set on foot gigantic plans that may not fully mature for many years to come, but in those very plans he has laid the corner-stone of a great monument to his worthy memory, and those who come after him, if faithful to their trust, will build on as wisely as he has planned, until the capstone of his imperishable memorial is fitted in its place, by the final accomplishment of each and every purpose of his well-spent life.”

The Home Journal says:

“Henry B. Plant, president of the Plant System of hotels, railways, and steamship lines, is one of the men of to-day, whose work will influence the future. He controls twelve different railway corporations with a mileage of 1941, and 5506 employees; is president of the Southern and the Texas Express Companies, employing 6808 men; president of steamship lines, covering the coasts of the Gulf, going to Cuba and Jamaica, and skirting the coasts of the North, running to Cape Breton and the maritime provinces; founder of the most palatial winter resort in America, the Tampa Bay Hotel, and owner of five other beautiful resorts within the State. To Mr. Plant may be accredited the development, if not the real discovery, of the grand West or Gulf Coast of Florida. He is an American, and is seventy-seven years old; a man of tireless energy, wonderful ability, and remarkable industry. His career is marked by honesty, uprightness, straightforwardness, and business-like dealings. These qualities, together with a broad intelligence and keen perception, have brought him success. Withal, he is modest and unassuming, and has no pride but that which he takes in good works.”

From the Ocala Evening Star, June 22, 1896:

“H. B. Plant, the railroad king, has again stepped into our midst and proposes to add to the new improvements of our city a large and elegant passenger depot.

“Notwithstanding the fact that he has done much already to advance the prosperity of the beautiful perpetual summer land of flowers and sunshine, he is still, at the present time, losing no opportunity to add to the beauty and upbuilding of the State of Florida.

“If every railroad running into our State would feel as much interest in her welfare as does the Plant System, but a few years would elapse before this section would be the most prosperous in the Union.

“Thousands upon thousands of dollars are spent every year by the officials of this road in the improvement and erection of property within our borders.

“H. B. Plant is indeed a friend to Florida, and if other roads would spend as much money in our State as he does, there would not be such a cry for free silver, as there would be plenty in circulation, and every one, from laborer to governor, would have his share.

“While Mr. Plant is somewhat advanced in life, the Star hopes that his years may yet be many and his love for the sunny peninsula as great in coming years as in the past.”

From the Home Journal, New York, March 11, 1896:

“If, comparatively a few years ago, one had ventured the prophecy that the time would arrive when we could leave New York at half-past nine one morning, and wake up at daylight the next morning in Charleston, a court of inquiry would have been called to pass upon his mental condition. Such, however, are the facts to-day.

“You leave Jersey City in a sleeper, supplied with all of the latest appointments for comfort; a courteous conductor takes your tickets, with which you have no further concern until you reach Charleston, when they are handed to you in an envelope. What a comfort not to have to be pulling out the everlasting ticket just in the midst of conversation or while reading an interesting magazine article!

“If the cars are not crowded, you feel a sort of proprietary right to roam around at pleasure, change your seat as often as you desire, and wash your face and your hands whenever they need it in the cosy little toilet-room. What a change from the old-fashioned water-cooler, where a cupful of water was wont to be poured over a pocket-handkerchief, and the face and hands wiped with it, leaving arabesque designs in black and white wherever it touched!

“Then, instead of rushing to a railroad eating-house in order to refresh the inner man, having to put up with ‘railroad coffee,’ and experiencing a nervous shock every time a whistle blows, your meals are taken at dainty little tables, in your own compartments, where polite and efficient waiters do your bidding.

“Instead of the tiresome, old-fashioned trip of two days and a night, the trip now is twenty hours. Verily the twin powers of steam and electricity have wrought wonders in the conditions of life.

“The Plant System, to which the Atlantic Coast Line is ‘a feeder,’ has emphatically gridironed the South. To-day Mr. Henry B. Plant is the president of a railroad system that embraces twelve different corporations, and whose mileage extends to 1941, with a list of employees numbering 5506. He is also president of the Plant steamship and steamboat lines, covering the coasts of the Gulf, Cuba, and Jamaica, and skirting the coasts of the North, running from Boston along Nova Scotia to Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island. In addition to these interests, Mr. Plant is president of the Southern and Texas Express companies, which do a business as express forwarders over 24,412 miles of railway, and have lines in fifteen States, employing 6808 men and using 1463 horses and 886 wagons. Mr. Plant is seventy-six years of age. He needs no eulogy; his works speak for him. Although of Northern birth, he is as much beloved and respected at the South as if native-born.

