The Florida star., 1901-07-26
FAVORS THE RIVER ROAD.
Malabar Property Owner Looks At IN.
Matter In Right Light.


Editor Of The Star.
How differently We see things. This
thought is prompted by noting the result
of the vote in Malabar upon she location
OF the county road
To my mind one Of the greatest obsta-
cles in. the way of the development Of
Breyard county has been the location Of
the north and south county road.
Strangers driving through the county
cannot help arriving at the conclusion
that the Indian river country is aboat
the poorest. most desolate and unattract-
i've region in Florida. After driving tor
fifty or hundred miles through oak and
palmetto scrub and hatwoods, rarely see
ing any evidence Of homes, after expert
encing the delay and annoyance attend
ing the crossing of the streams by means
OF rope and lighter, what q FelIef it
must be to find that they are finally ont
OF Brevard county, and are permitted
now and then 70 see an attractive looking
home. And if they are asked TO give an
opinion on the Indian river country it is
not difficult to imagine what il would be.
We have hundreds of attractive homes
on the river, but We are afraid to have
anybody see them, and so we locate the
principal road back out of sight in the
scrub. 1t is impossible 10 tell man liv-
ing in the next town how to find resi-
dence in Malabar, if he proposes to drive
there. Most men have little hesitancy
about exploring peoples backyards and
groves in search of house The chances
are good for running into a dog, whose
reception will be anything but encourag-
ing.
In Melbourne the front street, which
ought TO be the most attractive street in
the village, runs alongside of stables,
Outhouses and back yards, making 1T
really wide alley. Evidently when the
roads were laid out il was anticipated
that the people would always travel by
sailboat, and the only use for roads would
be to haul wood and saw-logs. And so
long as they are located where they are
they never will be used for anything else
except in case of dire necessity.
A ride of ten miles over the clay roads
of Orange county takes one past scores
of nice houses, orange groves and other
attractive features, and gives pleasant
and favorable impression of the country.
A ride over the county road through
townships 81, 2S, 20, etc, in Brevard.
county, would make man wonder how
the Indian river country ever came 10
have any reputation as the garden spot
of the east coast"
We expect railroads 10 run through
fields and byways, where the right-of-
way is easily secured, but in most sec
tons people locate their carriage roads in
front of their homes, so as To make them
easily accessible. The construction of a
good wagon road following as closely as
possible the bank of the Indian river
would 90 further than anything yet at
tempted TO promote the settlement and
development of the central portion of
Brevard county; while the building of
shell-roads back in the fat-woods, where
nobody lives, is reckless, if not crimi-
nal, waste of the money of the people.
own as pretty and attractive front
as there is in Malabar. On some accounts
l would dislike 70 have a road through it,
but the advantages which would accrue
to the neighborhood and the county at
large would far outweigh any personal
inconvenience which might suffer.
This is the way the road question looks
to Yours truly,
l.. P. BRANCH.
Mason City, Iowa, July 10th.