august april industrialist real estate developer purchased million acres florida land area larger state connecticut reportedly land purchased single person world history son pennsylvania based industrialist formed hamilton later ran largest saw manufacturing companies world investment infrastructure florida spurred growth state related efforts drain triggered state land boom numerous towns cities established area land purchase investments directly responsible creating towns indirectly aided rapid growth florida furthermore oversaw successful cultivation rice near area engineered canals aided water transport traffic florida ultimately unsuccessful draining river lowering surface water lake forced sell investments fraction original costs land purchase florida economy allowed railroad build rail lines east coast florida joining west coast directly led domination tourist citrus industries florida immediate impact philadelphia area active republican politics philanthropist legacy associated draining development florida early life business born philadelphia eldest son children born english immigrant descendant french nobility father successful industrialist rose orphaned days arriving united_states running hamilton child responsible multiple saw patents spirit victorian era envisioned engineered community steel factory pennsylvania attending public school hamilton left years old opting saw factory time year international venture father threatened fire repeatedly leaving factory work volunteer fire department hamilton twice joined union_army henry purchase release hamilton organized company saw factory employees campaign henry finally agreed support volunteers financially american_civil_war returned work father factory executive following death hamilton brothers william jacob inherited company renamed hamilton controlling member employee company expanded production million million files year month henry death hamilton gave president tour factory piece steel manufactured inch hand saw minutes presented president end tour saw manufacturing business continued growing branched investing chemical firm chinese railroad real estate new_jersey mining western united_states land purchase 1840s 1850s sparsely populated state florida came approximately acres km2 swamp land granted states wetlands purpose land water constructing canals florida consolidated grants purpose building rail infrastructure wetlands placed trust called trust fund managed governor florida state officials fund pledged land railroad companies guaranteed bonds issued railroad companies land high costs associated american_civil_war reconstruction caused railroad companies default bonds fund liable rapidly sank debt eventually time governor took office fund nearly million debt state constitution forbade issuing bonds repay investors interested florida rail lines built progress state stalled diplomat invited avid sport fisherman fishing trip florida trip realized possibility enormous tracts land reclaimed agriculture canals drain florida lake application land filed federal court negotiations relieve debt held potential investors including come fruition associates entered land contract january contract stipulated associates half land atlantic reclaimed congressman family friend pig iron described contract instituted broad preliminary investigations received satisfactory reports surveyed entire field proposed work napoleonic instinct saw proposition opportunity promote country welfare domain stood gain acres km2 drainage contract displace numerous florida armed occupation act granted land order force local indians land contract force land submerged drainage contract jeopardy affect massive debt bearing court orders related debt threatened contract governor visited philadelphia persuade relieve debt visit tentatively agreed purchase million acres land cents acre agreement formal contract june signed contract june new_york_times described transaction claimed largest purchase land single person world largest landowner united_states december sold million acres land english member parliament sir promotion politics florida disapproved sale giving away land positive effects years following purchase times rail lines added preceding years land sales multiplied times sale state property value doubled tourists came florida winter lure people florida opened real estate offices america england scotland germany italy sweden denmark promoted owning thirds entire state efforts drew people orlando area major cities naples florida grew land sold base efforts population rapidly increased headquarters shores lake city politics starting early local issues philadelphia known big controlling republican nominations appointments city positions machine system new political bosses replaced wealth allowed associate political celebrities sought advise politicians refused run office publicly supported future president congressman political boss arranged president fellow republican fishing trip large publicity campaign city founded acre km2 plantation sprang city plantation constructed near key florida plans massive effort drain river flows remove surface water surrounding lands regardless season canals engineered guide overflow lake atlantic_ocean east overflow directed gulf_of_mexico west eventually canals constructed south advised begin large canal connecting costs forced begin smaller operations connect commenced lake winter june report concluded valley drying planned report year later reported drainage nearly acres km2 reclaimed land credited addition plans included creation major city area rival city tampa established lake butler villa company land companies operated founded town built including commercial pier hotels lumber new_jersey deciding metropolis hoped shifted efforts south established town called invested heavily built wharf school area hotel maryland doctor declared area world drew investors developers including partnered brother jacob developing peninsula established russian developer building central florida planned western terminus december offered approximately acres km2 land stretch railroad countered demand additional acres km2 refused mistakenly believing thrive railroad merely came close area instead terminated railway named saint_petersburg home city russia met expectations small city rewards railway largest cities florida disappointment success draining florida quickly turned disappointment positive report drainage results followed report credited draining parts upper valley credited drought drying area north lake typically rises falls affected frequent flooding associate florida climate inundated despite canals canal lake actually completed resulted river flooding surrounding area furthermore planned canals east south lake commission concluded received acres km2 earned reached compromise land given return spending improve drainage including improving flow canals dug total dug miles canals received acres km2 land terms drainage contract january finished canal plans remained relatively unaffected structures intended drain formally credited large portions land generally improving drainage florida regardless lack success canals money paid allowed interest development florida early 1880s railroad spent vacation town brief distance south jacksonville enchanted decided build hotel extended rail line renaming jacksonville railroad built citrus farms followed constructed hotels east coast version florida friendly competition developed railroad magnate named oversaw construction rail lines hotels east coast plant concentrated extending railroad crossing state connecting coasts terminus line built exquisite opened death continued living bad fortune prompted return philadelphia financial panic devastating details caused financial difficulties florida assets million april dinner mayor philadelphia attended theatre production wife philadelphia following morning found dead age claim committed suicide self inflicted gunshot head obituary official report stated died heart disease bed new_york_times reported months death suffered bout pneumonia philadelphia employer rare businessman treated employees exceptionally chicago_tribune wrote peculiar ideas hand pocket influence successful fellow men took fancy reported christmas gifts employees philanthropy branched areas sponsored immigration approximately russian jewish families purchased homes assuring settle pennsylvania time death estate valued carried million life insurance policy second largest united_states family interest florida creditors florida mortgage years death railroad reached settlement little people named miami year died personal married son daughters survived presbyterian mason described fun loving evidenced yacht owned named known hard working executive gentle facial features balanced intense eyes described reporter like great eagle cage look straight sun tear places named places named pennsylvania florida philadelphia florida florida florida florida florida florida philadelphia pennsylvania drive florida street
Hamilton Disston