Levy County History

This is a condensed version of a letter to Mr. James Stephens, dated July 10, 1893 that was found in the Levy County Archives Department:

Dear Friend;

You talk about high tax rises and trusts so much last fall that it will be well to open your eyes and see who is the cats jaw in the county seat contest.

Bronson says, you ought to bond the county to build a courthouse at Bronson.

I say there will be no real benefit to more than ten persons if located there.

Cedar Key says, we have a good chance to make a city. Therefore we offer to furnish a suitable Courthouse and jail fee of cost to the county.

If at Bronson the county will pay probably $25,000.00, if located at Cedar Key the county will pay nothing. Here is $25,000.00 difference on the start, with interest amounting to much higher.

The roads from the mainland to Cedar Key are good and safe and the bridges are no more liable to be washed away than in any other part of the county.

Bronson is a goner and it is best to make the best of it. There will be less than 1000 votes cast and Cedar Key will cast over 300.

Now look at the matter fairly, it is not a question of morals or of principle or of anything except dollars and cents.

You are so far away from either town that it would be a small matter to you which gets it.

One town says (Bronson) when you come to court you can camp under a tree. There is not the remote probability that we will ever have a hotel. We won't pay any more taxes.

The other town says (Cedar Key), We feel sure our town will grow. We will pay twice as much taxes. We have plenty of hotels to accommodate all who attend court.

Let's elect Cedar Key and make a city equal to Tampa.

I hope to see you attending court here this fall.

Your Sincere Friend,

J. N. Taylor