(1823-1891) dated February 8, 1884. In the letter, Trafford discussed land acquisition efforts and speculation. He described the efforts of land purchasers to buy available acreage from the state's Internal Improvement Fund lands at roughly 640 acres a day or 20,000 acres per month. The letter indicates the speculative nature of the land acquisition and the efforts of the investors to buy the lands at a discount. Trafford noted that "the proposed extension of the Railroad is not known here yet—though I fear the telegraph operator has dropped a hint. Property is very cheap here - but will take a jump when RR is known—I think it would pay you to invest one or two thousand in improved property here—this is undoubtedly the finest pine region of the State." Trafford also discussed some of the costs needed to clear and develop the land.

Trafford was a company agent for the Florida Land and Colonization Company (FLCC) from 1882 to 1886. The FLCC was a joint-stock venture that invested in Florida land development and sales in the 1880s and early 1890s. The company was formed by Henry Shelton Sanford (1823-1891) with help from a group of British investors. The original impetus for the company's formation was Sanford's inability to continue his land acquisition and development efforts in Florida independently. Located at 13 Austin Friars, the company was officially registered in London on June 10, 1880. With the formation of the FLCC, all of Henry Sanford's Florida properties were transferred to the company in exchange for a £10,000 cash payment and another £50,000 in company stock. Sanford was named President and Chairman of the Board.In 1880, the company owned 26,000 acres scattered across Florida, including in the cities of Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Sanford, as well as in Alachua County and Marion County.

Almost from the outset, there was serious friction between the British board members and Henry Sanford. Disagreements erupted over business strategy, as Sanford frequently proposed initiatives deemed too bold for the cautious British investors. From 1882 to 1892, the company saw steady, if meager, profits. Most of its income came from the sale of lots in the city of Sanford. From 1885 until 1890, the company, while remaining solvent, continued to see declining profits. From 1886 to 1890, the profits were so modest that the company declined to pay dividends on its yearly profits. Needed improvements and developments in the city of Sanford during the late 1880s sapped much of the company's income. Following Henry Sanford's death in 1891, many of the investors lost the motivation to continue. On September 15, 1892, the various directors acted to dissolve the company. Its assets, including roughly 65,000 acres of Florida land, were divided among shareholders.]]> Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.]]> Sanford Museum, Sanford, Florida.]]> Florida Land Colonization Company Collection, Henry Shelton Sanford Papers Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Connecticut Historical Society after 1901.]]> Tennessee State Library and Archives for processing until June 1, 1960.]]> Sanford Museum in 1960.]]> Sanford Museum in Sanford, Florida. Rights to this item belong to the said institution, and therefore inquiries about the item should be directed there. RICHES of Central Florida has obtained permission from the Sanford Museum to display this item for educational purposes only.]]> F.I.S.H. Tales, a newsletter for the Florida Inland Sportsfishing Hosts. The newsletter covers various topics regarding Central Florida fisheries. Topics discussed include a new fish hatchery, seining programs in Lake Tsala Apopka and Lake Dora, and catch limits for panfish. There is also discussion of pollution problems in Lake Apopka, and Governor W. Haydon Burns' (1912-1987) pledge to find a solution. Also mentioned in this bulletin is the current presence of bass in Lake Apopka, as evidenced by Don McAllister's fishing show, Going Fishing.]]> F.I.S.H. Tales, March 1966: binder 1966, Friends of Lake Apopka Archives, Ginn Museum, Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> F.I.S.H. Tales]]> F.I.S.H. Tales, March 1966.]]> Oakland Nature Preserve, Oakland, Florida.]]> Friends of Lake Apopka Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> F.I.S.H. Tales.]]> Friends of Lake Apopka and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>