The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1908-06-10
In Trying to Make an Issue Out Of
Gilchrist's Real Estate
Transaction
IT WAS PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE
And Does Not Give the Railroads Nor
Anyone Else Undue Influence
With the Punta Corda Man

Jacksonville Metropolis, June Sth.)
In reference to the article appearing
on page seven of the Metropolis Of
Saturday, June 9Th, Mr.. J. o. LaFon-
ticee, in charge Of Gen. Albert w. Gil
| cLrist's Jacksonville campaign head
! quarters, has furnished the following
statement today, prefacing same with
this, his telegram to General Gilchrist
June 8, 1908.
lion. Albert w. Gilchrist, DeFuniak
Springs, Fla:
stockton has certified copy Of GER
tain mortgages from clerk of Ware
county, Georgia. Wire me at once de-
tails. They charge the money secured
on this mortgage is from the A. G. l..
(Signed) -. o. LaFontisee."
DeFuniak Springs. Fla, June Z, 1908.
/ Friend LaFontisee:
! AS to the lands of mine at Waycross,
l will make a statement: l would like
to see the Stockton circular on it, so as
to answer it to the point. However
here is the truth:
In 1903 l purchased some lands at
| Waycross, one tract of 500 acres cost
| SIG per acre. This was within about
one mile of the business center of the
city. This land was subsequently cut
into about four lots to the acre.
bought this land there because
| thought | could make money out of it
/ IN 1906 or 1907, the A. c. L. r. R
| &C mpany commenced the erection OF
their mammoth shops in Waycross
| This company had small repair shops
| or the lands adjacent to mine. The
railroad company announced that they
would not erect houses for their Ia
borers. Their representatives often
visited the city, urging the necessity
for the erection of more dwellings.
wanted my property to be built up.
advertised to give away fifty lots to
anyone who, would build suitable
houses on them. In this way, 1 sue
ceeded in having about fifteen or
twenty residences erected. / then ad-
vertised that l wished to borrow $751;
900 to 100000, with which to build
| houses. On this circular also offered
! &c give away as many as fifty lots to
whoever would build upon them. The
entire city of Waycross was stirred UP
| on the question of securing enough
houses to accommodate the incoming
machinists; committees were formed
sent ten thousand circulars broad
| cast.
! Finally, some of the officers of the
A. G.. L. Railroad informed me that ii
was necessary for the successful Op-
GRAFTON of their shops that residences
| be built such as would accommodate
their workmen. They offered to as
sist me. in borrowing the money, de-
handing sufficient and suitable Sc
! clIrity. I did borrow all could from
the Atlantic LAND and Improvement
/ Company, giving them mortgages sat-
! isfactory to this company and to my
! self
! During this campaign the opposition
! "heelers" have stated that l made
mo ney in Florida and spent it in Geor-
gia, in building houses at Waycross
Now it appears that did not take any
money from Florida at all. They will
lave to reverse their former argu-
ments. 1 gave $4,000 for the land. AT
one auction sale 1 sold over $4,000
worth of lots of this land, besides sew
eral thousand dollars worth at private
sale. Taking money from Florida, in
deed! l hope to bring more to Florida
from this outside investment than
/ the entire horde Of patriots have
made from their city, county and
State; more than they have made out
of city paving contracts, use of the
States money and out of the lease of
convicts. q have the published rerort
of the City Council of Jacksonville
concerning the unfair bidding and
manipulation Of Stockton's paving
contractor the extracts from the
Journal of the House OF Representa-
tiyes of Florida. of 1897, when State
Treasurer Collins was a defaulter
This showed that Stockton as national
banker had on deposit $10S,000 of the
! States money. That Stockton bid for
| the lease of the State convicts during
! the present administration--that his
bid was Srejected-that the successful
| bidders gave him $25 900 of the profits.
/ This was for the benefit of the Pea
p-u-l-l)
have never made any money out of
! the State, any county, city or ward
Stockton has.
| I regret my private business has
been brought into this campaign. |
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