Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-09
Building Model Towns.

Florida is large State, beautiful and
progressive one. Its advantages and the
inducements it offers to immigrants are
almost beyond belief, but they are genu-
| inc. While there are millions OF acres OF
very valuable and fertile land in Florida.
/ up to a recent date it has been believed
that there were a good many thousand
acres in that State that we're almost, II
not quite. worthless, and which were un-
saleable even at merely nominal prices.
Some enterprsng Eastern capitalists
have recently discovered that these black
jack barrens may be made the most pro-
ductive land in the State, by a course Of
treatment which is novel In the South,
and somewhat heroic in its nature. The
lands are not cleared, plowed. fertilized
and irrigated. as many would naturally
suppose. The purchasers do not devote
them to the production OF farm crops,
vegetables or semI-tropical fruits. That
would be too expensive and risky a bust
ness. They have found out that the only
thing much OF this waste soil is fit for Is
to be converted into sites for cities and
towns.
Every few DAYS there is issued in some
OF the leading Northern journals beautiful
maps Of attractive towns, to be built IN
the near future, If a sufficient number Of
supplemented people can be induced to
buy lots there and become residents.
They all have attractive names, and the
alleged streets are named after military
heroes and statesmen, and the beautiful
q
the squares and natural" parks, and
church and school lots are dotted off in
the most charming manner possible.
Then the lots are so cheap--corners that
may some daY be worth thousands being
offered at the low price OF 80 each, while
centre lots may be had at three for $40.
To read the advertisements one would
suppose that many great philanthroplsts
were uniting their fortunes in order TO
benefit poor and suffering humanity. This
delusiOn is only dispelled when it is dis
covered that the land is only worth in the
market about so cents per acre on, say
cents per lot of % by 100 feet, and that the
principal Improvements are the drawing
Of the maps and the expenditure OF few
hundred dollars in advertising.
One county in Florida, which is already
pretty we'll supplied with real and grow
ing towns and villages, has five or six
large cities projected within its limits,
and several dozen such places are ex-
pected to be located this winter.
Florida is a good State for people to go
10, whether they are mere tourists or
actual settlers; but, as the MORNING
NEWS has often intimated, those who
wish to invest money or make their homes
there should visit the State, and only buy
lands that are valuable and desirable;
and if town lots are wanted, the pros
pector should be certain that they are not
too far from a real town.
A few years ago a snide firm of adver-
Using agents in New York offered the
country papers all over the Union. lots
valued at 500 each in a Long Island
suburban resort within one hour by rail
Of the metropolis. for about $40 worth Of
advertising. An investigation showed
that the town was located on sandy
beach, and that the only living beings
that ever resorted to 1t were raccoons.
waterfowl and mosquitoes. It's believed
that several Georgia editors now own
''property' there, that is if they were so
fortunate as to get their deeds.
We need hundreds Of new enterprises in
the South, but we should not too much
encourage this wholesale off-hand way of
manufacturing cities and towns.