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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 74/340

An Expanding County in a New State

passage of a federal land grant for the railroads. In May of 1856
Congress passed a bill granting 120 sections of land for every 20
miles of track. Local governments got into the action as well. To
assist the Florida Atlantic and Gulf Central the citizens of
Jacksonville, on May 15, 1855, voted for a $50,000 municipal bond
issue to be used to purchase capital stock of the company. Not to be
outdone, the voters of Columbia County voted a $100,000 bond
issue on June 21, 1855. Again, as in the case of Jacksonville, money
from the sale of the bonds was to be used to purchase capital stock
in the Florida Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad.26
These municipal bonds were issued in units of $250 and paid
interest of 8 percent every six months. They were to be redeemed
thirty years after issuance. The real estate of the citizens of the
county was pledged as security for the interest and ultimate
redemption of the bonds.27 If there was any concern about the
propriety of such assistance by the county to a private company it
was answered by such newspaper urgings as:
. . . this is no private enterprise, to be governed and
guided by selfish or sinister motives. . . . This is em­
phatically an age of progress and improvement—other
States are pressing forward—let us enter the arena and
struggle for the prize . . . success will attend our efforts
. . . wealth and prosperity will flow in ... we shall
become justly proud of our enterprise and our State.28
The measure passed by a margin of some 1Q0 votes. The mood
of the country was reflected in the triumphant message of M. Whit
Smith, Alligator attorney, who stated, “Old Columbia has spoken,

26Paul E. Fenlon, “The Florida Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad,” Florida
Historical Quarterly 32 (July, 1953), pp. 69-73.
27 Florida Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad Bond, Manuscript Collection, Box
3, P. K. Yonge Library.
“Letter of J. P. Sanderson and T. E. Buckman to the Citizens of Columbia
County, Florida Republican (Jacksonville), June 21, 1855, as cited in Fenlon,
“Florida Atlantic and Gulf Central Railroad,” p. 73. Sanderson and Buckman were
members of the board of directors of the railroad.

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