“Thirty-six years ago, President Jefferson Davis, of the Southern Confederacy, demonstrated his confidence in, and admiration of Henry Bradley Plant by giving him a pass entitling him to move hither and thither at will through army headquarters, or wherever he pleased, in the interest of the Adams Express Company, which he then represented, although Mr. Plant declared that he did not sympathize with the political movement which sought to rend the States.

“The Tampa Bay Hotel, Port Tampa Inn, and the Seminole, Winter Park, Florida, are monuments of Mr. Plant’s enterprise and a portion of the System. From one of these palatial hotels one can catch a fish on the back porch and pluck a lemon to dress it with from the front porch. In Charleston the name of Henry B. Plant is a synonym for success, and a name which many a young man mentions with veneration, as one to which he owes a lasting debt of gratitude.”

The May number of the Express Gazette, Cincinnati, Ohio, has this appreciative paragraph:

“The editor of the Advertiser, Key West, Florida, pays the following eloquent tribute of praise to Mr. H. B. Plant, President of the Plant System of Railroads and the Southern Express Company:

“‘Mr. H. B. Plant, the president, the founder, and the controlling spirit of the great Plant System, is held in high estimate by the citizens of this island. He found it, years ago, isolated and remote from the great centres of commerce, and his partiality to us soon changed a semi-occasional connection with the mainland, by vessels of inferior character, into a tri-weekly communication by the finest coastwise steamers in the Southern waters. Brought in ready touch with the marts of trade, factories sprang into existence, commerce grew, and a city with millions of revenue supplanted a fishing hamlet. Through his enterprise we are enabled to write our history in a line—a village, a city, a metropolis—and all this in a decade.

“‘The debt of gratitude which Key West owes to Mr. Plant is beyond estimate. Indeed, so accustomed are we to the conveniences at hand, that we are prone to fail in appreciation of what we have, in our greed for more. That Mr. Plant has been and is still our best friend cannot be questioned in the light of past experience; and while we cordially welcome and hail with delight the coming of other transportation, our city should never be forgetful of the man who was our friend when we had no other.’”

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CHAPTER XI.

MR. PLANT keeps himself constantly informed of the workings of the whole System over which he presides, by daily communication with every part of it. The head of each department writes to the president every day, or telegraphs, or does both if necessary, and in return, Mr. Plant, through his secretary, replies daily to each communication received. So close does he keep to the workings of the System that wherever he travels in the country his mail is regularly delivered to him at points arranged for the purpose, and it is as promptly answered from his private car as if he were at his own office in New York City. Nor are all these letters which pass between the president and his associates about hard business; they are often social, familiar greetings, and interchanges of friendly intercourse. The following extract from a letter, written by Mr. Plant when traveling to Galveston, Texas, is an illustration of this:

NOTES OF THE VOYAGE.

“Left wharf on Steamer Comal, Saturday, July 22, 1893, 4 P.M., wind southwest. Passed Sandy Hook about 5.30, found sea smooth; well off the coast, shore houses vaguely seen in the distance.

“Sunday, 23d.—Had a still and comfortable moonlight night; smooth seas; wind southwest; off Cape Charles, twelve o’clock. About one o’clock wind all died away. The sea perfectly smooth until 2.30, when a light breeze came in from the southeast, which lasted until sunset, then died away and came out again from the west about six o’clock. Passed Body Island Light with light breeze. No sea.

“8.10 P.M.—Hatteras Light fairly abreast—ten sailing vessels and one steamer in sight. Weather being fine, captain concluded to cross the Gulf Stream and run down on the east side and along the Bahama Banks. We have now been out twenty-eight hours, and I have felt very well. No annoyance from the stomach so far in any particular.

“12 o’clock noon, Monday, 24th.—We are bowling along in the Gulf Stream with a good breeze from the west—smooth sea. Had a fairly good sleep. Room being on the port side and the wind from the west made it rather warm. At noon to-day the temperature of the water is eighty degrees and the air is eighty-two degrees, which is not so bad as might be. We are now well off Charleston and about abreast of the Bermudas.

“Tuesday, 25th.—The wind continued from the west until about four o’clock, when it ceased, and from that until nine we had a dead calm and a smooth glassy sea. Now at ten o’clock a light breeze comes in from the east, and we have prospect of a comfortable day.

“Yesterday P.M. we had crossed and were entirely east of the Gulf Stream and there was no wind, of course, in still water. While in the Stream we had a current of about three knots against us. Our course is now bringing us again near the stream, which we shall cross in the course of the day and will probably pass Jupiter before bedtime, say, nine o’clock. We are having a delightful voyage so far, and I seem to be doing quite well.

