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Source
State Library of Florida, Florida Collection, BR0147
Description
A prospectus from William A. White & Sons of New York for a club on St. Vincent Island off the coast of Franklin County. The company envisioned a small hotel, cottages, a small orange grove, and steamboat transportation to and from the island. At the end of 20 years, the property on the island would be auctioned off, with profits distributed to the shareholders (club members).
Date
1892 (circa)
Format
Geographic Term
PROSPECTUS
OF
St. Vincent's Island Club.
St. Vincent's Island is in the Gulf of Mexico, seven miles from Apalachicola, Florida, and is shown on all maps of the State, and also on a large scale, with adjacent coast lines and soundings, on U.S. Coast Survey Chart No. 183.
Its extreme length is nine miles, and greatest width four miles ; and it contains 11,290 acres, exclusive of several hundred acres of land-locked bays, valuable oyster and ducking grounds. There are a number of large fresh water ponds, and a stream connecting them and flowing into the bay, and several salt or brackish bayous. Three fourths of the Island is wooded with pine, palmetto, and the usual Florida forest growth, and about one-fourth wet prairie or "savannahs."
The Island has long been noted for the abundance of deer upon it, and from October to April, the ponds, bayous, wet prairies and beaches, swarm with wild ducks, geese, snipe, curlew, plover, egrets and Florida water fowl of all kinds. The Island is a noted resort and breeding ground for doves, and there are many quail in the woods. There are also a number of wild hogs on the Island, and many catamounts and alligators. The fresh water creek and ponds are all full of black bass, bream and perch, which in that climate are taken all through the winter. Oysters of finest quality, shrimp, crabs, terrapin and soft shell turtle are abundant. In the adjacent channels, and in the coves and on the oyster beds, all the salt water fish of the Gulf abound,including tarpon, pompano, spanish mackerel, sea bass, grouper, sheephead, whiting, snapper, etc. There are fine haches for driving, seining, etc.
A safe and commodious harbor, "West Pass," with fourteen feet of water on the bar, and a buoyed channel, adjoins the Island on the east. On the west, and near by, lies St. Joseph's peninsula and bay, and an indefinite extent of unfrequented lands and waters, easily accessible from St. Vincent's, and scarcely accessible from any other direction, where deer, bear, panther, turkeys, geese, ducks, and water fowl and sea birds and fish of all kinds are probably more plentiful than anywhere else in Florida, as there are no settlements, and Lake Wimico cuts off direct approach to the coast from the interior. Small boats from St. Vincent's go directly into St. Joseph's Bay by a short "haul over."
There is no cultivated land on the Island except a small garden or orchard near the residence. It has heretofore been utilized only as a cattle ranch. There are between 400 and 500 head of cattle now upon it. They require no feeding or attention except preserving the proper proportion of bull calves, and keep in marketable condition year round. The Island will maintain three or four times as many. The St. Vincent's beef is considered the best brought to Apalachicola, and the demand exceeds the supply. The residence has seven or eight rooms, and verandas on three sides, but is in poor repair.
OF
St. Vincent's Island Club.
St. Vincent's Island is in the Gulf of Mexico, seven miles from Apalachicola, Florida, and is shown on all maps of the State, and also on a large scale, with adjacent coast lines and soundings, on U.S. Coast Survey Chart No. 183.
Its extreme length is nine miles, and greatest width four miles ; and it contains 11,290 acres, exclusive of several hundred acres of land-locked bays, valuable oyster and ducking grounds. There are a number of large fresh water ponds, and a stream connecting them and flowing into the bay, and several salt or brackish bayous. Three fourths of the Island is wooded with pine, palmetto, and the usual Florida forest growth, and about one-fourth wet prairie or "savannahs."
