The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1843-07-23

| CtDAR hRY, tE June -, ioto'
The Utility Of he Herald Cedar Key Fs Position
| aud Prospects = Is Climate and Produce.
JAMES GORDON BENNETT, ESQ
| DEAR SIR;-
| Ihive observed that if any event. place, or cir
cumstance is required to be brought into general
notce-if il is desired TO communicate any matter
or subject TO china, AHghanistan, the Sandwich
| Islands, Kamschatka OF Botany Bay, Yucatan or
| California, your universal columns are made the
medium of such transmission; and il ann desrous
OF hearing from those countries, or any other places
that steam or ships can reach the surface OF the
Globe, Qor believe you have not az yet any cores
pendent in the moon) find the r-adiest means ct
| acquiring such information IL by looking over the
| pages Of the Herald Now there are divers per-
| sons this said Globe who have probably never
heard of such place AS CedarKeys, whatever other
| keys to knowledge or Information they may nave,
| why ~ NOT avail myself OF the privilege used
by so many others, to mpart such intorrna ION as
| may perchaJce be acceptable To many within the
| universe ct the Heralds circulation
| What yer may have been heretofore known
| abroad OF this little dot on the words map, has
been associated with the din ct war, The yells Ut
savages, II Rroans and screams OF their unhappy
victims, and all The appalling horrors OF butchery,
| murder and devastation. But now that
"Grm visagd war hath smoothed his wrinkled front
Instead of brisng bayonets, rolling drums, and
| the startling trumpet's warning blast, we have the
more welcome sounds Ut peace, with It's smiling
| promises, and that sense Of security and safety
| which gladdens the heart after danger and priva-
| ton.
| The tnote OF preparation il longer heard
| "To fright the soul Of fearful sdverssries y
but as the busy prelude to the introduction into the
| deserted hsunts of the Savage, OF all the arts and
| comforts of civilization, OF agriculture, commerce
and navigation, the fertile regions, rivers and
baya which have long wasted their fragrance on
the desert air" and speeded their useless currents
unheeded TO the ocean. Into these regions emigra-
ton is pouring its tide Y he woOdmans axe aud
| the failing trees now resound, where the savage
beast and more savage red man alone disturbed their
| silent wastes.
A large extent of country, which is to furnish the
resources and support 10 new commercial depot IN
the Southern world ls thus rapidly hllng up and al
| ready far advanc d IN CULTIVATION Asan emporium
tor the business and trade OF this country, nature
has provided an ample and secure harbor, with safe
| anchorage, easy aud convenient Tor vessels, lmmu
nifty from the diseases incident TO southern alltudes,
and IN short, abounding IN all the advantages which
local and relative position can give. THIS empo-
rum is Cedar Key. This Island Or Key, is one Of
group known by that name, situated IN latitude 70,
8, on the Western Gut side OF the Peninsula,
about ninety miles >. s L. OF ST. Marks, near The
mouth of the Suzanne" river, which, with lts
branches has an extent of upwards OF two hundred
miles, reaching into Georgia, and commanding
The trade OF several OF the fertile counties OF that
State. Along this river several thousand bales
OF cotton and other produce have been raised the
past year "a part OF which is now being shipped
from this por) under all the disadvantages 81 state
of savage hostilitles and OF the necessity OF land
trausportion tor portion Of it, from eighty TO ninety
| miles, which the condition OF the country imposed
| at the time.
The country south and east, dependent upon this
as commercial depot. embraces the richest lands
the territory, extending along the coast upwards
OF sixty, and into the interior from thirty To sixty
miles. Within this distance no less than five rivers
!; empty into the Cult aiordng safe navigation for
vessels of light draugh, from the very doors OF nu
4 | merous settlers TO tIs harbor and facilities tor
transportation of produce almost unequalled IN any
, | country
The products of this region will be sugar sea
island cotton rice, corn, and nearly all the tropical
fruits and plants The rivers, bays. and waters OF
the gull abound in great variety OF ilsh. The hshr-
ries along the coast were, before the war, highly
roffabe business, and must again become 50, from
the immense quantities OF fish, and the facilities tor
| taking them One individual, known TO The writer,
(Chaidees.) had before The commencement OF the
war cleared SI50,0O0 The fdr-faHed Chesapeake
| Bay oysters not surpassed by those which are
found In prouson along this coast, and green turtle
are as common here as mutton and yea In the north.
| The military depot at this key was broken up on
the I4th April last. AS selection for that purpose
it was admir- 1Iy judlcous The heats Of summer
are tempered by the refreshing and almost unnier-
rupted breezes during the day, which alternating
with the seting sun, spring up aresh from the land
at lght The nearest distance 10 the main land ls
tour miles so that even the land breeze partakts
much of the purity and freshness Vt the sea, and
gives TO the hours of SLEEP refreshing GOODNESS,
rarely felt in the heat Of summer in your northern
world. Endemcal disease has little chance OF get
ting toolhold under sucn favorable circumst noes
tary post, scarcely any sickness has originated on
| the key.
As i before stated, the hsrbor is easy of access
| The principal channel has eleven feet water from
TO the wharf, and vessels drawing fourteen feet
approach it within three miles in perfectly safe
| anchorage.
But what bids fair to place this little island among
the conspicuous cities of the South, 10 the accom-.
| pshme'.. OF the contemplated railroad across the
| peninsula from Palatkd on the St. john, termna.
ting in this immediate neighborhood, and forming
| m q
cation between your great city and New Orleans IN
| about Six days, by railroad and steamboats,. The
length of this road would be about eighty miles,
over country level as to require grading, and
| aboundrg with the very best OF timber Tor It's con-
struction. 1t is believed that over such couniry,
and with such advantages, the road could be built
tor SO, 500 per ihe. But, however near the truth
this estimate may be, here can be no doubt, what
ever the cost may be, tbot with the immense
I amount OF travel between the North and South, 1t
you'd yield very large dividends, and the benefits TO
|. he country be almost lncalculable. He who has
suffered the terrors and perlls, the fair breadth
'.capes in the imminent deadly ditch"-lhe risk of
life and limb on the land route fom Mobile 10 the
Augusta road, will be able to estimate rightly the
comparative felicity to be found in the speed and
curly OF such conveyance and It's advantages and
benefitsto the whole country
On this subject, gentleman Distinguish for his
sound views aud high character for int lligence and
OF high rank IN the Army, writes-''lt would be
herrsy and libel upon our ceuntrymen, TO doubt
that at some period, and not far distant commune
cation by canal or raj road will be established be-
tween the - Johns and the Cult. Commence
where it will, at the KEYS, or in the immediate
neighborhood, u must terminate. The Importance
of the commune lcaon, the time and hazard OF navl-
eating around the Cape, demonstrate the first, and
The nature OF the country, the second proposition -
u by rail road, the ST Johns and Gulf will be
brought within FIVE, and New Orleans and the Pc
nnsua ct Florida, via L Ike Poncharirals, within
| thrtysix hours. Any point on the Johns likely
10 be- selected, can be reached from Savannah, un-
der the worst circumstances OF weather, in thirty
| SIX hours
| 1 have caused the various entrances by these
| Keys Ia be surveyed and staked or buoyed, oy
which the public transports and steam vessels have
ali heen nh le ener by day. and IN Gear