“P.M.—The southwest wind has died out and we have a gentle breeze from the east; this gives promise of the northeast trades for to-night, which will be quite acceptable and will put me on the windward side of the ship; have been on the lee side so far.

“5 P.M.—Have not seen a sail to-day, and am having a very restful time.

“9.30 P.M.—Have been with the captain since dinner, and for the last half hour on the lookout for Jupiter Light. The lead informs us that we are too far off the coast to enable us to see the Light just yet.

“9.50 P.M.—Now we just have a glimpse of the Light from the bridge, and as ‘All’s well,’ I will to my couch for the night. The winds are favoring those on the port side, having swung around to the northeast, giving a promise of the southeast trades for to-morrow; so good-night.

“Wednesday A.M.—Had a splendid shower this A.M. just after daylight, and right after the northeast wind died out and was soon followed by the good southeast trade, and now (10.30) we are sailing along just outside the reefs, having passed Cape Florida early this A.M. During the night we have passed Palm Beach (Lake Worth).

“10.30 A.M.—We are now directly abreast of Carysfort Light, and a more pleasant day to be at sea could not be desired. While at breakfast we passed near the wreck of the English steamer Earl King. She went on the reef about a year and a half ago; nothing now in sight but a portion of what looks to be the bow—a good beacon to warn others from this dangerous reef. She is reported to have been an old ship loaded with cement and other cheap freight, bound for New Orleans, and well insured.

“The indications are that we shall arrive at Key West about seven o’clock this P.M. and in time to meet the Mascotte on her return from Havana. As we have but a small freight for Key West, we shall not be long detained there, and shall expect to arrive in Galveston early Saturday night. Temperature of air at one o’clock 81¾ degrees; water 83 degrees.

“Wednesday P.M.—Passed Aligator Light one o’clock; this will bring us to Key West about eight o’clock, and enable me to place this on Mascotte without much to spare, and probably place us ashore at Galveston Sunday morning, and as you may not be in Darien Sunday, you will only receive the message at office on Monday A.M. Send to Mrs. Plant at Branford on arrival, so she may receive the information same day. Would like to have you make at least a synopsis of the daily notes to Mr. O’B., that you may send to him should he be absent. We are now well up with American Shoal Light; next we shall have Sombrero, and then Sand Key and Key West. We are likely to fall in with the Mascotte.

“We are jogging along very pleasantly with wind well on the port quarter and temperature quite comfortable.”

The following letter from Mr. Plant, published in the Home Journal, New York, March 15, 1893, speaks for itself. It shows its author to be at home on shipboard, and as much at his ease as in his own parlor; while carefully noting all points of interest and enjoying to the full all that was enjoyable.

On Board S. S. “Halifax,”
Sunday, Feb. 26, ’93.

“We sailed from Port Tampa on Thursday, February 16th, and after a delightfully smooth and pleasant trip arrived at Nassau, N. P., on Saturday morning. A number of our party were entertained by the Honorable Sir Ambrose Shea, governor of the island; others of us preferred to pass the few hours in riding and driving, seeing something of the beauties of the place. We returned to the steamer in the afternoon and got under way, passing out of the harbor through the “Hole in the Wall,” as it is called. We steamed down over the banks, passing along the eastern shore of the island, and leaving Cape Mayce on our starboard, until away over to port were seen the highlands of Hayti.

“All the way from Port Tampa to Jamaica, the weather was simply delightful, and the sea as smooth as the waters of our Seneca Lake. We arrived at the wharf at Kingston at seven o’clock Tuesday morning. Our excursionists all went to the Myrtle Bank Hotel, where choice accommodations were provided. We received a call from the Consul-General of the United States, Mr. Dent, and also visits from other important people of the city of Kingston. In the afternoon we received an invitation, conveyed to the party through our conductor, Mr. A. E. Dick, a hotel man well known in New York, to attend a garden party given by Lady Blake at King’s House. Lady Blake is the wife of Sir Henry Blake, the governor of the island. We found a large crowd of people, a gracious welcome, exquisite music and bountiful refreshment. Only think of it—an out-of-door reception on the twenty-first day of February!

“In the evening we were surprised to learn that a grand ball would be given in our honor by the citizens of Kingston. It proved a very brilliant affair. The beautiful costumes of the ladies formed a striking contrast to the military costumes of the officers of the British West Indian Squadron; there were eight ships in the harbor.