The Island has long been noted for the abundance of deer upon it, and from October to April, the ponds, bayous, wet prairies and beaches, swarm with wild ducks, geese, snipe, curlew, plover, egrets and Florida water fowl of all kinds. The Island is a noted resort and breeding ground for doves, and there are many quail in the woods. There are also a number of wild hogs on the Island, and many catamounts and alligators. The fresh water creek and ponds are all full of black bass, bream and perch, which in that climate are taken all through the winter. Oysters of finest quality, shrimp, crabs, terrapin and soft shell turtle are abundant. In the adjacent channels, and in the coves and on the oyster beds, all the salt water fish of the Gulf abound,including tarpon, pompano, spanish mackerel, sea bass, grouper, sheephead, whiting, snapper, etc. There are fine haches for driving, seining, etc.
A safe and commodious harbor, "West Pass," with fourteen feet of water on the bar, and a buoyed channel, adjoins the Island on the east. On the west, and near by, lies St. Joseph's peninsula and bay, and an indefinite extent of unfrequented lands and waters, easily accessible from St. Vincent's, and scarcely accessible from any other direction, where deer, bear, panther, turkeys, geese, ducks, and water fowl and sea birds and fish of all kinds are probably more plentiful than anywhere else in Florida, as there are no settlements, and Lake Wimico cuts off direct approach to the coast from the interior. Small boats from St. Vincent's go directly into St. Joseph's Bay by a short "haul over."
There is no cultivated land on the Island except a small garden or orchard near the residence. It has heretofore been utilized only as a cattle ranch. There are between 400 and 500 head of cattle now upon it. They require no feeding or attention except preserving the proper proportion of bull calves, and keep in marketable condition year round. The Island will maintain three or four times as many. The St. Vincent's beef is considered the best brought to Apalachicola, and the demand exceeds the supply. The residence has seven or eight rooms, and verandas on three sides, but is in poor repair.
Title
Prospectus of St. Vincent's Island Club, ca. 1892
Description
A prospectus from William A. White & Sons of New York for a club on St. Vincent Island off the coast of Franklin County. The company envisioned a small hotel, cottages, a small orange grove, and steamboat transportation to and from the island. At the end of 20 years, the property on the island would be auctioned off, with profits distributed to the shareholders (club members).
Source
State Library of Florida, Florida Collection, BR0147
Date
1892 (circa)
Format
prospectuses
Language
eng-US
Type
Text
Identifier
flc_br0147
Coverage
Late 19th-Century Florida (1877-1900)
Geographic Term
Saint Vincent Island (Fla.)
Franklin County (Fla.)
Thumbnail
/fmp/selected_documents/thumbnails/flc_br0147.jpg
Display Date
ca. 1892
ImageID
flc_br0147_01
flc_br0147_02
topic
Land Sales and Development
Transcript
PROSPECTUS
OF
St. Vincent's Island Club.
St. Vincent's Island is in the Gulf of Mexico, seven miles from Apalachicola, Florida, and is shown on all maps of the State, and also on a large scale, with adjacent coast lines and soundings, on U.S. Coast Survey Chart No. 183.
Its extreme length is nine miles, and greatest width four miles ; and it contains 11,290 acres, exclusive of several hundred acres of land-locked bays, valuable oyster and ducking grounds. There are a number of large fresh water ponds, and a stream connecting them and flowing into the bay, and several salt or brackish bayous. Three fourths of the Island is wooded with pine, palmetto, and the usual Florida forest growth, and about one-fourth wet prairie or "savannahs."
The Island has long been noted for the abundance of deer upon it, and from October to April, the ponds, bayous, wet prairies and beaches, swarm with wild ducks, geese, snipe, curlew, plover, egrets and Florida water fowl of all kinds. The Island is a noted resort and breeding ground for doves, and there are many quail in the woods. There are also a number of wild hogs on the Island, and many catamounts and alligators. The fresh water creek and ponds are all full of black bass, bream and perch, which in that climate are taken all through the winter. Oysters of finest quality, shrimp, crabs, terrapin and soft shell turtle are abundant. In the adjacent channels, and in the coves and on the oyster beds, all the salt water fish of the Gulf abound,including tarpon, pompano, spanish mackerel, sea bass, grouper, sheephead, whiting, snapper, etc. There are fine haches for driving, seining, etc.
