Same as it ever was?

St Pete Times ^ | November 30, 2008 | Editorial Board

[keving]

Numerous hurricanes, tropical and economic, have hit Florida since its insane land boom of 1924-25. Yet the visitor in Florida today hears less about the Depression, sees less fear, privation, destitution, unhappiness and ill health than almost anywhere in the land. It may be the sunshine as they claim, it may be pioneering blood in their veins, but the Floridians seem to have extraordinary powers of recovery.

Bankruptcies and receiverships by the thousands, wholesale foreclosures, the Miami hurricane of 1926, the Palm Beach hurricane of 1928, millions in defaulted taxes, cities sunk by public debt, the Mediterranean fruit fly threatening the citrus fruit industry, the cattle tick, rate fights and depreciated currencies threatening the fresh vegetable winter market, then bank failures, and at least a blight on the winter tourist crop due to the depression in the north — these are just a few of the troubles Floridians have experienced since their economic jag of 1924 and 1925.

[keving]

Interesting to see what an objective look back to the past has yielded.

[keving]

Browsing the net:

While not all land speculating met with success, most investors in the beginning stages of the Florida Land Boom made a profit selling the land to others. An elderly man in Pinellas County was committed to a sanitarium by his sons for spending his life savings of $1,700 on a piece of Pinellas property. When the value of the land reached $300,000 in 1925, the man’s lawyer got him released to sue his children. In the 1920’s in Florida the difference between genius and idiot was never so narrow.

[VeniVidiVici]

Great article!

[BobL]

Incredible article...great to read stuff back when there wasn’t nearly the bias in the media.

The deflation stuff is interesting...we’ll probably skip that (due to our money printing), and go right to runaway inflation.

[BobL]

Hey From (we’re on first-name basis),

You’ll like this article...right up your alley.

[FromLori]

Thanks most interesting those who don’t learn from history...

[BobL]

You’re welcome...it just feels weird to read the article.