The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1910-07-01
AN IMPORTANT
DEVELOPMENT
improvements Valued at MilliOr
Now Beginning at Sebastian
new RAILROAD PROJECT
A Section With Natural Advantages Re.
ceives Great Impetus Tract to
be Reclaimed ard City Built

A period of development and progress
is just opening at Sebastian that BODIES
we'll for that entire section of st. Lucie
county, which is blessed by nature
with several advantages that assure a
splendid future when the magic hand
of man and money shall have succeeded
in forcing old mother earth to render
her just quota to the joys of life.
Sebastian is admirably situated on
the bank of the Indian river, but two
miles of the juncture of the Indian
with the Sebastian river, with a heavy
tropical growth along the river front.
The larger part of the town is built on
the slope between the high red hickory
ridge and the Indian river, although
there are many fine residences along
the ridge.
The chief industry since the begin
ming of the town has been the catching
and shipping of fish, there being at
present four wholesale houses, The
Eagle Fish Co., the Sebastian Fish Co.,
4. b. Hicks & Co., and Parks Bros.
OF late years it has been found that
the soil and climate of this section was
most admirably adapted to the cultiva-
ton of citrus fruit, and now that in
dustry far eclipses any and everything
else. There are many fine groves both
of orange and grapefruit to be found in
every direction, and the acreage is the
second largest in st. Lucie county, be-
ing only eclipsed by that devoted to
the industry west of Fort Pierce.
The citrus and fish industries would
be ample backing tor the building of a
splendid little city of homes and COM
modious business establishments, but
within the past month new movement
has been begun that promises to give a
great impetus to growth of the section.
For years there has been tract of
ll5, 900 acres of splendid land tied up
in the courts of the state-the Russell
tract. Some years ago this land was
purchased by W. W. and George Rus
sell, of the United States Playing Gard
Co., of Cincinnati. A small railroad
was constructed from Sebastian to
their holdings, and Cincinnatus Farms
commenced to be place of activity.
Tn, death of the owners caused a sus.
pension of operations, and the improve
ments have practically gone to waste.
A new company known AS the Sebas-
tan and Fellesmere Farms Railroad Co.,
capitalized at $1,000, 600 has now be.
come the owners Of this vast tract OF
land, and they have gone to work in a
manner that speaks well for permanent
development. The company is cOmpos-
ed of we'll known Eastern capitalists
men who have written their names on
the industrial history of this country.
and they have mapped out some initial
development that cannot fail to rap "
prove profitable.
Work has already commenced in re-
building the old railroad, and 1t is be.
ing done in most substantial manner.
This will be constructed from Sebastian
to the western limit of their property,
nearly twelve miles,. Drainage canals
100 feet vide at surface and 60 feet
wide at the bottom, will be dug across
the land, north and south and east and
west. A little city will be laid out,
streets constructed, business and resi-
dence buildings. church and school house
erected. In the center of the town, on
the public square, will be erected $780,
600 hotel. This will be the first build
ing erected.
The company contemplates the ex-
penditure of 81 900, 900 in Improvements,
and when all is completed, which they
estimate will be early next spring, they
will offer building lots and l0acres
farm tracts for sale.
r. A. Conklng, of Tillman, has been
employed by the company, as expert
mental gardener, and he will plant one
half acre plots in all crops that can be
produced in Florida He is to be pro-
vided with everything that he needs, and
the first lot of the coonists will arrive
next spring at time when the garden
will show to the best advantage.
Sebastian and the promoters are to
be congratulated on the undertaking,
which will be the making of that Sec
ton of St. Luce county.
A VAlIlARlF CITl7FN