The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-04
By WILL T. SHEEHAN.

Century. Florida. At CrosSett and Gen. tury. however. the biz mills are the cn- place. while at Florala the big mill is nanked by several other concerns sec. ond only In importance and there are half dozen other money bringing in- stitutions established in the woods : around about. Florala Is. as it were, a fixed planet about which circle the lit- tie tributary towns grown up about the various industries and which receives nance.
 The constant inflow and outflow, of money in the conduct of these import ant and varied enterprises has demand handle the business of Florala and its enterprises. These banks are the Flo- rala Bank and the Interstate Bank. each of which has capital stock of The few facts herein recorded are sufficient proof of Floralas importance as 2 turpentine and timber center. and which a reasonable man will admit, are sumcient proof of the towns claim of being the timber and turpentine capital or not only Alabama, but of the South. Tn them may be seen claarly how the little city of the Florida line has drawn
 But in addition to all this, the town IS an Important railroad center. a town or l,50o people, having three railroads, separate and distinct, and each reach-
 
 South Alabama and North Florida. is in itself remarkable. The Towns Railroads.
 | The first of these is the Yellow River and starting at Crestview, Fla. The road connects at Crestview with the line of the Louisville and Nashville tion with Pensacola. It is perfectly natural that this connecting link should be acquired by the Louisville and Nashville Road and the announce sition by that road had been consum- mated was the occasion for no surprise. This same old Yellow River Road was the first to be built into Florala, hav- lss4. 1ss gone into the town as early as
 The coming of the Central was certainty about two years ago. It was on the big Jackson lumber plant: The Paxton Mill was up and doing business. A Montgomerian, F. s. Hinkley. was in- terested then in this plant and he took in and in assisting in the laying the Foundation for the towns future pros perity.
 Some time later than the building of the Central the Louisville and Nash vile threw another of its branch lines into the town, coming in from the Geneva branch. distance of approxi- mately twenty-fiye miles, These rail of future. The shrewd men who are at the head of the railroad saw ahead the importance the town would assume even before 1t had taken its first start in its rapid development.
 With their coming the place took a squirt forward. The old Hughes farm was divided up and sold into town put on the market went like ginger cakes at an emancipation day cele- bration. Wooden stores sprang up rala. a mile away, ceased to be except as residence suburb for some of the towns business men.
 The second stage of the growth of building of substantial brick stores for future usefulness. When the census was taken four years ago, which was some time after. the coming of the Yel- people in the town. And at that time Florala could not boast of single brick structure. It was about two ing with brick. These days there are over a score of brick stores and at the present time handsome two-story structure with plate glass windows, pressed brick front and occupying a half block is being built for the use of the Florala Bank and a large mer- cantile establishment.
 Developing a Town.
 Along about this time a Florala man bought forty-f1ve acres of land a mile or so out. For these forty-five acres this man paid only $500. The other day he bought three and a half acres this comparatively small strip of land he had to pay $350 or $50 more than he paid for the first forty-five acres. This indicates in way the gr9wth in stance of the same kind may be given. Something over two years ago a new conner bought lot in the business dis $500, It was good price to pay for the lot in those days, although the town had already felt the impetus of new advance. Yet the owner of the same lot lot feW % days ago refused to let
 But 1vhat of the future? What Is to become of Florala's prosperity some nfteeen .e years % from now when the tur- lures?
 These questions rise in the mind of the It observant visitor who comes to Florala and sees Its present dependence which has. however, brought it unqual- fled prosperity. The leading men of the town are fully awake to the need of the future, It is one of the most public spirited places In all Southeast Alabama, and that Is saying a good deal. The town is reaching out in a systematic and aggressive way for new farmers and new citizens of Florala. A condition is coming on that they are now preparing to meet, the condition that will be brought about by the ex- haustion of the pine and timer lands. It Is estimated aout Florala that the yellow pine lands of all the neighbor- ing companies with the exception of those owned by the Jackson Lumber Company, will be exhausted within g. period of fifteen years. As for the Jackson lands the way they are being worked now 1t Is figured out that they will furnish food for the saws for the next twenty-five years.
 The country about F1oraia is thinly and sparse1y settled. Up to the time the mills came in there were very few farmers located near the Florida line. either in Florida or in Alabama 4 few more have come in as the town grew. but the section around about Is not comparable in farming interests with other sections of Southeast Ala bama a little further east and a little further north. To get in farmers iS now the aim and object of the town of Florala
 Working along this line the Florala Development Company Is doing va1ua- ble service. W. B. Gilmer. Secretary of the company. publishes a monthly Copies of the papers exploiting the fertility, the cneapness and the desir- ability of the soils Of Southern Ala. bama and Northern Florida are circu- | lated all over the country. The officers | of the company have a large corres- pondence with people who are conrem- 1 plating moving south and hardly a day passes but what they entertain and show around some prospector.