The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1889-01-30
Sanford.


Sanford, less than five years ago; was
nothing more than a nleagre collection
OF buildings, just beginning to respond to
the advances of civilization: while to-day
she is conceded by all who have traversed
the State for thepurpOsesO finvestigati
and observation and are thereby quail
fed to give an opinion, as the future me-
tropolis of South Florida. From this
almost nothingness she has, in less than
five years, attained a position Of suprem-
acy unchallenged in the matter of pOpu-
lation, enterprise and wealth by any city
below the twenty-ninth parallel orstrict-
.ly speaking in South Florida This growth
is the result of natural causes, such as
superior location in the matter of geo.
graphical position and transportation
facilities, by virtue of our great water
highway, whose navigation is arrested at
our doors, and by being the terminus of
numerous railroads.. u
Nothing succeeds like success" applies
to cities as well as other enterprises, and
now that success is ours let us strive to
succeed. Less force is required to keep
the wheels of progress moving after they
once begin than is needed to start the
machinery going. To start them requires
the greatest effort, and the brawniest
shoulders must bend to the work and so
with us an undertaking which a few years
ago would have appeared almost,i i'm fact,
positively, unsurmOuntable with our then
very limited resources, would to-day re-
quire very little effort to accomplish, and
are of almost daily occurrence without
exciting unusual comment, and it must
be so, if we would hold theproud position
we occupy to-day. Other avenues of prog
ress must be opened at once, factories
OF all kinds, street railways to develop
outlaying sections, and bring the business
portion within reach of all without the
expense of keeping a team, or of a
fatiguing walk, all these mustcome. Other
cities are springing up all around us
ready to Wrest our title OF metropolis
from us, and it behOOves us to be on the
ALERT lest our achievements be supported
Dey o,er rivals. Let us put ourselves
fancled security So -orsad not rest in that
portant commercial centre mustz,.-.4- I'M
exist in South Florida. Manufacturing
industries will gradually focus at one
point, and what city can grasp the situa-
ton more easily than Sanford? The great
regions of swamp land south of us, now
draining, are some day destined to be the
great rice, sugar and perhaps tobacco
fields OF the country. These staple prod
ucts undergo certain processes Of prepa-
ration in order to lessen their bulk and
partially prepare them for Northern use,
and why should Sanford not avail herself
of the opportunity to secure and profit
by these interests? Her citizens are with
out superiors in business ability, her
wealth is probably as great as any city
in the whole country OF the same size and
age, and in our opinion, neglect on our
part, unconcern and passiveness will be
the only cause of failure, for failure it
would be, for after all, that city which Sc
cures pre-eminence as acommercial center,
and supremacy in manufacturing indus
tries will be the solid city, "the house not
built on sand. Stanford Mascotte.