The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1915-01-21
A FEW FACTS CONDENSED
PERTAINING TO PUNTA GoRDA AND
VICINITY
Information for the Homeseeker, the In
weston and Those In Search of
Health, Recreation, Etc.

For the purpose of supplying informal
ton such as Is desired by nany people CT
other sections who are interested in this
locality the following facts are given:
Punta Gorda is on the Charlotte Har-
Dor Division of the Atlantic Coast Line
r. r., 295 miles south of Jacksonville, 80
miles east of south from Tampa on the
south side of Charlotte Harbor, rs miles
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-
Pile who have located here since the CEN
sus was taken, and the number of peo-
pie in the town now is variously estimat-
ed at from $500 to 1000. OF this popula-
ton 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
tanned. 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
countless 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. bottling works, three cigar factor
les, a livery stable, newspaper and job
printing office. bakery. restaurants. a
town hall; hourishing lodges of Masons,
Woodmen of the World and Red Men;
plant for making concrete building blocks;
five lawyers, four physicians. one dentist.
a 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
business is estimated at $4,000 and
large 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
er fine food fish are shipped. The oyster
business Is small.
Next to fishing, the cultivation Of fam
cy pineapples engages most attention, as
the profits of this industry often reach
$500 an acre. 1t requires about $500 to
properly prepare and plant an acre in
pineapples, but after this, 5000 a year
would cover the cost Of cultivation. The
plants bear in twelve to eighteen months
after planting and continue to bear an
nually thereafter without replanting for
Ave or six years.
Truck farming is an industry yet In
its infancy and offering good returns
on intelligent and well directed efforts.
All kinds of vegetables yield good crops.
Profitable and easy crops to raise are
sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes and sugar
cane, which pay $3.50 to $500 per acre.
Oranges, grapefruit, lemons and lines
are successfully grown; so are some 9TH
er fruits Of lesser note,
Prices of town lots and of lands out of
town vary so greatly that it is imprac-
ticable to give quotations here; but al
most any one who does not expect to
find in a new and sparsely settled coun-
try like this, the improvements and con-
veniences of Ohio and Massachusetts,,
can find here something to suit him in
price and character, whether he wishes
improved or unimproved property.
The town government consists of
mayor. marshall, five aldermen. clerk, col
lector and assessor and a treasurer. The
streets are hard-surfaced and so are
miles of public roads leading into town;
and the people of the town and surround