A safe and commodious harbor, "West Pass," with fourteen feet of water on the bar, and a buoyed channel, adjoins the Island on the east. On the west, and near by, lies St. Joseph's peninsula and bay, and an indefinite extent of unfrequented lands and waters, easily accessible from St. Vincent's, and scarcely accessible from any other direction, where deer, bear, panther, turkeys, geese, ducks, and water fowl and sea birds and fish of all kinds are probably more plentiful than anywhere else in Florida, as there are no settlements, and Lake Wimico cuts off direct approach to the coast from the interior. Small boats from St. Vincent's go directly into St. Joseph's Bay by a short "haul over."
There is no cultivated land on the Island except a small garden or orchard near the residence. It has heretofore been utilized only as a cattle ranch. There are between 400 and 500 head of cattle now upon it. They require no feeding or attention except preserving the proper proportion of bull calves, and keep in marketable condition year round. The Island will maintain three or four times as many. The St. Vincent's beef is considered the best brought to Apalachicola, and the demand exceeds the supply. The residence has seven or eight rooms, and verandas on three sides, but is in poor repair.
OF
St. Vincent's Island Club.
St. Vincent's Island is in the Gulf of Mexico, seven miles from Apalachicola, Florida, and is shown on all maps of the State, and also on a large scale, with adjacent coast lines and soundings, on U.S. Coast Survey Chart No. 183.
Its extreme length is nine miles, and greatest width four miles ; and it contains 11,290 acres, exclusive of several hundred acres of land-locked bays, valuable oyster and ducking grounds. There are a number of large fresh water ponds, and a stream connecting them and flowing into the bay, and several salt or brackish bayous. Three fourths of the Island is wooded with pine, palmetto, and the usual Florida forest growth, and about one-fourth wet prairie or "savannahs."
The Island has long been noted for the abundance of deer upon it, and from October to April, the ponds, bayous, wet prairies and beaches, swarm with wild ducks, geese, snipe, curlew, plover, egrets and Florida water fowl of all kinds. The Island is a noted resort and breeding ground for doves, and there are many quail in the woods. There are also a number of wild hogs on the Island, and many catamounts and alligators. The fresh water creek and ponds are all full of black bass, bream and perch, which in that climate are taken all through the winter. Oysters of finest quality, shrimp, crabs, terrapin and soft shell turtle are abundant. In the adjacent channels, and in the coves and on the oyster beds, all the salt water fish of the Gulf abound,including tarpon, pompano, spanish mackerel, sea bass, grouper, sheephead, whiting, snapper, etc. There are fine haches for driving, seining, etc.
A safe and commodious harbor, "West Pass," with fourteen feet of water on the bar, and a buoyed channel, adjoins the Island on the east. On the west, and near by, lies St. Joseph's peninsula and bay, and an indefinite extent of unfrequented lands and waters, easily accessible from St. Vincent's, and scarcely accessible from any other direction, where deer, bear, panther, turkeys, geese, ducks, and water fowl and sea birds and fish of all kinds are probably more plentiful than anywhere else in Florida, as there are no settlements, and Lake Wimico cuts off direct approach to the coast from the interior. Small boats from St. Vincent's go directly into St. Joseph's Bay by a short "haul over."
There is no cultivated land on the Island except a small garden or orchard near the residence. It has heretofore been utilized only as a cattle ranch. There are between 400 and 500 head of cattle now upon it. They require no feeding or attention except preserving the proper proportion of bull calves, and keep in marketable condition year round. The Island will maintain three or four times as many. The St. Vincent's beef is considered the best brought to Apalachicola, and the demand exceeds the supply. The residence has seven or eight rooms, and verandas on three sides, but is in poor repair.
Apalachicola has about 2,000 inhabitants, and a considerable commerce in lumber and naval stores. Its "East Pass" harbor has twenty feet of water on the bar, and is the best harbor between Pensacola and Key West-a distance of 600 miles. A railroad is projected from there to Tallahassee-some sixty miles through and easy and well timbered country.
Apalachicola has express and telegraph facilities, and an ice factory. Game and fish are easily and safely sent from the Island to New York, or any part of the country.
