The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1906-09-07
M. NCRAIlAM GIVES
FACTS FROM RECORDS
History Of LaAA cFAAts-.BoIA HELD.
Up ~ The Beard Of Internal
improvements Caused APP
PEAL % Courts.


To the Times Union: have read
with much interest your account Of the
debate between Governor Broward and
Mr.. Beard at Pensacola on August 20,
on the State drainage questions, and IL
your report Is correct, understand the
Governor in his speech said that the
railroads were trying to steal from the
State the lands in the Everglades.
AS have had charge of all the lands
OF one Of these roads-the Florida East
Coast-for nearly twelve years, and am
conversant with the claims of this COM
pany, l ask your courtesy in making
known to the public generally, through
your columns, the real state of these
claims and the position taken by the
Florida East Coast Railway Company.
LANDS BOUGHT WITH ROADS
Our company bought the Jacksonville,
st. Augustine and Halifax River Rail-
way in 1886, with its Sc, 900 acres of
land; little later the St. Johns Rail-
the st. Johns and Halifax River Rail-
way, with 10000 acres of land, and
later on, the St. Augustine and Halifax
River Railway, with $4,000 acres of
land; total of 10 miles of railroads
and 251 900 acres of land. The former
owners of these railroads were paid
full value for their roads including the
lands.
The unsettled claims of these roads,
based on the land grants of their re-
spective charters, aggregate 22l. 473
acres of land as now due them by the
State for railroads built on the specifi-
cations of the Board of Internal I'm
provements and accepted by their en-
gineer.
These short railroads were consoli-
dated under the name of the Jackson
vile, st. Augustine and Indian River
Railway; the guages were changed to
standard, and connected up; bridges
were built at Jacksonville and Palatka
over the st. Johns river, and through
train service established. In 1892 the
extension of the railway to ROckledge
was begun.
The Legislature on May 81, 1893, gave
Daytona to Key West under the name
Of the Jacksonville, st. Augustine and
Indian River Railway, with a grant of
5000 acres per mile, providing same
was built within five years, also pro-
viding that the lands accruing under
the charter should be decided by the |
Board Of Internal improvements as
rapidly as every five miles of track was |
completed and accepted by the Board |
Of Internal Improvements, this grant |
being subject to prior grants.
EXTENDING THE ROAD.
In February, 1893, the railway was
opened to Rockledge, and the Board of .
Internal Improvement sent their en-
gineer over same to inspect it, and he
accepted it, and application was made
to the board for lands accruing under
the charter, with the reply that the
only lands they could give were in the
Everglades; that they did not have a
patent from the United States to them,
but would consider our claim as soon as
patent was received
In April, 1894, the railway was opened
to West Palm Beach.
The 124 miles of railway from Rock
ledge to West Palm Beach was exam
ined and accepted by the State engineer
shortly after its completion, and again
the board were asked for lands earned
under the special charter, but without
result.
In 1895, Immediately after the great
freeze. of that year, the road was ex-
tended to Miami, on Biscayne Bay. &c ,
miles, opening for operation the through
llHeg JdChSOHNllle 10 mlhInl, 900 miles,
in April, 1896, same being accepted by
the State engineer. a
BOARDS RESOLUTION.
Again a request was made upon the
Board of Internal Improvement for the
lands, aggregaLing over two millions Of
acres, earned under the special charter.
After considerable effort, a resolution
Of the Board of Trustees of the Inter
nal Improvement Fund was obtained,
as follows:
Resolved, That all the lands granted
10 the State under the act Of Septem-
Der rs, 1850. lying and being south of
township 5S south, and situated on the
Of this State, be and the same
are hereby reserved for the benefit of
The Florida East Coast Railway Com
pany, reserving the rights of actual set !
Llers now on the land so set apart and
I
II hereby certify that the above and
foregoing Is a true copy of the resolu .
ion adopted by the Board Of Trustees !
If the Internal Improvement Of the .
State Of Florida, at meeting held on
he 10th day of February, 1898. I
"SiRned w. NJ MCINTOSH,
Secretary Board of Trustees Internal
Fund of Florida"
This reservation covered a body Of |
sc, 600 acres Of land, CT less than 8 per y
- eE.. Ias.Io ~ -