Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-06-23

The state Of Florida has an area
Of $4,000 square miles. II has over
1890 miles Of seacoast. In 1850 lts
population was 269 .f93. an average OF
I've persons 70 the square mile There
were bat eos miles of railroad In
the State. There were no factories.
but q few small saWmllls. a few
banks with but little capital. and but
little Business anywhere. The salu-
brious climate 81 the State was but
little known except locally. and tour
ist travel was OF no importance.
Orange growing Is an investment had
Just started IN q small way In va
rious parts Of the State. Florida had
only been known as q land OF ali
gators and insects. and as a desirable
place specially for oonsumptives. It's
possibilities as a playground for the
nation o. a. an important source OF
supply for vegetables and fruit
Of all kinds. lumber. cotton. naval
stores. etc. and q profitable location
for factories Of any kind were UNI
thought Of The East Coast Of Flor
ida. over 500 miles In extent was ut
terly unknown 20 the world. There
were a few towns along the East
Coast, Of which Jacksonville. 81. Au.
gustine. New Smyrna. Tltusvllle.
Melbourne and Key West were the
principal ones. The population OF the
counties now known a. the East Coast
counties--Duval. ST. Johns. Volusia
Brevard. ST. Lucie. Dade and Monroe
was 1855. The gross valuation In
1855 OF these counties for taxes was
S12166.ls7. The gross valuation for
taxes FOR the whole State Of Florida
IN 1854 was s60.0f2.655.
The time for mail from New York
or the West varied from i've 20 sew.
en- days 20 jacksonville. and many
changes Of cars had 10 be made be-
fore the weary traveller could land
safely IN Jacksonville By rail from
the North or West. Such things as
through Pullman or sleeping-cars
were unknown. Travelwas largely by
steamers from Charleston or savan-
nah By sea or by the S. Johns river
% interior points.
The gauge Of All the principal ran.
roads south Of Quantico ON the east
and the Ohio river on the west were
vide gauge or 5 feet 2 inches. while
that OF the Northern and Western
lines are feet 50 inches. making Il
necessary for the Southern roads %
maintain costly and cumbersome car
hoists az various points and extra
sets Of wheels OF trucks IN order 20
secure q through movement of cars
without breaking bulk Rates were
high. the time consumed By freight
movement was very long. and IN con.
sequence there was but small inter
change Of business between the
South and the North By railroad.
These are some OF the principal difa-
eulties that had 20 BE- overcome in
the upbuilding OF Florida.
In 1854 a great man came 10 Flor.
ida Ia search OF health and pleasure,
q man who had made a large fortune.
and Who believed that Il vas given
him In trust 10 b. used in the wlsest
way Cor the benefit OF his fellow.
man and for the greatest good 10 the
greatest number"
He vas attracted by the quaint old
city OF 81 Augustine. re bought a
marsh lying within the city gates
and hlling n up. built the Ponce de
Leon Hotel one OF the most perfect
and beautiful buildings IN the world
This ~ opeuod 20 the public IN Jan
nary. 1857
I'M l6S6 he bought a little narrow
gauge railroad from South Jackson