Apalachicola is reached by a fine line of river steamboats, running tri-weekly during the year, and oftener in the winter. These boats come down the Chattahoochee from Columbus, Ga., go up the Flint to Bainbridge, and thence down to Apalachicola, via Chattahoochee. It is the most convenient to take them at Bainbridge, which is on the main line of the Savannah, Florida & Western-about eight hours from Savannah to Montgomery. By boat from Bainbridge to Apalachicola is about eighteen hours. From Savannah, Ga., the usual schedule is to leave in the morning, take dinner at Thomasville, and the boat either at Bainbridge or Chattahoochee in the afternoon; arriving at Apalachicola early next morning. Savannah is about twenty-eight hours from New York, but this time wil soon be shortened about three hours.
The Winter climate of St. Vincent's Island, and of the whole Gulf coast, is much drier, more equable and invigorating than that of the Atlantic coat. The Gulf is sure to become to this continent as a winter resort what the Mediteranean is to Europe. The latitude of this Island is between that of St. Augustine and Palatka, a good mean, low enough to permit the cultivation of oranges, bananas and all the tropical fruits, and to permit fishing all the Winter, which cannot be done farther north; but not so low as to be enervating, or to have mosquitoes during the winter months.
An examination of any map will show that St. Vincent's is practically the only island left on the entire Southern coast either of the Atlantic or Gulf, suitable to the purposes of a Club or a private game presence. It is practically impossible to preserve game upon the main land. The few other islands in the Gulf are long, narrow sand spits, without fresh water, or forest cover for game, and far away from good harbors, and the facilities of mail, telegraph, express, ice, medical attention, supplies of all kinds, and extra men and boats. These essentials are always available at Apalachicola within an hour's sail. On the Atlantic coast there are no islands at all, far enough south for the cultivation of tropical fruits, or to give winter fishing. Game is much less abundant than on the Gulf, (geese, for instance, are plentiful on the Gulf, and are rarely seen on the South Atlantic), and there are no such unfrequented shores and land locked waters for yachting and for excursions. And already all the available islands from Charleston to Jacksonville have been acquired by wealthy individuals, or by Clubs, at prices far exceeding that asked for St. Vincent's.
This Island, therefore, is thought to furnish a very rare opportunity for the establishment of a club which will possess grounds, not only unparalleled in their variety and natural advantages, but which must largely appreciate in value as the country grows in wealth and population, and game becomes scarcer, and only to be found on preserved lands-a condition already approaching rapidly.
The chain of title to the Island is short, simple and clear.
It is proposed to form a Club for its acquisition, substantially upon the following lines:
1st. A Corporation, (Limited), to be formed by the members, under the laws of Florida, or any other State agreed to by majority, to run for 20 years, say until January 1st, 1912, and then to be wound up. Members not to be individually liable for debts of the corporation.
2d. The number of shares to be 100, but one person may hold any number of them.
3d. The Island to be purchased, with all the live stock on it, for $75,000, one-third, say $25,000 cash, and the remainder to be secured by bond and mortgage on the property, bearing 5 per cent. interest, and running for 20 years, or until the winding up of the corporation.
4th. Each subscriber to pay $500 for each share taken. Also, beginning with March 1st, 1892, each subscriber to pay annual dues of $75 per share, for interest on bonds, taxes and expenses of maintenance.
5th No other assessments ever to be made without consent of nine-tenths of shares.
6th. The $50,000 raised by the sale of its 100 shares @ $500 each, to be applied as follows : first, to pay the cash instalment of the purchase money, $25,000; second, the remaining $25,000 is to be applied, by the property constituted officers of the Club, to the erection of a small hotel, or club house, and cottages, the purchase of a steam or naphtha launch and such other boats as may be desirable, a few horses, vehicles and camping outfits, to planting a small orange grove, and to such other purposes as the Club may determine. Any remaining balance to be invested and held for contingencies.
