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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 79/340

A History of Columbia County, Florida

Alligator.41 Whether or not Mrs. Ross had such a direct role cannot
be documented, but the residents of Alligator certainly did not
oppose the new name. The legislative council was requested to
make the change.
On December 14, 1858, Senator W. W. McCall of Columbia
County introduced a bill to incorporate the city of Alligator,
Florida. On the second reading that day McCall offered an amend­
ment “that in every case where the name ‘Alligator’ appears, either
in the title or body of said, the name ‘Lake City’ be substituted.” On
December 16, the bill was voted on and passed without a single
“nay,” although there were some problems in rounding-up suf­
ficient senators to constitute a quorum for that afternoon’s busi­
ness.42
The bill faced tougher sledding in the house. On Tuesday,
December 21, 1858, the senate bill entitled “an act to change the
name of the county site of Columbia County from Alligator to Lake
City,” was read. Representative John Frink of Hamilton County
mischievously moved to amend by striking out the word “Lake”
and substituting the word “Crocodile.” Crocodile City was not to
the liking of the full house, however, and Frink’s motion did not
carry. The measure for Lake City passed the house on January 14,
1859, with only Frink, Joseph S. Christie of Leon, and Thomas S.
Hunt of Nassau voting against it. On January 15, the last day of the
session, Governor Perry signed the bill.43
In addition to a new name for the county seat, important
economic changes were coming to the county in this period. As the
junction of the two east-west railroads operating in North Florida,
Lake City and the county were in a position to share in the state’s
developing cotton industry. As E. C. Cabell, president of the
Pensacola and Georgia Railroad, emphasized at a stockholders

41 “Columbia County,” WPA File.
42 Senate Journal (Florida), 9th Sess., 1858, pp. 153, 165.
42 House Journal (Florida), 9th Sess., 1858, p. 190.
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