The National tribune., 1911-04-13
Letter From the Late Past Commander
in-Chief Nevius About st. Andrews
Bay Colony.

in-Chief Nevius About st. Andrews
Bay Colony.
The>following letter was sent to The
National Tribune by Comrade VIM. H.
Sloan, of New York City, who had writ
ten Comrade Nevf6s in regard to the
new Veteran Colony, and his reply was
forwarded by the recipient. who says
1t may be helpful in the company's
efforts to build up the Colony at st.
Andrews Bay. l am a Summer resi-
dent of the Generals country home in
New Jersey, and-have full confidence
in his statement in regard to your
property" The Generals letter is as
follows:
Red Bank, N. j., Nov. 2Sth, 1910.
Dear Sir and Comrade: ! am Just
recovering from serious illness and
am at my home, and my stenographer
is here and brought down my mail. and
in 1t / find your letter, which Is the
reason II has not been answered before,
but l take this first opportunity of re-
plying.
I have looked over carefully several
colonies in the South. Last February
l spent short time at st. Cloud. the
new Grand Army Colony In Florida.
was greatly benefited by the air
there and then made up my mind that
should find some home in the South
to which I could retire from active
business.
1 visited the st. Andrews Bay Col
ony in May last. and was over consid-
cradle of the property. st. Andrews
Bay is the most beautiful Bay I ever
saw, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico,
and capable of floating deep sea-going
vessels. The party who has charge of
this Colony means to put it through.
and negotiations are now being made
for a railroad to Chipiey direct to the
Bay to- connect with deep sea-going
vessels. This will bring all of that part
of Florida in connection with the new
Colony as a commercial center.
! was much pleased with the land,
il being high and rolling, Of sandy
soil, with clay sub-soil, and wherever
broken 1 found that all crops. grow
abundantly except wheat. which needs
Winter weather. I found citrus fruits
grow well there, also cotton and to-
bacco. The water is good, and heard
that where artesian wells had been
sunk, they found splendid water from
60 to re feet. / was at Panama City.
which is a new Colony adjoining .oJ
this property, and / was taken with the
products of the soil. The climate is
delightful; no fires are needed there
except for cooking as frost is a rare
occurrence.
/ have decided to go there, and have
invested considerable, and expect to in
vest more, and If my health permits
of my travelling after the holidays, II
shall go there for the winter with the
idea of locating there permanently.
Building material is very cheap II
visited one mill on the Bay while there
where rough lumber was sold at STOOL
per M. and finished lumber at $1,000
per NJ, which insures building very
cheap, indeed. / do not think that
any person investing can possibly lose
a dollar there, and l feel there will be
a three or four times increase within
q year,
st. Andrews Bay is in Washington
County, and Is nearly equally distant
between Pensacola on the west and
on the northeast. Panama
City adjoins. and while it is q new place.
Is growing fast. 1 think II far super
ior as an investment than st. Cloud, |
I think st. Cloud is very good |
indeed, but there are advantages to St |
Andrews Bay which st. Cloud does
not possess 1 shall be glad indeed to |
meet as many of my comrades as pos
sible at st. Andrews Bay, and for fur
ther information l refer you to The
st. Andrews Bay Development Co., 14th
and Z streets N. W.. Washington. D. c.
Yours in F., C. and L..
(Sisned) H. NJ Nsvius.
Past Commander-in-C Chief,
Grand Army of the RAnublIc