The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1909-03-19
FORT P|ERCE|S
| ENTHUSIASTIC
Mass Meeting Held to Consider
Railroads Proposition.
DIVISION WILL Be HERE
'eopIe will Not Let The Opportunity Pass
Committee Appointed to Ascertain
Cost of all Lands Required.

81 In the last issue of the TRIBUNE was
&iven a detailed statement of the lands
Z eouired in Fort Pierce for the estab
4 shment here of permanent division
& the railroad, together with de-
Eruption of a blueprint furnished by
8 he railroad company, showing the 10.
alton of the land, the proposed new
epot and other improvements contem.
Hated; provided the people of Fort
ierce desired the establishing of the
vision sufficiently to donate the lands.
81 Immediately upon receipt of this
Blueprint by A. D. Penney, president
Il the Board of Trade, he left for
Jacksonville, where he consulted Mr..
arrott in regard to the same. making
mself familiar with every detail, so
lat he could present the facts to the
bard on his return. 1t was then de-
died to call mass meeting of citizens,
stead of the board of trade, and to
N the proposed plans before the citi-
ms, and a public meeting was called
BID held in the improvement Club hall
onday evening, at which more than
Ie hundred citizens were present.
5President Penney called the meeting
order, and after stating the object
the call, presented the blue print,
pm the railroad company, designating
location of the lands wanted and
scribed the magnitude of the i'm
pvement contemplated. He stated
at his mission to Jacksonville had en-
used him in the interest of Fort
erce, when he found that it was the
sire of the officials of the Florida
LIST Coast railway to locate the divi-
IN here, and only awaited the approval
the people; despite the efforts of
ami and West Palm Beach to gain
/ division headquarters; the former
" offering to donate the land required
ID to put down at their own expense
side tracks required. while the
tier city sent delegation to st. Aug
Zine, offering to donate all the land
company desired, and to make
I'm exempt from municipal taxes for
beriod of ten years.
TO establish the permanent division
bdquarters in Fort Pierce, the COM
by requires that the land-about
teen acres be given them, and that
lmetto avenue crossing be closed.
is is far less than West Palm Beach
Miami has voluntarily offered to do,
while the undertaking seemed a
one for the people of Fort Pierce,
1 his faith in the city was such that
believed there would be no difficulty
procuring the money necessary to
rchase the land, and he believed
ire were enough who would nail to
masthead the flag of determination,
make the accomplishment of this i'm
rtant matter an easy task.
Mr.. Penney dwelt at length upon the
gnitude of the proposed improve
(nts, which, with the establishment
the main division of the road here,
(uld mean not only division head
brters, but machine and car shops,
Bpital, and general offices, with the
hdreds of employees. He portrayed
immense advantages to be derived
IN securing this favor of the rail-
company, and prophesied that
y land substantial growth would
1ediately begin in building new
be- and business blocks and that the
,Iations of Fort Pierce would be
6Ied within two years.
tfore closing his remarks Mr., Pen
a66ealed to the home pride of our
To do their utmost in subscrib-
he fund to purchase the land de-
and elected the support and aid
everyone, that there could be no
ure in this attempt to win for Fort
rec a prize which would advance
Dry interest of all the people.
Judge Otis r. Parker was then in
ducei, and although unaware that
would be called upon. made most
ical address, that stirred the local
rotism of the audience. He stated
I the people Of Fort Pierce were