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

bridging by concrete VladucJS, steel
bridges and heavy fills of rock the
openings between the Florida keys.
In January, 1908, this road was
opened for travel to knights Key,
447 miles south of Jacksonville, where
connection is made by steamship for
Havana and Key West. The con-
struction of the &c miles between
Knights Key and Key West is pro-
crossing rapidly and most satisfactor-
lily. A large force of men and all the
various kinds of machinery that can
be utilized in that class of cOnstruc-
ton are steadily working to finish the
track into Key West by January 2,
1910. the eightieth birthday of Henry
NJ. Flagler, the man who has done
these things. The efficiency of the
organization of Mr.. Flagler's Florida
East Coast Railway is of the highest
class His officials are practical, lib
eral and far-sighted and devoted TO
the successful accomplishment of his
views in the development of his great
project.
To show some of the results of this
mans persistence in developing the
east coast Of Florida, the following
/ figures, compiled from reliable sourc-
es, are appended:
The population of the state has in
creased to over $4,000. There were
IN 1880 but few postoffices on the east
coast. In 1908 there were 141 on the
iIHe of the Florida East Coast Rail
way, many of them being centers of
various side postoffice routes. In 1880
there were 1861 school children in
, Duval ST. Johns, Volusia, Brevard
Dade and Monroe counties, while in
1908 there were 1858.
The gross valuation of the seven
! east coast counties in 1884 was S12,-
16G,137; in 1908, S37,623,724, while the
increased from $6O,O42,655 in 1884 to
! SIS, $780, $50 in 1908. The seven east
coast counties bear AZ per cent of
this entire valuation. made up of 46
counties of the state.
/ Shipments of all kinds of fruit and
vegetables are made from the east
coast in train loads on fast passenger
! schedules to all parts of the United
States. Hotels accommodating near
| ly 10000 tourists have been provided,
towns and cities have grown up like
magic, churches and schools always
being the first TO be established in the
pioneer settlements.
The railway mileage in Florida
has grown from 40S miles in 1880 to
1913 in 1907. of which Mr. Flagler
owns CO. miles, or a little over one
sixth.
/ Mr.. Flagler's example has had a
tremendous influence for development
all over the state, and, indeed. in
much Of he south. The Pullman car
lines from the west and north that
were originally established for the
benefit of his hotel guests, have been
made permanent all-the-year-round
lines. thus giving a strong impetus to
travel to way places" that could not
alone have secured such. business ia
cilities.
Large cities have grown up in the
state. an numerous factories of all
kinds are established or being estab-
lished TO meet the business require
ments.
Key West, which is the southern
terminal OF the Florida East Coast
Railway. is 523 miles south of Jack
sonyille. 1t is the southern port Of
the United States. soon 10 be the most
southern railroad port, and deserves
more than a passing word. 1t has a
| fine harbOr, with a 2S-fOot channel to
it. It is but 90 miles from Havana
Coz from Progresso. the principal port
Of YUcatan. 1860 miles from Vera
0LuL anu lVNV Iltlfo lIUiI GOii MtNl-
co, both Mexican seaports; G75 miles
from Belize. the port OF British Hon
duras: 500 miles from Puerto BarriOs
the port of Guatemala: go miles from
Puerto COrtez. in Honduras; 725
miles from Tru jfllo, also a Holduran
port; 1925 miles from Greytown, the
port Of Nicaragua: 1875 miles from
/ Point LimOn. in Costa Rica: 1860
miles from Colon. the eastern en-
trance TO the Panama Canal; 1855
miles from Cartegena, in Columbia,
and 1775 miles from La Guaira, the
port for Caracas. in Venezuela. The
exports from the United States TO
these countries, excluding Mexico, in
1906 were S122,O3S,925; the imports
from them in 1906 to the United
States were s60,3SS,35O-a total of
$1SS,427,275. The commerce with 9TH
er countries, however, with the eX-