The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1914-04-16
A FEW FACTS CONDENSED
PERTAINING TO puNrA connA AND
VICINITY


other sections who are interested In tlail
locality the following facts are given:
Punta Gorda is on the Charlotte Har,
Dor Division Of the Atlantic Coast Line
r. R., 296 mitss south Of Jacksonville, 81
miles east of south from Tampa on ths
south side of Charlotte Harbor. z5 mile.
from its mouth, Boca Grande, Its popu-
lation by the Federal census Of 1910 was
slightly in excess OF 1900 but this number
has been considerably increased BY peo-
pie who have located here since the cen
s,is was taken. and the number Of peo-
pie in the town now lis yariousIy estimat-
cd at from 1.5oo to 1000. OF this popula-
tion about 800 are black people.
There are Methodist. Baptist, Episcopal
and Presbyterian churches with regular
services for white people, and Methodist
and Baptist churches for negroes. A
pubic school for white children, embrace
ing grammar and high school depart
ments, employs eleven teachers and has
an enrolment Of several hundred pupils.
A private finishing school is also main
tained. The negroes have a good public
school with two teachers and an enroll
ment Of about forty pupils.
The taxation for city. county and state
purposes Is not considered excessive, and
considering that property heretofore has
been assessed at about one third its real
value there has been little occasion for
dissatisfaction from this source
The town contains two substantial
banks. an excellent telephone system
with connections all over the neighboring
counties; post Office, telegraph and ex-
press offices; several private boarding |
houses. four hotels; plenty of grocery,
dry goods, drug and other stores to sup
ply all the demands Of the trade; ma
chine, wagon and boat shops Ice fac
tory, b0ttling works, three cigar factor
les, livery stable, newspaper and job
printing Office, bakery. restaurants, a
town hall; flourishing lodges Of Masons.
Woodmen of the World and Red Men;
plant for making concrete building blocks;
five lawyers, four physicians. one dentist,
q number of real estate men, etc, etc.
The chief industry Is fishing. in which
six wholesale firms with 300 or more men
are engaged. Capital invested in the !,
arge shipments of fish on ice are made
almost daily during fishing seasons
The bulk Of the fish shipped are mullet,
but many pompano. Spanish mackerel :.
bass. trout, sheep-head., snapper and 9TH !,
sr fine food fish are shipped. The oyster I
BUSINESS is small /.
Next to fishing the cultivation of FAM ]
" pineapples engages most attention, as | I
he profits of this industry often reach
1900 an acre, II requires about $500 to =
prepare and plant an acre in
,ineapples. but after this. 5000 year !
would cover the cost Of cultivation. The !
,lants bear In twelve to eighteen months
.fter planting and continue to bear an /,
lually thereafter without replanting for |;
i've or six years. I
Truck farming Is an industry yet in !
Is infancy and offering good returns !
IN intelligent and well directed efforts. :
All kinds of vegetables yield good crops
and easy crops to raise are
Iweet potatoes, Irish potatoes and sugar /,
,ane, which pay $3.50 to $500 per acre
Oranges. grapefruit lemons and lines
ire successfully grown; SO are some 9TH /
n fruits of lesser note.
Prices of town lots ana Of lands out Of,
own vary SO greatly that It Is imprac-
icable to give quotations here; but al
most any one who does not expect to
Ind in a new and sparsely settled coun-s
ry like this, the improvements and con-
yeniences of Ohiox and Massachusetts.
IAN find here something to suit him In
,rice and character, whether he wishes
improved or unimproved property.
The town government consists Of a II
mayor. marshall, five aldermen, clerk, col- j
ector and assessor and a treasurer. The !
streets are hard-surfaced and so are
miles of public roads leading into town;
md the people of the town and surround
ng territory have recently voted IN fsyor
Of the creation OF special road and
bridge district and the issuance OF i2o0.-
10000 of bonds for the construction and
Improvement of highways. The tNwn |
has voted 60,0OO00 in bonds for sewer
age and water works
The location is one OF the healthiest
10 be found anywhere as Is shown w +
vital statistics kept by the local health
officer
A man can work out on doors here any
and every day in the year Prostrations Z
from heat never occur The climate here
is ideal the year round. Il
Flowing artesian wells may be obtained
here at varying depths, and q number Of
them are now in use In and about town,
some for irrigation and others for supply
Ing drinking water. etc The water from
these artesian wells contains mineral
properties and is said to possess medic
cinai value some citizens claiming %
have been cured of various ailments BY
drinking 1t freely. The town owns two
Of these wells, a small one which supplies
a public drinking fountain and large
one that supplies fire protection through
a main laid for the purpose.
Our people are from various states and
countries and are very liberal and tNlNrr
ant IN their views and opinions THEY
are hosDitable to respectable stranger
to their neighbors. to the nQQf
and needy, progressive and enterprisiHE
to the extent of their means In Nh i1<<1