New Britain herald., 1925-04-17
-'---------- COMMUNICATED
DcLand, Florida, Resident Dlsagrees With MT, Martins Conclusions

DcLand, Florida, Resident Dlsagrees
 With MT, Martins Conclusions Editor New Britain Herald: .
 l note in your issue of April z statements attributed 10 Mir. Will liam E. Martin to the effect that real estate is on the downward trend in Florida, mentioning par ticularly DeLand.
 Though frequent visitor to your city for a number of years past, l have never made MT. Martins &C., quaintance. and wish therefore to make reply 10 his remarks through your paper.
 By just what process of reasop- ing Mr. Martin comes to his conclu- sions is hard for observing Florida residents to understand, State cen- sus figures just compiled show an increase during the past 5 years in population within the corporate limits of DeLand of 75 per cent, while the population of adjacent territory seems to have increased 1j0 per cent, the most rapid in- crease in both cases have taken place during the past two years.
 l mentioned to a prominent local realtor that MT. Martin stated he had been offered whole street in this city for just half what the would-be seller paid for it. He i'm mediately stated that he would like to know the name of any man own ing lots In DeLand who would be willing to sell them for just half the purchase price. The statement that there was not single house on this tract is of no value unless other circumstances are stated. There have been at least a dozen sub divisions opened in DeLand during the past year. most of them of such recent development that sufficient time has not elapsed since the sale of the lots of which tc erect homes.
 During January. February and March, city statistics show that | building permits have been issued to DeLapd residents to the total oi 1 $l06, 6,975.30; of this amount Ss9,' i 275.30 has been used in the cree ton or alteration of residence prop' erty; the express office shows ar increase of 2,S92 shipments ovel the same period q year ago; busi ness at the post office has increased 10 such an extent that 200 pos boxes are to be added in 8 yer! short time. These are but a fev statistics, but using them as a stand ard, 1t would hardly seem that De Land (whose permanent residen population is 5,S01) is quietly goini to sleep.
 As to general conditions in tn state outside of DoLand, l can d. no better than to quote Roger W Babson, who, when interviewed few days ago at Babson Park, Mass stated;
 "As to how long the present con tinued mounting of prices will con tinue, no one knows; but surely, i most sections the real boom is jus beginning The national publicit
 which Florida has received thi year has awakened an interest neve
 before equalled. Without dout next year will show a great increas over this year and for some year
 to come inc numbers going : Florida should continue to ir crease"
 I have no ulterior motive in ad
 dressing this communication , your paper, for am not a rc' estate operator nor an extensiV
 property owner. I simply cannc
 agree with Mr. Martins views, ft
 I firmly believe that Florida's futuI
 is brighter today than that of ar
 other state in the Union.
 |, Very truly yours,
 F. RICHARDSON.