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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 185/340

The Early Twentieth. Century

their secret balloting. Early in the morning of July 7, 1905, an
announcement was made that Gainesville had been selected by a
vote of six to four. The offer of free water was said to have been the
deciding factor. Governor Broward and Nathaniel Adams of
White Springs were reported to have voted for Lake City. Al­
though there was some opposition, Dr. Andrew Sledd, president of
the university at Lake City, was named president of the new school
at Gainesville. The boards further stated that the university was to
remain in Lake City until 1906 while buildings in Gainesville were
constructed.10
Columbia County did not take kindly to the news of the loss of
their university. Angry mobs gathered around the telegraph office
in Lake City after the vote was announced, and several Gainesville
residents in the town at the time were threatened.11 A more serious
situation developed a year later in July 1906, when the records,
equipment, and other movable items of the Lake City facility were
moved to Gainesville. Talk of violence was heard throughout Lake
City, and teamsters were reluctant to haul the materials. State
militia units were readied in anticipation of trouble. General
Albert H. Blanding’s brother, who was a member of a militia unit,
wrote to the general:
It looks as though there might be a hot time in Lake City
this week. I wouldn’t be surprised if the troops were called
out there, don’t think this Co. will be on the list though.
They couldn’t get a team in that county to haul the stuff to
the depot and Maj. Thomas has sent up some teams which
I doubt if ever get' back here. The Lake City people are
certainly hot and I expect they will burn everything up
. . . reports indicate trouble.12

As it developed cooler heads prevailed, and the transfer was
made without violence, but not without incident. Frances Sledd

10Proctor, Broward, pp. 236-237; Florida Times-Union, July 7, 1905.
11 Proctor, Broward, p. 237.
,2J. B. to General Albert H. Blanding, July, 1906, Manuscript Collection, Box
60, P. K. Yonge Library.
163

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