The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1909-06-25

tlou va -bS.4SS, an average of five
persons to the square mile. There
were but 40S miles of railroad i'm the
state. There were no factories, but
few small sawmills, a few banks
with hut little capital, and but little
business anywhere. The salubrious
climate of the state was but little
known, except locally, and tourist
travel was OF no Importance. Orange
growing as an investment had Just
started in a small way in various
parts of the state. Florida had only
been known as a land of alligators and
insects, and as a desirable place .spe-
cially for consumptives. Its POSSIBLE
tiles as a playground for the Union
or as an important source of supply
for vegetables and fruit of all kinds,
lumber. cotton, naval stores, etc, and
IS a profitable location for factories of
any kind were unthought of. The
east coast of Florida, over 500 miles
In extent. was utterly unknown to the
world. There were a few towns along
the east coast, of which Jacksonville,
ST. Augustine, New Smyrna, Titus
vile. Melbourne and Key West were
the principal ones. The population of
the counties now known as the east
coast counties Duval. st Johns,
Nolusia. Brevard, St. Lucie, Dade and
Monroe was 1895. The gross val
taxes was S12,166.137. The gross val
uafion for taxes for the whole state of
Florida in 1884 was s6OO42,655
The time for mail from New York
or the west varied from five to seven
days 10 Jacksonville, and many chang
IS of cars had TO be made before the
weary traveller could land safely in
Jacksonville by rail from the norIh or
west. Such things as through Pull
man or sleeping cars were unknown
Travel was largely by steamers from
Charleston or Savannah by sea or by
the 81. Johns river to interior points.
The gauge of all the principal rail-
roads south of QuanticO on the east
and the Ohio river on the west were
wide gauge. or ; feet, inches, while
that of the northern and western
lines are feet. s 1-2 inches, making
II necessary for the southern roads to
maintain costly and cumbersome car
hoists at various points and extra sets
of wheels or trucks in order to secure
Will O1
breaking bulk. Rates were high, the
time consumed by freight movement
was very long. and in consequence
there was but small Interchange OF
business between the south and north
by railroad. These are some of the
principal difficulties that had to be
overcome i'm the UpbuildinS OF Florida
In 1884 a great man came to Flor
ida i'm search of health and pleasure,
man who had made a large fortune,
and who believed that it was given
him in trust TO be used lin the Wis
est way for the benefit of his fellow
man and for the greatest good to the
greatest number"
He was attracted by the quain, old
CITY Of St Augustine. He bought
marsh living within the city gates,
and. filling il up. built the Ponce de
Leon hotel. one of the most perfect
and beautiful buildings i'm the world.
This he opened TO the public in .ianu-
AIRY. 1852.
In 1SS6 he bought a little narrow
gauge railroad from South Jackson
willie 10 s.. Augustine, connecting with
The railroads running into Jackson
vile bv ferry. This mode being un-
satisfactory. in 1856 he used his
great influence and helped the great
movement. of September 1856, when
an the roads OF the south changed
rhafr Gauges TO conform to that OF the
north lie built a great steel orlGSe
across The 81. Johns river al Jackson
vile and the first through Pullman
trains from Jersey City 10 the lar
-oufb came 10 81. Augustine 10 carry
guests 10 the Ponce de Leon hotel III
1SN- This Improvement soon save
tho stale of Florida a 36-hour mall
; train from New York. He also buiit
in 81. Augustine the Alcazar hotel ana
the beautiful casino and baths all OF
concrete. magnificently finished and
furnished. He built the city hail. the
hospital. the exquisite Memorial
PRESBYTERIAN church and manse IN
memory of his only daughter, and the
beautiful Grace Methodist church and
parsonage. the colored school, ahu'
when fire destroyed the old Roman
Catholic cathedral, he gave money
with which to rebuild it. He ouiiI