A company styled the Florida Hard wood Timber and Manufacturing-Company, limited, has been formed in London, England, with a capital of $1,000,000 to purchase, work and develop 15,000 acre® of hardwood timber land situated near Brooksville, Hernando Cos., Fla. It is intended to erect an extensive mill plant with a capacity of 30,000 feet lumber, 20,000 coiled hoops, 20,000 staves and 50,000 spokes, handles, etc., per day. The Board of Directors comprise five in England and three in Florida, the names of the latter being Mr. G. Chetwynd-Stapylton, President of the Leesburg and County State Bank ,D. Stringer, Brooksville and Mr. G. E. Pybus of Fruitland Park, the latter gentleman being the managing director. The Hon. W. S. Jennings, of Brooksville, is the solicitor to the company
and the London offices are at 16 Great Winchester St., E. C.
The timber on the land is very fine and consists of white and red oak, hickory, ash, elm, red bay, magnolia and gum. The land, (hammock) is very rich and good crops of tobacco, cane, corn, etc., are being raised on it, and will be open for sale as it is cleared up, it offers exceptional advantages as the whole will be in direct railway communication with the
railroad, the town council having granted the company a right of way for a street railway from their property to the depot. There are already several clearings of five to eighty acres, with orange groves and other improvements which are now open for settlement, and as the mill will give employment to a large number of hands, settlers on the lands belonging to the company will naturally have a preference.
The Florida Agriculturalist (DeLand), July 21, 1897
The Chetwynd Chronicles 