The Washington herald., 1918-03-23
WILL EXPLOIT
FLORIDASUGAR
Capitalists Plan to Cultivate
Rich Southern Sections
Now Reclaimed.

1t was reported in this column a few
Gays ago that an attempt might be
made to cultivate the rich lands Of
southern Florida to the sugar cane.
This morning this report Is confirmed
'oy an authoritative statement that
some men OF capital are about TO ex-
ploit the reclaimed lands in Southern
florida with intent to begin the eul-
uvation Of sugar cane. Experts are
Of the. opinion that this land Is Pc
culiariy adapted to the cultivation OF
the sugar cane. being fully as rich
a are any Of the lands Of the Louisi-
ana sugar plantations. Should the
experiment, which Is now about to
De made, prove satisfactory the prob
abilities are that the large area in
Southern Florida will within a few
years be devoted to the sugar indus
Try. Heretofore these lands have been
exclusively utilized for the produc-
ton Of grape fruit and some oranges,
and also for garden truck.
They must this year be yielding In
abundance, for 1t is reported that the
railroad tranic from Southern Florida
northeriy is very heavy. many cars
being loaded to their capacity with
garden truck. which finds a ready
market IN the North. Florida is ship
z
crates OF fruit and vegetables.
FiasIer's Prophecy Justified.
!, II within a few years southern
FLORIDA should rival Louisiana as a
sugar cane producing section Of the
country then one OF the forecasts
which was made by Henry NJ Flag
Ter when he began the construction
Of the Florida railroad system will
be justified by the event. Mr.. Flag
p Ter received reports from experts
that told Of the semi-tropical cIi-
matte, conditions that prevail in
southern Florida and among them a
statement that the sugar cane could
be cultivated with great profit in
the vicinity OF Lake Okeechobee, es-
Pecialy if the swamp lands of the
Everglades were drained and made
ready for agriculture.
When Mr.. FIagler said to some of
his intimate friends shortly after
his retirement from active connec-
ton with the Standard Oil Company
that he contemplated developing the
east coast OF Florida and construct
ing a railroad which would encircle
the southern point of the penin-
sula and have a terminal at Key
West. many of these friends won
dered whether Mr.. Flagler's judg-
ment had not become impaired by
his excessive devotion to the inter-
ests of the Standard Oil Company.
There was not one of them who was
not persuaded that the venture was
one which would absorb all of Mr.
Flagler's fortune and leave him
where he was when as a young
grain merchant be became associat-
ed with the Standard Oil people.
They Laughed Mt Him.
Some Of his more intimate friends
ventured to smile almost patheticaIIy
when he told them of his plan. Not
one OF them believed that the propo-
sition was practicable either from the
railroad or the commercial point of
view. When Mr.. Flagler said that
In time. If good transportation facil-
tiles were furnished. Florida might be
found matching Louisiana in the pro-
ductfon of raw sugar. his friends
regarded this statement as that of
a visionary.
Very likely the experience occa-
stoned by the war and the shortage
Of sugar which at one time offered
TO the food administrators of the gov
ernment its most serious problem eN-
plains the disposition of men of capi-
tai to undertake at first in a small
way the cultivation of the sugar cane
in Southern Florida.
Director General McAdoo is not
likely to make any drastic reguIa-
tions which would seriously affect the
F1agIer railroad system. Its service
now is OF great benefit to the govern
ment and to the people. 1t is con-
trolled by the F'lagIer estate. In fact
when Mr.. F'lagIer was advised by his
friends against undertaking railroad
construction in Florida and the de-
yelopment of the State as a winter
pleasure resort, and furthermore its
development as vast truck garden
whose products would reach the
I people OF the North many weeks be-
fore the Northern gardens furnished
truck for the markets he said, in
effect. that no one would be the loser
in the enterprise il it failed, except
ing itself.
No Capital Called for.
He would not be compelled to call
upon anybody to furnish capital For
him il would not be a banking prop
nsitfon, as James ]. Hill once said
the promotion OF the Great North
ern Railroad and Of other great rail-
roads was a banking proposition
Mr.. F1agler lived long enough
to know-but really not to see,
because he became almost blind
in the latter years of his life
that his adventure was one Of
the conspicuous successes Of Amer
Holders IF