Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-04
KHIVA RUGS.

In the hotels and 5000 or more on the rail-
way, without counting the construction
gangs. numbering: ESQ or more that are
now employed on the Key West extension.
Probably $4,000 permanent residents have
been added to the population OF the state
as direct result of Mr.. Flagler's enter
prise. ThSy are engaged in business. in
farming, gardening. fishing, keeping board
ing houses, and not less than 1900 or
$4,000 are remitters'-people who have
come here for their health and have in
vestments sufficient to support them with
out engaging in business or labor. The
city of Miami alone, The magic city, is
they call 1t, has population of 6,CGo
where, when Mr.. Flagler began work on
the extension of his railroad few years
ago. there was but a single house. And
along the entire line are towns and vii
lagos entirely dependent upon the railroad
and which have sprung up since the track
was laid The growth has been slow. 1t
Is not SO rapid as the tourist business, but
1T has been sure. and the effort of the i'm
migration department has been to obtain
those classes of settlers that will contribute
most to the development of the material
resources and the increase of the wealth OF
Florida.
There was nothing on the east coast
except one or two little villages of
fishermen when Mr. Flagler came here. All
of the towns and resorts have sprung up
since. The entire section was wilderness
up to twelve years ago. Steamers used to
run uOWH tndt lOnS OF water winch
runs parallel within few miles of the
coast of Florida. and Is called the Indian
river, as far as Jupiter Inlet, where there
was hotel much sought by fishermen.
Miami was on military reservation. Now
there is a string of towns and villages the
entire distance surrounded by truck gar
dens, orange groves, grapefruit orchards,
pineapple ranches and other farms.
Increase of People and Wealth.
The railway received a grant from the
state. but it was largely on per and Mr.
Flager has never been able to get title to
most of the land. Nearly every acre of the
area of Florida has been granted to rail-
way one time or another, and much of 1t
several times over. The public lands trans
ferred by the United States to the state gov
eminent many years ago are nearly all in
volved in litigation for that reason and no
body can give or get title. Mr.. Flagler
bought up -ot of old grants, including one
that was given to John Jacob Astor early
In the last century shortly after the trans
fer Of Florida territory by Spain to the
United States. And he has purchased
good deal Of private land also which he is
selling to settlers and TOWNSHIP and coloni-
zation companies He has an Office for his
land business at St. Augustine. with agents
who are promoting immigration by familiar
methods. They want fruit growers and
farmers with money and experience rather
care more for the character of the people
than for their numbers.
As an illustration of the development Of
the east coast by the Flagler enterprises,
the passenger receipts on the railroad from
Jacksonville to Miami increased from
$685.. $50 In 1900 to 81 O43 AGA in 1906. The in
crease in freight receipts has been much
more rapid.
During the five years from 1900 to 1905
the total capital invested in the various in
dustries of Florida increased from 81 ,5O7,-
10. to $25, 757. 4S1.
The number OF wage earners employed in
the state increased from 80. 179 in 1900 to
38, 356 in 1905, and the annual wages from
SO. 1873 729 to $14.297,6 81.
The value of the products increased from
$50 974 5S6 to $43.144,2O1.
1t will be noticed that while the capital
increased % per cent, wages have increased
A per cent and the number of wage earners
only Is per cent
It Is also interesting to know that OBS
Of the Industries in the st te are in the
rural districts and the villages and repre-
sent $1S 462, lis OF the total capital invested.
There has been a remarkable advance In
wages throughout the entire SOUTH The
pay of both farm and factory hands has
advanced an average of 30 per cent during
the last six years, which, of course, has
been attended by corresponding increase
in their expenditures and also in the cost
Of living.