Evening star., 1925-03-17
FLORIDA IN MIDST
OF BUSINESS BOOM
Enormous Shipments of Food
to Outside Markets-Pop-
uIations Jump.
BY j. c. ROYLE.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla, March IL
Florida is just completing the most
successful Winter of its history and
business men here are convinced 1t
will be followed by an equally active
Spring and Summer. Jacksonville is
the gateway of the State and they
base their opinions both on the influx
of money and people and on the flow
of Florida products to the outside
world
Conservative men declare that fully
$500, 900. 900 has been spent or invested
in the State in the last year, while the
industries of the commonwe have
increased in production to an as
tonishing degree. Jacksonville is not
Indifferent to the wave of real estate
speculation which has swept the
State, but bankers and business men
here say that whether the visitors
who have invested have been sold
on the basis of climate or of business
opportunities, development VIII go
on and that the basic richness of the
state as we'll as it's climate gives as
surance of continued prosperity.
Naval Stores Booming.
Their attitude is upheld by the
progress of agriculture and industry
in the last II months. Jacksonville
today is the leading naval stores CEN
ter of the world, and men like Wal
ter Goldman of the Consolidated Ma
val Stores Company expect it to
maintain that position. In 1924 this
port shipped 245,s45 gallons of tur-
pentine and 1,0Q6, 009 barrels of rosin,
and so far this year has shipped 90
905 gallons Of spirits and $3.50 bar
relS Of roSin.
Hundreds of thousands of railroad
ties are on local docks awaiting
shipment, and the lumber movement
is extremely heavy.
Immense Food Shipments.
Since September l approximately
q 900 cars of oranges, $4,000 cars of
grapefruit and 5000 cars of celery
have moved to Northern, Eastern
and Western markets, while lettuce,
peppers, tomatoes, cabbages, straw
berries beans and other garden
truck have accounted for $50 to 100
carloads each.
In addition to the outgoing ship
ments a tremendous volume Of fruits
and vegetables have gone to supply
the needs of the increased population
OF the State itself.
Jump in Population.
The tremendous growth of popula-
tiOn is indicated by figures just COM
plleu DN the lOTluS DeNciOpliSul
Board. For example, Bordentown ad-
vanced from $500 to 1000 between
1920 and the present; Jacksonville,
from 1880 to 125,000; Miami, from
29,57O to $4,000; Miami Beach. from
600 TO 5000; Orlando, from 5000 to
$4,000; ST. Petersburg. from 14,200 to
10000; Tampa, from $500 to over
100, 900, and West Palm Beach, from
$500 to $4,000.
Produce merchants here say the
truck and fruit possibilities of Flori-
da have barely been touched. Mil
lions of dollars are expected to come
in from the production of blueberry
trees, each producing scores of quarts,
which are just coming into bearing.
The melon industry is fourishing.
Grapes are being extensively culti-
waited in certain parts of the State.
S25,000 Cleared on Cucumbers.
One concern growing hothouse Gu
cumbers cleared $25,000 in the last
year, and the Snyder Catsup Co. is
shipping a tremendous volume of
tomato pulp in casks TO Gamers all
over the country. Bell peppers are
bringing growers a tremendous rev.
enue from pickle manufacturers. Pine
apple culture is on the increase and
banana production already has reached
Two large sugar factories, one at
Miami and one at Canal Point, are in
operation, and cane output is expect
ed TO keep pace with the clearing of
the Everglades. The pre- cooling of
celery has put that industry on a
stable basis, and the Florida early Irish
potatoes are running the Bermuda
early potatoes out of American mar
kets. Large pecan orchards are com
ing into bearing.
Modern Venice Planned
With such production certainly
headed for the Jacksonville gateway,
with water transportation in the St.
Johns River running well into the
center of the State and with a tre-
mendous territory to be served by its
fMzzazIIIIaIII suun