The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1911-03-17
OUR OPPORTUNITY

The great land drawing at Fort
Lauderdale which is taking place
this week is undoubtedly the greatest
event ever transacted within the State
of Fioridn. and columns could he writ
ten on il. There are nearly 5000 con-
tract holders on the scene. and those
who have spent a day among the peo-
Die represent them to he among the
finest class Of Americans who compose
the great: agricultural and industrial
and professional life of the great north
west. One man high up in the study
of political and sociological problems
of the nation said: This influx of the
blood of the north and especially the
great northwest, will give 10 Florida,
together with her climate and soil, the
one needed ingredient to make for her
place of envy among any of the states
OF the union, bar none. y
AT meeting of the contract holders
last Monday at Progresso. the town
site of the colonists, two miles from
Fort Lauderdale. G. Austin Thomas, Of
Washington, d. C., spoke eIoquentIy
in AZ euIogy to the late Governor Ma
poleOn B. Broward, and asked for
rising vote to DO honor To the Father
of the Everglades - The request IN.
slantly brought every person in the
crowd to his feet. where with barred
heads they did honor to his honor. Mr..
Thomas further moved that telegram
be sent to Mrs. Broward notifying her
OF the action of the convention. and
this was carried unanimously.
As is well known, hut small part of
tie vast Everglades have rs yet been
made ready for cultivation, and it will
necessarily be that thousands of the
homeseekers now at Progresso will be
unable to 60 on the land that they draw
and make living. Most. if not all, of
them understood this when they entered
into the contract with the company,
and there is no complaint of serious
nature among them But the vast ma.
jority Of this army has come to Florida
to make their permanent home. and
will, as soon as the drawing is complet.
ed, look elsewhere for opportunities
until their Everglades holding shall be
sufficiently drained to cultivate or dis
pose Of to advantage.
With this view in mind, the Fort
Fierce Board of Trade has taken ad
vantage of the occasion to call the at.
tention of the homeseekers to the
character Of the soil, climate, location,
position and possibilities of Fort Pierce
and surrounding section, and has sent
representative to Fort Lauderdale and
Progresso fully equipped with adver.
Using matter and samples of our fruits
and produce.
This effort to bring Fort Pierce to
the attention Of these people cannot
help but be Of great advantage to this
section, Already our representative
reports that he has booked large nun.
Der to visit this section next Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday, and through
ont next week. and few have already
visited Us. There is no question that
If they give this section thorough in
,estigation many will become perman-
ent residents among us and assist in
the development Of this favored part of
Florida.
A great responsibility rests upon the
entertainment committee in seeing that
the visitors are shown our orange and
grapefruit groves, pineapple planta-
tons, city lots. and the vast area of
fertile vegetable. fruit, sugar cane and
farming lands lying to the west and
northwest of our city. In this labor
every citizen Of our town should lend
every assistance to the committee.
This is our opportunity. and we should
not be- neglectful in attending to it in a
proper manner