The sun. (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1906-07-28
Third Page
but at no cost to private owners. The
plan will be pushed to early completion.
so as to have thousands OF acres OF land

so as to have thousands of acres OF land
ready for occupancy this fall
You will notice In the article these words:
THUS making cultivatable thousands OF acres OF
THE BEST VEGETABLE AND FRUIT LANDS
IN THE STATE" 8
Mark, then, THESE words; "This has nothing
10 do with Gov. BrOwards scheme TO drain the
Everglades, but 10 a private undertaking by the
PROGRESSIVE Land Department OF the Florida
East Coast Railway, assisted by the East Coast
Canal & Transportation Co.. and will drain lands
OF private parties besides the companys lands,
but at no cost to private owners"
am reliably informed that from 30 to 30 per
CENT Of all the land to be drained by them Is
owned by the Florida East Coast Railway and by
we will assume that perhaps It 10 generous on the
part Of the two companies to cut bitches where
Ave or ten per cent. OF the lands through which
they pass may be benefited, though owned by
private parties.
But, may ! ask why, in face OF this, the East
Coast Railroad Company and Ave other land syn
dicates. owning fully ninetenths OF all the taxable
lands In the drainage district, embracing the Ever
glades. should so vigorously oppose taxation along
the lines laid down by the State Drainage Com
missioners as to make afidavits that 30 patheti-
cally set forth the hardships entailed upon them
by the Commissioners that one can almost squeeze
the tears out OF the paper upon which II IL writ
ten? ta
Is It politics? Is there method In their mad
ness? Why be SO inconsistent? Six OF them
nave sworn that they own three million, three
nunureu tnOuSanu acres Oh IAnu IN the drainage
district, which embraces portion OF the Kissin-
NEE Valley, and other swamp and OverHowsd
lands In and about the Everglades
The Trustees control 100000 acres embraced
In that district, and when you add together that
portion of the land controlled by the Trustees OF
the Internal Improvement Fund and the $500 900
acres owned by the six land syndicates then sub.
tract few hundred thousand acres OF lands
owned by other syndicates It can safely be said
that the agricultursts and all the other people OF
moderate means combined own MUCH LESS
THAN TEN PER CENT Of that territory will
say for the last two mentioned classes the poor
that they WANT THU EVERGLADES DRAINED
AND HAVE ALREADY PAID THE DRAINAGE
TAX r-~ T"
But look again at the last clause OF the article
quoted above: "The plan will be pushed to early
completion so as to have thousands OF acres OF
land ready for occupancy this fall and you will
notice In the advertisement published above the
statement that "the land will be dyked and drain
cd. ready for cultivation, by january next"
NOW the fact 10, that under the most favorable
circumstances they can scarcely begin, or throw
the first shovelful OF dirt BEFORE JANUARY 1.
1907, although the people of West Palm Beach
were promised on the 18th day OF May that exca-
waiting would begin WITHIN THIRTY DAYS
But, that was FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE
PRIMARY ELECTION was held In Dade County.
THE RESULT OF WHICH THE = ROMTSt;
MADE WAS INTENDED TO AFFECT. 37
attach hereto another article from tha sama
handsome magaEine, printed by the same man.
under the heading "A Muck Land Grove"
A A -