The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-27

talked with contractors and builders In
Tampa, to learn what such houses could
be built for, and could get no figures be-
low $500 for the same house which is being
built by the Tampa Company. (You will
remem Der that the price at which the
Company puts them In, is $500.
AZ to their durability, they are all set
upon brick foundations, shingled with
the best cypress shingles and are well
painted. They have blinds, are ceiled in
side, and Mr.. Gillett Is now arranging to
furnish them with running water. They
are substantially built and convenient
cottages.
There are no rival companies I'm the
field building houses, though individuals
have built a few here and there, but the
houses built by the Tampa Building and
Investment Company are more substsn-
TALLY built and are in every way better
than any others that ! saw, renting for 20
per week.
The manufacturer of cigars do not
seem disposed to build houses for their
operatives, and there appears to be two
reasons for this: One IL, that the manu-
iacturers require a large capital
for their business, and as they
are increasing it all the time,
they have no surplus TO put into
houses, and another reason is, that the
operatives prefer to rent from outside
parties, so as not be bound In any way to
the company by whom they are employed.
i found the lots which have been Sc
lected by the Tampa Company well To-
Gated. They are the highest and best
lots of any in West Tampa or Ybor City.
j think these lots are fully worth what
they are put in ut, $500 each, and that
they are likely to increase very ma
teriaily in value. / believe the lots
alone in five years will be worth as much
or more, than the house aud lot together
are now worth. This enterprise is not
like q town built on paper, where the
manufacturing interest and all industries
are to be established and built up, but
the factories which are being moved
there come with an established bust
ness and as soon ss their factories are
erected, the employees at once become
wealth producers, and they need houses
to occupy; 1t is,therefore, the transferring
OF an industry from one point to another
and not the esta blishment OF a new or
and hazardous undertaking.
While at Tampa | visited Port Tampa
learn something of the shipping. /
found there the immense operations OF III.
b. Plant, the great railroad and steam
boat man. ] saw in operation what was
said TO be the largest or one OF the largest
dredging machines in existence. 1t was
used to cut a canal from the head OF
he dock to the main land, a distance
should say OF nearly one half mile. This
will Die the ships to ON inland md
receive from the trains, phosphate and
~ hn faofarfal uykf0k 49, - -.- d--- |
INTO the ships instead of hoist
IDg it as is done now. / learned
hat last year there were over
10000 tons OF phosphate shipped from
his port. A great many fish are taken
this point for export something like
half a million dollars worth annually. A
fibre industry has been estab-
ished at Tampa and Mr.. Gitfett mas located
me or two manufacturing concerns in
Vest Tampa.
1 found Tampa equipped with electric
DADS, electric lights, city water and such
ther modern c~onveniences as are to be
ound IN any We'll appointed city of that
ize. j was surprised TO find such excel
stores with such large stocks of
should say the drug stores were
quail to the drug stores of Providence.
III the Nicaragua canal is put through,
8 II probably will be, Tampa will practi.
ally have a first mortgage upon 1t, as it
the first point in the United States
'hich can be reached for the quick trans
OF the perishable goods which
ill come through this canal.
In talking with the leading bankers and
usiness men OF Tampa, / found that the
Ulcers OF the Tampa Building and
ComDany stood ma
ell in Florida as they do North.
believe the facts as stated in their pros
ectus are entirely correct and / think
ell enough of the investment to feel sat-
fled in taking some OF the preferred
.ock for myself. Most Respectfully,
JOHN BABCoCK.