7th. The Club to be wound up January 1912, at the maturity of the bond given for the deferred payments, by the sale of the Island, and all improvements, at auction. Should it fail to bring the amount due upon it there will be no personal liability of the members. Should it bring more, the balance to be divided among the shareholders.
8th. Details, By-laws and Regulations to be prescribed and adopted by the majority of shares.
It is suggested that the original stockholders should take two or more shares; the extra shares to be places among friends, or held for benefit of guests to be invited from time to time.
NOTE.-It is thought that the provision for winding up the Club at the end of 20 years by auction sale is an attractive one. After so many years, there will be many members desirous of realizing on their investments. The sale of single shares from time to time cannot largely be advertised, and being hampered somewhat by social considerations, they may fail to bring their full value. But by an auction sale, under the conditions above named, the full value of the Island as a fancy property can be realized. It would be thoroughly advertised for years in advance, and any members desiring to continue to own it as a Club could unite and bid. Long before that time the increase in wealth and population of the country, (which will then have largely over a hundred millions of people,) will make any private customers for such an estate, and the railroad development of Florida, already stimulated by its fishing and oyster grounds, its timber, and its arable and pasture lands. All gulf ports, moreover, will have been stimulated and developed in the mean while by the opening of the Nicaragua canal and our trade with South America. It is believed that a sale at auction at the end of twenty years will more than refund the share-holders all that they have expended. Expensive improvements are not at all necessary to allow the fullest enjoyment of the property by the members of the Club, and even by their families. It is the experience of similar clubs elsewhere that where the season is so long, (November to March inclusive) there will rarely be as many as one-fifth of the members present at one time. Comfortable quarters for such a number, good cooking, and a reasonable number of vehicles and boats, will cost very little. The castle on the Island in now way interfere with the game, and furnish enough beef to pay for general superintendence.
For further information, apply to, WILLIAM A. WHITE & SONS, 115 Broadway, N.Y.
Apalachicola has express and telegraph facilities, and an ice factory. Game and fish are easily and safely sent from the Island to New York, or any part of the country.
Apalachicola is reached by a fine line of river steamboats, running tri-weekly during the year, and oftener in the winter. These boats come down the Chattahoochee from Columbus, Ga., go up the Flint to Bainbridge, and thence down to Apalachicola, via Chattahoochee. It is the most convenient to take them at Bainbridge, which is on the main line of the Savannah, Florida & Western-about eight hours from Savannah to Montgomery. By boat from Bainbridge to Apalachicola is about eighteen hours. From Savannah, Ga., the usual schedule is to leave in the morning, take dinner at Thomasville, and the boat either at Bainbridge or Chattahoochee in the afternoon; arriving at Apalachicola early next morning. Savannah is about twenty-eight hours from New York, but this time wil soon be shortened about three hours.
The Winter climate of St. Vincent's Island, and of the whole Gulf coast, is much drier, more equable and invigorating than that of the Atlantic coat. The Gulf is sure to become to this continent as a winter resort what the Mediteranean is to Europe. The latitude of this Island is between that of St. Augustine and Palatka, a good mean, low enough to permit the cultivation of oranges, bananas and all the tropical fruits, and to permit fishing all the Winter, which cannot be done farther north; but not so low as to be enervating, or to have mosquitoes during the winter months.
An examination of any map will show that St. Vincent's is practically the only island left on the entire Southern coast either of the Atlantic or Gulf, suitable to the purposes of a Club or a private game presence. It is practically impossible to preserve game upon the main land. The few other islands in the Gulf are long, narrow sand spits, without fresh water, or forest cover for game, and far away from good harbors, and the facilities of mail, telegraph, express, ice, medical attention, supplies of all kinds, and extra men and boats. These essentials are always available at Apalachicola within an hour's sail. On the Atlantic coast there are no islands at all, far enough south for the cultivation of tropical fruits, or to give winter fishing. Game is much less abundant than on the Gulf, (geese, for instance, are plentiful on the Gulf, and are rarely seen on the South Atlantic), and there are no such unfrequented shores and land locked waters for yachting and for excursions. And already all the available islands from Charleston to Jacksonville have been acquired by wealthy individuals, or by Clubs, at prices far exceeding that asked for St. Vincent's.