“We were called very early in the morning, coffee and fruit being served in our rooms, and took carriages to the Western Railway station, whence we started by rail for Bog Walk, on the Rio Cobre River. We arrived at half-past ten. After leaving the train our attention was called to a group of negro men and women who were engaged in loading bananas into a car for transportation to the city of Kingston and thence to the United States.

“At Rio Cobre, we enjoyed one of the most beautiful drives that your correspondent has ever experienced, down the valley of the Rio Cobre, a most beautiful sheet of water, and after a ride of two hours, reaching Spanish Town, one of the principal cities on the island of Jamaica. It was at Spanish Town that a son of Christopher Columbus settled when he came to the island of Jamaica. We were entertained by the proprietor of the Rio Cobre Hotel, where we remained until the afternoon, when we again took train for our headquarters at Myrtle Bank, in Kingston.

“Early the following morning we were called, fruit and coffee were again served in our rooms, and we started at six o’clock for a drive of twenty-five miles over and across the beautiful mountain ranges and towards the north coast of the island. At ten o’clock we arrived at the Castleton Gardens, a beautiful spot owned and sustained by the government as a garden of acclimation. Here are found the grandest of all tropical palms. At the hotel connected with the gardens we partook of a royal breakfast, into which entered many different kinds of fruit. After a stop of two hours we resumed our journey over the mountains, and in the distance we obtained a good view of the lovely Annotta bay.

“En route, we visited a sugar estate where we saw the conversion of sugar-cane into Jamaica rum of the first quality. Most of the labor is performed by Malays, brought from the valley of the Ganges in India, who while here are compelled to labor in competition with the negroes. The men are paid at the rate of one shilling and six pence per day, while the women receive only one shilling per day. I can assure you, from the manner in which they work, it is evident that they earned every penny they received. By the way, the coachman who drove us, informed me that his wages were ten shillings per week of seven days’ continuous work and he has to board himself out of that pittance.

“On the afternoon of this day, Friday, we were well off the coast of Jamaica, homeward bound. Now as I write, Sunday morning, we are approaching Egmont Key, which is situated at the entrance of Tampa Bay. Soon we shall be docked, and soon thereafter at that haven which has been so often described but to which no writer to my mind has done justice—the Tampa Bay Hotel.”

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CHAPTER XII.

There is perhaps no greater source of waste in our country than that of labor strikes, which have become of frequent occurrence during the last two decades. There is great waste of material from the destructive violence of infuriated mobs. In 1877, the great railway strikes of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Pennsylvania and Erie Systems, resulted in the destruction of sixteen hundred cars, one hundred and twenty-six locomotives, and five million dollars worth of property. A report made in 1895 by the United States Commissioner of Labor (covering a period of twelve years and six months, that is, from January 1, 1881, to June 30, 1894) on strikes in the United States, gives the following suggestive statistics. We read that the number of strikes was 14,390, affecting 69,167 establishments. The number of employees thrown out of work was 3,714,406. Loss of wages during this period to the striking workmen amounted to $163,-807,866. From lockouts the loss was $26,685,516. The losses to employers from the same cause were, from strikes $82,590,386, and from lockouts $12,235,451. The losses to employees and employers amount to the enormous sum of $285,319,219. And this is only a part of the losses, for it does not take into account the cost of police, detectives, and soldiers, required to protect persons and property. In one strike eight thousand of the latter force alone were needed to subdue riots, and save life and property. What estimate can be made of the damage to commerce, the disorganization of labor, the demoralization of the laborers, the families broken up and scattered, the hate and bitterness engendered? The corporation, therefore, that can co-operate peacefully with its working force adds much wealth and moral progress to the nation, as well as legitimate profits to its own treasury, and comfort, well-being, and happiness to its employees. There is mutual advantage on both sides, and far reaching and beneficial influence on all sides. There must be justice and consideration for the workman from the employer, and there must always be justice and appreciation from the workman to the man who gives him work,—mutual interest, benefit, and advantage. It is greatly to the credit of the Plant System, that the public has never suffered inconvenience in travel from strikes among its large working force, that the men have not suffered in person or estate, and that the company has been saved losses and crosses from this hydra-headed monster, “Conflict between labor and capital.” That these evils have been avoided, is due to the head of this great System, due to his sense of justice, to his personal knowledge of, and friendly interest in such a large number of the employees, and to a large-hearted consideration for the weaknesses of human nature. Mr. Plant was one day riding in a baggage car, when he saw an expressman turn wrong side up a box that had been marked “Glass.” He called attention to the fact. “That box,” said he to the man, “is marked ‘Glass’ and should be kept ‘glass’ side up as marked.” “Oh I know it is marked ‘Glass,’ but I never pay any attention to that,” said the expressman. Mr. Plant said no more. When the man and the superintendent of the express office were alone together, the superintendent said to the man, “Do you know who that gentleman was who spoke to you about the box marked ‘Glass’?”—“No.”—“Well, that was Mr. Plant, the president of the express company.”—“Oh my! that means my dismissal sure.”—“Yes, I think it does; I shall have to dismiss you”; and he said, later, to Mr. Plant, “I shall dismiss that man of course.” “No,” said the president. “Don’t discharge him; call him to your office and impress it upon him that that is not the way this company does its business, and he won’t forget it.” The man has been long a faithful and efficient employee of the company. Mr. Plant’s name does not figure as often as do some others in lists of large donations to churches and charities of deserving character, though they have not been passed by without recognition, and kind and generous treatment of the deserving men in his employ have never been wanting. While travelling with Mr. Plant to Atlanta, one of the heads of a department reported to him that an old gentleman who held an honored and important position in the System was greatly broken down with nervous prostration. “Send him to his home to remain until he is well, and remit his salary all the same.” It was remarked by a bystander that he thought that that was very kind of the president. “Oh,” was the answer, “that is only a regular occurrence to those of us who have been with President Plant as long as I have.”

