The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-07-23
FHf HISTORY
hi EAST COAST
!, FAST Coast Railway Greatest
. U,o;oct of the 10th Century
OF ONE MAN
...,,og Story of this Section and the
w. Of Mr.. fIasIer, Write" by }. t.
V,.,,ham in Manufacturers Record

wal 0f Mr.. TldyiPT, V'"'e" W - -
,.,,,ham in Manufacturers Record
ri. State of Florida has an area of
i ane Snnare miles. 1t has over 1900
e. ~ seacoast In 1880 it's pOpula-
" 's' v Va 269, 493, an average of five
on WI w't 70 tbe souare mile. There were
! ,' AR miles of railroad in the State.
Ss,s were no factories, but few saw.
49,; ~ few banks with but little capt.
i's and but little business anywhere.
y sslubrous climate of the State was
\ I little known except locally, and
",;st travel was Of no Importance.
rsoce growing as an investment had
\ Started in a small way in various
',ts Of the State. Florida had only
sn Known as land of alligators and
sscts and as desirable place speci-
/, for consumptives. Its possibilities
nlaypround for the nation or as an
,oortant source of supply for vege-
Sles and fruit of all kinds, lumber,
ptton naval stores, etc, and as a prof
snIe location for factories of any kind
ere unthought of. The East Coast of
Orida over 500 miles in extent, was
ts , unknown to the world. There
ere few towns along the East Coast,
which jacksonville, st. Augustine,
4v SMYRNA, Titusville, Melbourne and
|ey West we're the principal ones. The
bculation of the counties now known
line east coast counties - Duval, st.
bins, Volusia. Brevard, st. Lucie,
|sde and Monroe - was 1885. The
Evss valuation in 1884 of these counties
\ taxes was $l2, l66, 1874. The gross
kluation for taxes for the whole State
Florida in 1884 was $50. 042, 655. Y
The time for mail from New York or
be West varied from five to seven days
J jacksonville, and many changes of
kn had to be made before the weary
aveer could land safely in Jackson
lle by rail from the North or West.
uch things as through Pullman or
eeping. cars, were unknown. Travel
Jas largely by steamers from Charles
N or Savannah by sea or by the st.
bins river to interior points.
The gauge of all the principal rail.
ad south of QuanticO on the east and
le Ohio river on the west were wide
huge, or s feet 2 inches, while that of
e Northern and Western lines are 4
BET 81 inches, making it necessary for
v Southern roads to maintain costly
ID cumbersome car hOists at various
pnts and extra sets of wheels or
ucks in order to secure a through
povement of cars without breaking
pix. Rates were high, the time con-
pmed by freight movement was very
Png, and in consequence there was but
(nall interchange of business between
Be South and the North by railroad.
|lese are some of the principal diff
Plties that had to be overcome in the
of Florida.
IN 1884 great man came to Florida
search of health and pleasure, a man
% had made a large fortune. and who
eaeved that it was given him in trust
be used lin the wisest way for the
neht OF his fellow-man and for the
featest number"
ne was attracted by the quaint old
" Of st. Augustine. He bought a
anh lying within the city gates, and,
lmg It up, built the Ponce de Leon
PEI. one of the most perfect and
sautlful buildings in the world. This
opened to the public January, 1887.
q iSS6 he bought a little narrow
.ege railroad from South Jacksonville
I ~ -. Augustine, connecting with the
E.oaos running into Jacksonville by
y Terry, this mode being unsatisfact-
70 iSS! ne used his great influence
y helped the great movement of
psemoer. 1885, when all the roads in
4 south changed their guages to con-
~ 70 that of the North. He built
~ stee! bridge across the St. Johns
~ at Jacksonville, and the first
Tough Pullman trains from Jersey
" 70 the far South came to st.
ustlae to carry guests to the Ponce
4. Icon Motel in 1887. The improve
\ soon gave the State of Florida
rnUur mail train from New York. He
n \. punt In st. Augustine the Alcazar
~ y ana the beautiful casino and baths
~ 4 concrete, magnificently finished
furnished. He built the City Hall,
hospital, the exquisite Memorial
'ssuyIerlan church and manse in
.sn nUly OF his only daughter, and the
.u'lluI Grace Methodist church and
~ O'ssge, the colored school, and,
.th.,nr e destroyed the old Roman
AZ c Cathedral, he gave money with
H. 20 rebuild it. He built two
~ 49, o. asphalt streets, comfortable
40 u.s. Ior his employees, established
8 SS;; =, sewers, and electric lights
|, =" .s properties. He built here his
4. ssops, and gave steady employ
~ x 70 % hundreds Of men.
Novemher. 1883, he bought the
H. r rcsd to Toc1l from st. Aug
! JoI ana Pa'atka, again bridging the
S" v.Is river at that point. In 1890
M ~'Sgnt the s. v. White Railroad
sn hateo to Daytona, changed