This Island, therefore, is thought to furnish a very rare opportunity for the establishment of a club which will possess grounds, not only unparalleled in their variety and natural advantages, but which must largely appreciate in value as the country grows in wealth and population, and game becomes scarcer, and only to be found on preserved lands-a condition already approaching rapidly.
The chain of title to the Island is short, simple and clear.
It is proposed to form a Club for its acquisition, substantially upon the following lines:
1st. A Corporation, (Limited), to be formed by the members, under the laws of Florida, or any other State agreed to by majority, to run for 20 years, say until January 1st, 1912, and then to be wound up. Members not to be individually liable for debts of the corporation.
2d. The number of shares to be 100, but one person may hold any number of them.
3d. The Island to be purchased, with all the live stock on it, for $75,000, one-third, say $25,000 cash, and the remainder to be secured by bond and mortgage on the property, bearing 5 per cent. interest, and running for 20 years, or until the winding up of the corporation.
4th. Each subscriber to pay $500 for each share taken. Also, beginning with March 1st, 1892, each subscriber to pay annual dues of $75 per share, for interest on bonds, taxes and expenses of maintenance.
5th No other assessments ever to be made without consent of nine-tenths of shares.
6th. The $50,000 raised by the sale of its 100 shares @ $500 each, to be applied as follows : first, to pay the cash instalment of the purchase money, $25,000; second, the remaining $25,000 is to be applied, by the property constituted officers of the Club, to the erection of a small hotel, or club house, and cottages, the purchase of a steam or naphtha launch and such other boats as may be desirable, a few horses, vehicles and camping outfits, to planting a small orange grove, and to such other purposes as the Club may determine. Any remaining balance to be invested and held for contingencies.
7th. The Club to be wound up January 1912, at the maturity of the bond given for the deferred payments, by the sale of the Island, and all improvements, at auction. Should it fail to bring the amount due upon it there will be no personal liability of the members. Should it bring more, the balance to be divided among the shareholders.
8th. Details, By-laws and Regulations to be prescribed and adopted by the majority of shares.
It is suggested that the original stockholders should take two or more shares; the extra shares to be places among friends, or held for benefit of guests to be invited from time to time.
NOTE.-It is thought that the provision for winding up the Club at the end of 20 years by auction sale is an attractive one. After so many years, there will be many members desirous of realizing on their investments. The sale of single shares from time to time cannot largely be advertised, and being hampered somewhat by social considerations, they may fail to bring their full value. But by an auction sale, under the conditions above named, the full value of the Island as a fancy property can be realized. It would be thoroughly advertised for years in advance, and any members desiring to continue to own it as a Club could unite and bid. Long before that time the increase in wealth and population of the country, (which will then have largely over a hundred millions of people,) will make any private customers for such an estate, and the railroad development of Florida, already stimulated by its fishing and oyster grounds, its timber, and its arable and pasture lands. All gulf ports, moreover, will have been stimulated and developed in the mean while by the opening of the Nicaragua canal and our trade with South America. It is believed that a sale at auction at the end of twenty years will more than refund the share-holders all that they have expended. Expensive improvements are not at all necessary to allow the fullest enjoyment of the property by the members of the Club, and even by their families. It is the experience of similar clubs elsewhere that where the season is so long, (November to March inclusive) there will rarely be as many as one-fifth of the members present at one time. Comfortable quarters for such a number, good cooking, and a reasonable number of vehicles and boats, will cost very little. The castle on the Island in now way interfere with the game, and furnish enough beef to pay for general superintendence.
For further information, apply to, WILLIAM A. WHITE & SONS, 115 Broadway, N.Y.
Chicago Manual of Style
Prospectus of St. Vincent's Island Club, ca. 1892. 1892 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. <https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/297308>, accessed 10 November 2024.
MLA
Prospectus of St. Vincent's Island Club, ca. 1892. 1892 (circa). State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory. Accessed 10 Nov. 2024.<https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/297308>