Those who have read the blood curdling accounts of some of the strikes that have occurred within the past ten years, and have experienced some of the inconveniences and dangers resulting from them, will contrast such accounts with what was seen on “Plant Day” at the Atlanta Exposition, and on all other days throughout the South as well, and will feel that the account of that day was worthy of a place in the record of the noble life we are endeavoring to preserve as an example to public men and as a lesson and inspiration for coming generations. We let the associates and employees of the Plant System tell their own story. It was printed in a beautiful pamphlet as a souvenir of the day, and was specially designed for those whose devotion to duty prevented them from sharing, in person, the pleasures of that memorable day. With the exception of a few paragraphs of biographical matter contained in other sections of the volume, or merely of temporary interest, the account is published in full in a later chapter.

It is as creditable to the men who have stood around their president most faithfully in his arduous labors, as it is honorable to him who has led them on to noble achievement, and deserved success. Mr. Plant’s methods of management are worthy of highest commendation, and would repay careful study in like conditions. If any man were to discover a plan for extinguishing fire that would to save the country $285,390,219, in the course of a dozen years, the insurance companies would purchase his patent for a large sum of money, and the country would raise monuments to his honor. Mr. Plant’s method is even better; it is on the philosophical principle of prevention. It prevents the kindling of the flames, and while it may not be absolutely fire-proof, it has stood a long and severe test. We honor him and his loyal associates and employees for the more than peaceful course they have left on record. We say “more than peaceful” for it has been a course of mutual concessions, personal interest, and friendly association, as the following chapters will show. Nor is the view taken in these chapters narrowed to special and individual cases. It is as broad as the South linked to the North, and covers the whole United States; for no part of our country can be advanced without every other part sharing in the uplift.

It would not be surprising if the best part of Mr. Plant’s work should fail to be recognized. People see the material progress of a State, the things that can be measured, weighed, and valued at a price; the subtle forces that produce the material are often overlooked. The intellectual, moral, patriotic, and philanthropic spirit that moves the man and diffuses itself throughout the State or nation is not the first thing that arrests attention. Yet this unrecognized force is the great uplifting power of a people in all that is best and noblest in their onward march of progress. It is now an axiom that the North and South did not know and understand each other previous to the late war; that if they had understood each other, a war such as the revolt of the Southern States would never have occurred, would, in fact, have been impossible. The facilities afforded for travel and the superior hotel accommodations which have been provided by, and have resulted from, the Plant System, have brought North and South together in mutual interest and friendly accord to such an extent that a war can never again take place, for these two sections of our country are so interlaced, interdependent, and identified in interest, and withal in such friendly association, that the misunderstandings of the past can never again arise. It is a fact of history, that in proportion as nations, races, and religions come closer to each other, the causes of conflict are, to the same degree, lessened. A homely illustration of this fact is contained in the story of the Irishman who was walking along the Strand in London one morning, when through the fog he discovered a monster from which, at first, he was going to run away; then, grasping his shillelah, he came close up to the monster intending to kill the “baste,” when “lo and behold,” said Pat, “it was me brother John!” So it often comes to pass that the monster in the distance to be annihilated, in closer proximity is a brother to be loved.

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CHAPTER XIII.