Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-01-25
Editor Willmar Tribune:


Editor Willmar Tribune:
Having been selected as a repre-
sentative of several prospective
investors in Florida lands to make a
trip down and investigate condi-
tions. boarded the afternoon train
at Willmar on Jan. 3. At Cokato
| was joined by Mr.. G. P. Olson,
one Of the prosperous farmers of
that locality. who had been selected
to 60 by those interested there. In
Minneapolis we were joined by Mr..
Carl Redlund Of Grove City, SON.
in-law of Mr.. D. Elmquist of Will
mar. who had already invested in
some property at Palm Beach and
Miami. We left Minneapolis at
$40 p. m. 1t seemed that the
bracing climate of our own state
took delight in giving US good
taste Of cold weather as we left.
for when we reached Albert Lea
our train was nearly froze up, and
at Storm Lake. Iowa, the thermo-
meter registered Is below zero.
Arriving at Chicago at $3.50 p. m.
Jan. 4th. we found it still very cold
with snow on the ground. Leaving
Chicago via the Chicago Eastern R..
R. at $3.50 p. m. we passed thru In
diana. The farm places we saw
from the cars in Illinois and Indi-
ana would not compare with our
Kandiyohi county farms in improve
ments. We travelled thru Kentuc-
ky still finding the ground covered
with snow. Here is a lot of tim.
Der land, hills and swamps. We
encountered large hills where the
room for the railway was cut out
in the solid rock, sometimes in the
shape of tunnels. Occasionally one
would see shack of a house in
some valley and a few cattle rang
ing in the mountains, with the old
style worm fences still in evidence.
My thots reverted to the stories
lad read of the haunts of the moon
sinners. 49,,
Coming out of the mountainous
region we came to the tobacco
plantations. Here the sun is shin
ing brightly and we find fine wealth
er. We are now travelling on the
second section Of the Dixie Filler.
At Mortified we find that the first
section Of the train had landed in
the ditch. fortunately without any
loss of human life. We were held
here for some time waiting for the
track to be cleared. At GAINESVILLE
the snow had disappeared: but we
saw ice on the ponds. Our train
was 10 hours late. Here we saw
cotton fields and negro cabins. An
old darby was standing up against
his old shack looking at the Dixie
Filler. The old lady and the chill.
dren were bare-headed and bare.
footed. A few chickens and pigs
were running about the shack
which seemed to lack both doors
and windows. Two or three sticks
of wood and an old axe we're the
only fuel preparations in sight. Al
other places we saw the cooking be.
ing done out on the ground.
We arrived at Jacksonville, Flor.
ida, on the 9Th and remained there
over night. This city has a popu.
lation of about $4,000. In the
morning at $50 we started on the
last stretch of our journey. 800
miles. Along this road were pine
trees in abundance. They are tap
ped everywhere for turpentine
One sees the bark cut and can in
serted and hanging down from
each tree. Here and there are low
places covered with underbrush ant
palms standing in a few inches O:
water.
Arriving at Dayton at 2::40 W,
saw the first oranges on the trees
We came to New Smyrna at $3.50
The ground is covered with pine
and palms, and the roads ale file,
with oyster shells. We arrived a
our destination in the evening.
| On the 9TH the land company tool
US out to see the country. Tn
roads are fine. The soil is sand,
and with crushed limestone worke,
into the surface the roads becom
| like a paved street. There are n
hills.
i All of this section of Florida
fiat and low. A ridge extend
along the ocean. We are on tn
edge Of the great everglades. It
proposed to drain these swamps b
constructing big dredqe bitches
Lake Okeechobee. the great milan
lake in the everglades lies % fec
over the ocean. Train load afte
train load of land seekers arriv
along the east coast here all tn