Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1894-06-21

more generally called % her immense re-
sources in recent yesfs. how little people
realize that IL Ii the very best locality in
the wtHid for growing serni-tropicai prod
ucts How many Nonhern people sppre-
ciate what fine State IL Ia for small farms,
truck gardening and qHick returns for in
vestment in the soiis
William Writ, who was Attorney Gene
ri under President Monroe, and served
from 1917 TO 1920, knew even In that ear1y
period the great possibilities OF Florida,
aad made some endeavor to settIe il by col
onization Of emigrants from Manauca, IN
island of the coast Of France. Benes and
Farrigu. two sturdy and thrifty Manau-
Gains. headed the colony, and from its stock
was produced our great naval hero, Admi-
raj Fsragut, and other American citizens
since distinguished In military and civil
life. Only fur hours from jacksonville to
garden Of Eden south of it, Only f45
miles from Jacksonville to Kissimmee,
wherti Hamilton Disston. the millionaire
manufacturer Of Philadelphia, has pur-
chased for development Of small farms, e.
well as for the cultivation of immense
tracts for the growing OF srgar-cane and
other semi-tropical products. over Q .O00. 900
acres Of the richest lands In the United
States.
| During nearly twelve years Of ceaseless
labor and the expenditure Of millions Of
dollars . great transformation has taken
place in the vicinity Of Kissimmee The
venturous traveller of twelve years ago who
found here an almost unexplored wilder.
ness, with the luxuriant vegetation resem-
bling an African jungle, viii to-day upon
his return find, among other things, 1900
acres Of magnificent sugar cane, field Of
over 1000 acres now ready for planting In
rice, q sugar mill and rice mill, which
have probably no equal, but certainly no
superiors, In this country. He will also
find the busy settler erecting his dwelling
upon the broad and fertile acres-the man
from the North building pretty cottage
upon beautiful beaches of the crystal lakes
that here and there stud this domain. He
viii find completed eighty miles of canals
and waterways and no less than $50 miles
Of continuous waterways which have been
opened up from lake to lake, extending
fron Kissimmee City to the Gulf Of Mexi.
CO. The land is eminently suitable for su-
gar-cane, tobacco, rice, pineapples, pears,
peaches, oranges, lemons, tangarines and
nectarines, casava root and all the known
garden truck, which can be produced at q
very low cost, continuous crop the entire
year, II 50 desired, and be brought TO the
Northern markets. during q season when IL
will demand the highest obtainable price
for such productions. There is no land
better suited than this for cattle ranges, for
horses, sheep and hogs.
The farmers Of the North will find new|
means of easy access whereby they can
largely multiply the products oftheir laborl
As soon as he has finished his harvest in
the North he will have farm upon thesS
lands during the winter far richer In rel
suits than the one obtained from his North |
ern farm and with much lees expense, and
will have his labors finished before he need
begin his spring blowing in the North o
Northwest. This, of course, viii only b
The case with those who cannot for varioul
reasons make permanent change OF real
dence, and there is already under content
plation the erection by Northern capital
lists Of sanitarium, the climate being ex
ceptionally salubrious and the sanitary
conditions exceptionally good; and Wild
can tell (if such magnificent palaces as ard
found in ST. Augustine can exist where nal
ture has been less magnanimous or proliI
! flc, what will not be the result here, wherd
she has scattered her graces and her wealth
SO promiscuously
The future settlement of this magnificent
estate, for such It Is, legitimately won In I
contest worthily waged by science and en1
terprise, is of interest to the people of ths|
United States In many ways. Not only
does it promise TO be the garden spot ofthe
United States, where the thrifty settler NAV
be passing rich on the product of q twenty
acre farm, but it viii introduce different
conditions to tho Sc now prevalent in most
sections of the country. Tillage, not rob-
berry, Of the soil must characterize husban-
dry on those reclaimed lands, while the
small size of tine farm will do away with
the isolation and loneliness of our quarter
section system, with farm houses at least q
half mile apart. This settlement will in
time present community living under the
ideal conditions of country life.
Transportation facilities are excellent
The Cuban Fast Mail from Boston and
New York passes through Kissimmee, the
central town in their district From this
point to deep-water navigation on the ST.
Johns Is forty miles, the ocean and Indian
River are only thirty five miles and 10 tide
water on the gulf is but seventy Eve miles.
The South Florida Railway connects Kis-
simlnee with these two points. The St.
Cloud Sugar Belt Railroad penetrates into
the heart Of the sugar lands and Is one of
fha host enuinDod roadu ;u tya Cta@a Ers<o