Reminiscent Remarks 
By Major George R, Fairbanks* 
Mr. Presidentj Ladies and Gentlemen: 
I thought it might be of interest to some 
of you to hear a few reminiscences of one 
of the oldest citizens of Florida. I came 
to Florida in 1842. At that time there 
was no settlement on the east coast south 
of Palatka or south of Micanopy in the 
central portion of the State. The travel in 
those days was by stage coach from St. 
Augustine through Middle Florida to 
Pensacola. The stage coach ride to Tal¬ 
lahassee in those days was long and tedi¬ 
ous, and only accomplished by relays, and 
the best time that could be made was 
about thirty miles a day, quite a difference 
in the palatial travel now at thirty miles 
per hour as a maximum. I remember the 
first time I ever saw the city of Jackson¬ 
ville, it was a very small place, with four 
or five docks on the river front. The mail 
was brought by boat from St. Augustine 
by way of Picolata or brought over to St. 
Augustine on horseback, twice a week, 
and the arrival of the boat was the signal 
for every man in town to go down to the 
docks and get the news. 
Tampa was in those days a mere fishing 
village, and Tallahassee a small town. 
The principal industry in other than what 
is known as Middle Florida was the get¬ 
ting out of timber; in Middle Florida the 
chief crop was cotton. Commerce was 
carried on by schooner lines to and from 
New York in the east and New Orleans in 
the west. In those days the entire popula¬ 
tion of the State did not much exceed the 
population now claimed for the city of 
Jacksonville. This remarkable develop¬ 
ment of the State within the life-history 
of one of her citizens is a very impressive 
matter to reflect upon, and I doubt not but 
that some young citizen now within my 
hearing will find the same degree of de¬ 
velopment shall he live in the State as long 
as I have, for in my judgment we are to 
have one of the greatest and most densely 
populated States in the Union.. The 
questior^has often been asked, why is it 
that the State of Florida has developed 
with such rapidity, especially the city of 
Jacksonville, with no extensive back coun¬ 
try to support it. This question is easily 
answered. If you will take your globe or 
atlas and look the world over, ascertain 
the peninsulas, you find without ex¬ 
ception that the peninsulas contain the 
most dense populations on the earth, this 
you will find to be true without exception, 
take the peninsula of Italy as a notable ex¬ 
ample, and all other peninsulas. The 
State of Florida you will find is a very 
narrow peninsula compared to a great 
many of them, and it is my prediction 
that within the life of many of my hear- 
