Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-22
Seen in Florida
Mason Makes Notes
On Recent Trip

VII hcCenC Tip
IF you want to get rich over night,
go to Florida" says Frederic Mason,
who has just returned from a BUSH
ness trip to what is sometimes called
the "chin whiskers" Of the United
States.
"All one needs is little business
acumen, some courage and q bundle
of cash." continued Mr.. Mason. You
can buy a house lot in the afternoon
and sell it the next morning and
clean up from $500 to $1,000 provided
that lot Is in q favorable location.
Florida house lots, like cascarets,
work while you sleep.
I'm riding about Florida failed to
see any cemeteries. real estate
man said people did not die in
Florida, and a native observed that
people live so long in Florida that
they finally wither, dry up, turn to
dust and blow away with the winds.
We had to shoot a niger to start
our cemetery, said a first selectman
of one Florida town.
"There are approximately 3S,000,-
900 acres Of land in the state. and all
of it is accessible to three-auarters
of the population of the United
States, or about S0,000,000 people
within a 4S-hour train ride. Florida.
in area, is more than all of the New
England States, but with only little
over million inhabitants. 1t Will
thus be seen that at present the
amount Of land, per capita. IS large.
"There are vet 100000 acres of
uncultivated lands in Florida. with
A n thu EVarQladpS.
and by the way, the eyes of northern
capitalists would bulge. if they could
see the marvellous work that Is be-
ing done to the Everglades. These
acres were bought as years from the
State of Florida at Is cents an acre.
They are fast making this swamp in
habitable. / have heard of civil and
contracting engineers in my lifetime
and seen a good many of them, but
if you wish to behold some wizards
in this line, all you have to do Is to
go to Florida. They'll make a city
out of a bog in a month and reclaim
a swamp in short order. In Tampa
they have actually pulled an island
out of the sea and made a winter re-
sort. For rs years the reclamation
of the Everglades has been an I'M
fulfilled dream. People are going to
continue to flock to a state of such
salubrious winter cline and with
100 miles of water front.
Few realize that the northern
boundary of Florida is further south
than even the southern boundary Of
California, and, for that reason.
Florida has an advantage in early
garden products.
"The future Of Florida can be said
n no hacoI fvx,n fhran fnNfo
The first horticulture. Florida has
the soil and climate to raise fruit
when elsewhere it is out of season.
The second Of these assets Is the
fact that Florida will become the
state of more winter homes. The
winters in the north are rigorous
and America will send more people
to Florida each year.
"And / might add third fact,
Florida cannot hope to be a great
industrial state. That's because of
its geographical location. 1t cannot
expect to become as important. in
dustrially, as Illinois. Indiana or
Ohio. Yet, Florida. will have indus
tries. AS the states population in
creases. more and more industries
will come.
"But Florida is going to be state
OF important ports. Tampa Is des-
tined to have a great port. Then
consider Hollywood on the east coast.
There will be a harbor there that
will accommodate ships of the greatest
draft. imagine few in Florida
realize what is going on at Holly
wood. Think of It. they are going
to spend $15.000,0o0 in this project.
Hollywood was nothing few years
ago. Today it is a bustling city of
$4,000.
''In other words, money. being
placed in Florida is not merely pa
per speculation. 1t is constructive
investment in building, in reclaiming
lands, and in producing throughout
the state the signs of an advanced
and ordered civilization. Every city
and town from Tampa to Fl. Myers
on the west coast and from Jackson
vile to Key West on the east coast,
as well as all the ridge-section re-
sorts, are sharing in this great wave
of prosperity.
Italy is the goal of Florida. Italy
has 100000 inhabitants, Florida,
with the same area, has now only L.
300, 900 people.
II am honestly Of the opinion that
the coming State of Maine excursion
to Florida will do much to convert
this great army Of winter sojourners
in Florida to summer aoiourners in