The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-03-06
PROPOSAL FOR THE STATE
OF WEST FLORIDA.

Christian Science Monitor: There
are no longer any territories out of
which new states may be created in
continental United States. Arizona
and New Mexico We're the last of them.
1t does not follow, however, that the
formation of new states by the division
of some of those already in existence is
impossible. 1t has long been regarded
as a probability that Texas would some
day be cut up into two or more inde-
pendent states, but the older Texas
becomes the further away does this
probability seem. Strange to say,
since the last of the territories were
taken into the union, not Texas, nor
one of the large Pacific states, not one
of the transmissouri or middle western
states. but a New England state, and
that the most eastern of the sisterhood,
was the first to talk of division. Very
likely the idea of giving Names Aroos-
o district Independent sovereignty
was merely a transient one; at all
events, it appears to have been drop
ped. But hardly less surprising or i'm
teresting is it to find that a part of
Florida is looking toward the possible
setting up of a separate establishment.
Florida has peculiar geographical
configuration. If a line on the map be
drawn north and south along the west
coast Of the peninsula, almost touching
Tampa bay, 1t will be found to cut off
a strip in the northern part Of the
state of fully ten counties in width.
The counties in this overhanging Sec
ton Of the state number more than ten,
OF course. They are Escanabia, Santa
Rosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington
Jackson, Calhoun, Gadsden, Liberty,
Franklin, Leon, Wakulla and Jefferson
-thirteen-and these constitute west
Florida, the section hat some propose
shall become a separate state of that
name. These counties have an aggre-
gate area of IL, 1850 square miles. An
ticipating that objection might be rails
ed to the admission to the union of the
proposed state on the ground of it's
smallnesS, the secretary of the Pensa-
cola Commercial association recently
compiled some statistics showing that
West Florida would exceed in area
Vermont, New Hampshire, Connect
cut, Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, New
Jersey, Maryland or Delaware, while
in population it would exceed that of
Arizona, Delaware, Nevada or Wyo-
ing, Moreover, SO these statistics
show, the new state would have a
greater coast line-eXcluding the shore
line of bays-than any n of thirteen
of the twenty seacoast states of the
union. The seven states having great
err sea frontage are North Carolina,
Florida (entire), louisiana, Texas, Cali
ifornia, Washington and oregon.
Among the interesting facts brought
out in~the discussion of this PROPOSE
ton is the place held by the state of
Florida in respect to size. It's shape
Is very deceptive. But it's extreme
length, north and south, is 452 miles;
its greatest width is 354 miles; but it's
greatest measurement from the point
farthest east. to the most westerly
point is 456 miles. The only states
that exceed Florida in length and
| width are California and Texas.
In several other particulars, posi-
Bile objections to the formation of the
new state are met with reasonable an
swers, but all Of them put together
will be hardly liable to convince the
state Of Florida as a whole that diYi-
\ sion is desirable. .ss "