The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-04-11

the alternate sections of the state Ian,
on each side of the railroad within 81,
miles thereof. In the event the stat
did not still own the alternate sections
the company would be entitled to land
to make up The deficit anywhere within
twenty mi of its road. The stat,
has but Il land except in the Ever
glades. i nat territory the stat,
owns abouo q million acres of land
Should railroad be constructed
through that territory and the lane
grant law above referred to was still
in force, the railroad would be entitled
to a, large quantity of the state land
and would thereby get from the STATE
public property worth probably two OF
three million dollars. The time has
passed when the STATE can afford tt
allow land giants to encourage rail.
road building. We cannot afford tc
have the public lands further applied
in this way. For this reason urge
that law be enacted repea ing section
622 of the general statutes, which con-
stitutes our present law providing for
railroad land grants.
Change in Convict System.
In my platform as a candidate for
governor, / pledged myself as follows,
to wit:
81 favor discontinuirg lease system
and using convicts in road building,
states finances to be ruarded in max
ing change
The prison hospital, the stockades,
and all equipment now used in the
handling of the prisoners belong to
the lessees The state owns no pris-
on buildings, stockades, hospital or
other prison equipment. The only
prison property which the state owns
is a tract of about 10000 acres of
unc!eared and unimproved land in
Bradford county, which was purchas-
ed in 1911, with view to establish
ing thereon a state prison farm. With
the above conditions confronting US,
we must with Judgment, care and in
a business-l.ke way work out a rea-
sonable and efficient plan for the abol-
ishing of the lease system.
Authority to Parole Prisoners.
The board of commissioners of state
institutions should be given authority
to grant parole to prisoners either
upon bond made payable to the gov
ernor, or without bond when deemed
advisable, and recommend measure
granting such authority.
State Prison Farm.
By chapter 5941, acts of 1909, the
Legislature appropriated $59,000.O0,
from the hire of convicts fund, for
the board of commissioners of state
to purchase lands for a
prison farm and for other kindred
purposes.
In March, 1911, the said board, aft
er careful examination of many tracts
of land which were offered, or sug-
gested, for this purpose, purchased
from the Empire Lumber company
Of Jacksonville, 7,914R acres of ex-
cellent land in Bradford county, for
the price of $500 per acre. At the
same time the board took an option
from the Empire Lumber company,
on an additional tract of about the
same size, adjacent to that which was
purchased at $500 per acre.
The legislature of 1911, by chapter
6134, laws of Florida, appropriated an
additional sum of $5O,OOO,0O from the
hire of convicts fund, to enable the
board to purchase the land upon
which option had been taken and for
use in establishing on said lands
state prison farm.
In pursuance of such appropria-
tons total of l5,5S7l2 acres of land,
in Bradford county, were purchased
from the Empire Lumber company.
Adjoining and partially embraced
within the lands purchased from the
Empire Lumber company, were two
full sections of land, then owned b.
Mr.. w. E. Davis, of Starke, Florida.
Upon investigation it was found that
the Davis lands were of very superior
quality, and that it would be greatly
to the advantage of the state for the
board TO purchase she said DAVIS
lands.
After considerable negotiations,
Mr.. Davis agreed to accept $3.50 per
acre for the said two sections of
l ,2SO acres. In July, 1912, the board
of commissioners OF state institu-
tons purchased the said 1880 acres
The board thus acquired for use as
a state prison farm a splendid tract
of land, embracing 16.867h acres for
a total purchase price of SS7,537.5O
leaving a balance in the amounts ap-
by the said acts of 1909
and 1911 of little more than $12,-
10000. 1t is the sense of the board