The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1889-06-04
Terms of Su description.
ANNEXATION.
Major Chipley Interviewed ON the
Subject While i'm Atlanta.

Major ChipIey Interviewed ON the
Subject While I'm Atlanta.
'The subject is being generally agi-
tated by the newspapers and is being very
much talked about-that is all as yet"
The speaker was Major w. d. Chipley,
vice. president of the Pensacola and At
lantic railroad, who has been in Atlanta
some days.
The question to which he referred was
that of annexation of Western Florida to
Alabama, and his remark was brought
out by telegram from the little Florida
city which bears his name
eyes," continued Major Chpley, that
project is just now the sole topic of dis
cussion in Western Florida The news
papers started it, and the people have, of
course, taken it up. The sentiment
Well, / should say the sentiment was con-
siderably divided. speak only for my
self, but | make it point to take hold of
nothing which, in my opinion, cannot be
carried to success, and don't much think
the rest Of Florida is ready to let 60 of
that valuable western part
GLOW is the sentiment in the territory
proposed to be annexed 2"
"Some Of the strong men Of Western
Florida are for the change; some of my
strongest friends. But there are, at the
same time, many who think otherw ise
This question, you know, was first
brought up duving the reconstruction
days. At that time the sentiment in
Western Florida was unanimously for an
nexaton. That portion was then practi-
caly shut off from The rest of the state.
70 get from Pensacola to Tallahassee !.
man had to 90 by the way OF Mpntgom-
cry. Of course it is different now, and
there is no CRYING need for any change
that | can see. "
1.-The arguments for it are"
Chat Alabama, with it's big congress
sional delegation, could do no more for
Pensacola and the whole of Western Flor
ida than Florida does; that Pensacola
would be made a great port, and that the
business of Alabama would 20 through
that port. The opposition urges that the
best thing to do is to so a cad and de-
velOp the country that there are no az
surances that Alabama will do any more
for Pensacola and that section than Flor
ida, and that the trade of Alabama will
not be controlled by sentiment but will
continue sending it's commerce to Savan-
nah or New Orleans "
How could such a transfer of prop
erty be made"
"Only by both States, through their
legislatures, agreeing to it. Alabama
would, OF course, have TO pay a big sum
for such valuable territory.
"Thcre is also talk Of adding Middle
Florida to Georgia.
Georgia would gain no seaport Of any
note, but it would get the best farming
country in all Florida The eastern
boundary OF Western Florida is the Apa-
achicola river and Middle Florida lies
between this and the Suwannee river.
Tallahassee, the State capital, is included
in Middle Florida. That might raise the
State capital question, some of the South
Florida cities iavorlny this annexation
to Georgia in order to get Tallahassee
out Of the way"
"The meeting to be held at Chipley on
the 4th OF July promises To be most in
teresiing occasion. Those who favor the
Alabama annexation will be there, and So
Will those who oppose ii, and there Is fun
ahead"
please remember" was Major Chip
ley's parting remark, = that am express
ing nobody's opinion but my own"
NOT FOR SALE
The interview with Col.W. ID. Chip!ev,
from Georgia paper, reproduced in this
issue Of the Times Union, will be read
with interest. Florida is such a great
and glorious State that all her neighbors
are reaching out to get slice of her in
comparable soil and climate A little
leaven would Tighten the whole lump Of
Alabama, Georgia, and the rest but
Florida will remain intact. You might
as well content yourselves, esteemed con