The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-10-02

NOR that Mr.. Disston had sold four mil
lion acres of land to an English syndi-
cate has been confirmed" Will our
contemporary be kind enough to tell us
how "confirmcd ,"
In the first place Mr.. Disston had but
two million acres, having let Sir Edward
Reed take the other two million acres
In the second place Mr.. Disston has not
sold his remaining lands to English or
any other syndicate at any price. We
did not notice the mere rumor of the sale,
but when the Bee claims it as "well con-
6rmed " we think it time the correction
was made Will the Bee make the cor
rection?
We have no doubt Mr. Disston is try.
ing to sell off his lands as rapidly as pos
sible His expenses and taxes are enor-
nous, and he must necessarily sell TO
clear himself, az it would be suicidal to
hold. But would his selling injure the
State? The Bee gives the proper an
swer in the following extract from its ar
ticle:
We know of no reason why the change Of
proprietorship should result in injury to Florida
progress or in any way initiate against her
bright prospects. On the contrary, it may re-
suit in good, as it is understood that the English
men will al an early date establish line of
steamers between The ports of London and Fer
nandina.
The Bee further says that " if Disston
could secure one dollar per acre for the
whole tract why did not the State realize
half that amount" AS we have before
stated, Mr. Disston has not made the sale,
but if he had the Bees question could be
easily answered. The Disston sale was
What wonderful changes have taken place
since! Thousands of acres OF land, both
public and private, in South Florida that
could have been then purchased from
so cents per acre what the State had long
asked for bodies of five thousand acres)
up to $3.50 per acre, cannot now be pur-
chased from private individuals Tor less
than 500 to $50 per acre, and large guam
titles are held at much higher prices.
Why have the taxable values in the State
run up from thirty-one millions then to
over fifty millions now? Why was rail
road building then at a standstill, and
why did it suddenly undergo a change
giving us already during the present
administration over six hundred miles
with thousands of hands pushing forward
the good work:
The Disston sale was the key note to
the whole situation. Capitalists would
not advance money on Gland grant char
ters to railroads for the simple reason
the State could give no titles to the land.
When the debt was practically paid, the
lands were released and good and clear
titles could be given--and have been and
are being given ever since AS to the
probability, as the Bee says, of the re.
naming lands being consumed by
" claimants or attorneys" there need be
no fear. The Trustees will preserve the
! fund intact, and the roads will be built.
Wait and see the prediction fulfilled.
There is not the slightest grounds for
unpasinass ON that score.
Not only did the Disston sale give an
impetus to railroad building, but it advcr-
tised the State as it was never advertised
before American and European capital
became largely interested, and real estate,
in South Florida particularly, rapidly ad-
vanced. Now as the Disston purchase
was one of the chief causes Of this great
advance has he not legitimate right to
hope for and expect some advance in his
own lands? That sale has been the
cause, directly and indirectly, of adding
at least ten millions to our taxable resour-
ces.
Besides, if Mr.. Dsston were to sell at
81 per acre his profits would not be half
as large as some suppose. The money he
paid was worth it's interest for two years ;
his taxes for two years will be large
making his selections, keeping offices in
Jacksonville and Philadelphia, and send
ing agents to Europe and establishing
agencies there; his sale to the Reed
syndicate, and his immense advertising
necessarily amount to hundreds of
thousands of dollars Then deduct
commissions he would necessarily pay
in Europe If he made sale, and the
profits would not loom up as the unin-
formed seem to suppose. No, should he
be so fortunate as to make sale and a
profit, the State has nothing to lose, as
the State has already reaped largely from
it. In railroads, in increased values to
real estate, in reduction of taxation and
other ways, it has had leading tendency
to build up the State.