The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1920-02-05
Mr.. CARRIERS EDITORIAL

III lnlS issue OF The Herald we
are reprinting the essential por-
ions of an editorial written by
, Andrew Carter, whose name now ap-
pears at the masthead of the Arcadia
Enterprise as owner instead of the
Enterprise Publishing Co., as former
ly, and published in that paper last
week, in which Mr.. Carter advocates
the division Of DeSoto county accord
ing to the plans of the divionist for
ces. The reasons given by Mr.. Car
ter for division of the county are
good ones and will do much, we pc
llcVe, to crystalize sentiment for div
lsion in Arcadia and other portions
Of the county. We endorse all por-
tions of the editorial reproduced cx-
cept that in which Mr.. Garter Avs
that development here IS Ut a stand
still and that in division les our only
hope for future prosperity and dcvel-
opment.
If the division movement IS sue
cessful and we get a county scat it
will mean a great deal to Punta Cor
da. If it did not we would not be
working for it 50 strenuorsly. AND
we admit that Punta Gorda is still
suffering from conditions developed
during the war. So are other com
munities.
We regret that Mr.. Carter saw fit
to take this fling" at us. He is
either Woefully. - unthinkably
ignorant of conditions here or h.
deliberately and maliciously attempt
ed to do this section as much injury
as possible in the eyes of those who
might read this editorial and who
know nothing of us, for facts prove
that both of the statements referred
to are false-not to use a harsher
word.
We want to call to his attention |
few things to show Mr.. Carter that
we are not as absolutely dead" and .
hopelessly poverty-stricken as he
would have his readers believe:
PUNTA GORDA was the FIRST
town in DeSoto county to bond for
drainage.
PUNTA GORDA was the FIRST
town in DeSoto county to bond for
good roads
PUNTA GORDA is building one of
the finest and probably the costliest
bridges in South Florida
PUNTA GORDA has twelve miles
Of cement sidewalks, two miles of
the finest asphalt paving in Florida,
a modern sewerage system, electric
lights, waterworks.
All of these things have been Sc
cured in the last few years, Do they ,
indicate that the community is en-
tirely lacking in enterprise asl that
development is at a standstin?
Today hundreds of acres of our
fertile lands are green with fine crops
of winter truck, which is going to
the northern markets in steady
stream and bringing back a stream of :
money.
Ten million pounds of fish are :
shipped from here every year and
their value is almost as great as that :
Of the CITRUS CROP of the ENTIRE
COUNTY. .
Our banks have on deposit a little
more than 1925 for every man .
woman and child, white and black,
in the town. .
There is not a vacant house or ..
shanty in the town, many ..tourists ;
oeing compelled to 90 elsewhere !
to find houses. ;
Do these things indicate that wo !
are hepelessly Doverty-stYicken?
1t is hard to understand what !
other than malice, would inspire anv- {:
one to deliberately seek to iniure ::
another portion of his county and
state. !
We admit that our people are stul
suffering from conditions brought IN :
by war but these are merely Incl ::
lentaI and there is evidence that &;
.hey are coming to life again, and II :;
we ever do get up steam again. when I
{ comes to development and pro- !:
5ress' We will make some other seq j
ions feel like 1908 Ford irving IN I
Keep pace with 4 1921 DaoLors, !