The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-03-23
FARGO, FLORIDA,
ITS GREAT FUTURE
THE EDITOR OF THE FLORIDA
GROWER, THE GREAT AUTHOR.
ITY ON FARMING, TRUCKING
AND ORCHARD INDUSTRIES OF
THE SOUTH, WRITES ABOUT IT.

The following is a reprint from the
March Is, 1912, issue Of The Florida
Grower of Tampa, Fla, the article
having been written and printed by
The Stroller, for years a resident Of
Florida and familiar with every nook
and corner OF it, who just dropped in
wtthout notice to the Florida Fruit
ands Co., the owners Of the land and
the promoters Of the colony:
L looked over the new town of
Fargo this week. A year ago three
buildings and a disreputabIe looking
railroad station were all the orna-
ments the town possessed, and it was
saddled with the name Of Chubb. To-
day there are fifteen houses either
built or in the course of construction,
some of them good enough to grace
a city lot in the best residential Sec
ton.
"The fundamental basis or founda-
ton of any community is its soil quail
tiles, and Fargo has the soil. Why it
was passed over for so long a time no
n knows. 1t is on the main line Of
he Atlantic Coast Line railroad from
Tampa to Jacksonville, and is also
he junction point for a branch line
running through Florence Villa, Win
terhaven and Eagle Lake. to Barlow
In soil and the rolling character of the
land, and in it's lakes it is altogether
identical with the coutry round about
the towns Just mentioned, which are
considered among the best OF the cit
rus growing sections of Florida.
Already evidences are at hand to
show that the new settlers at Fargo
believe in the country, for they are
setting out citrus orchards, which, In
a short few years will change the APP
pearance of the country from a wild,
though charming spot, to that of pic
turesque prosperity. Already forty
acres in small tracts have been set
out to citrus trees, and fifty more acres
are being cleared for the same pur-
pose. Out Of the total of 400 acres
OF land owned by the colony
company operating at Fargo, one-third
have been sold to prospective settlers
or investors.
I'm some respects the day selected
for my trip was an unfortunate one,
as it rained the greater part OF my
stay, and from the fact that the man
ager of the colony was away, and that
no methods Of transportation other
than Shank's mare were to be had.
However, this was compensated for by
the hospitality of a bright lady school
teacher. who is also one Of the o m
pany's representatives, and who is
one of the best posted authorities on
Fargo lands I could have found. Miss
Leila Diesem is also a writer Of talent
and her accounts Of life at Fargo have
been read by thousands Of North Da-
kota people in some of the North
Dakota papers.
'The owners Of these lands are
largely Dakota folks, and many of
their settlers are recruited from that
state. Other states largely represent
ed are Connecticut, Massachusetts and
Ohio. / found Miss Diesem very en-
thusiastic over her new home, the roll
ing hills looking good to her after a
life spent on the at prairies of the
north. In fact the lady is In effect
tie board Of trade and official booster
for Fargo, and If suffrage was granted
to Florida women, and Fargo needed
a mayor, I feel sure that she could
have the position for the asking.
1T will be of interest to intending
settlers to know the charge of this
company for clearing, fencing and set
ting lands to trees. Nearly all the
land adjacent to the town has beer
cut over by the lumbermen, only the
stumps remaining OF the old growth,
while there is more or less new growth
that has not yet attained any great
size. on this kind OF land 7 was told
the company would make it ready for
the pillow for $40 an acre. TO clear,
plow, plant and fence, the charge is
800 per acre. This includes sixty
three trees at q cost price OF 81 per
tree to the nurseryraan, the SGT re-
manning paying for the fence 41zstsr-
iaI, and the setting up, the ple wing
and the labor of planting the trees.
Every fine water Is found at vary
ing depths, all the way from 1875 to
1876 feet. It cost $i.1o per foot for a