The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-12-09

made late o,, Saturday night. when tne
,rSr,d was finished a little sand was on ghe
hands Of The maker, was brushed OIL hasthy,
and thus Florida existed. ...-
AS is the land such are the inhah,taitsII
nretty much the scrapings OF creation;
sneak not Of West Florida, nor OF some rev NV
noble people whom ! have found IN t'le
eastern part. A.,
lantic will get into quarrel, VIII rise anu
come together, sweeping over, llis sanu'
strin md Florida will be washed away,
mr. these subtcrranean waters VIII Dufsl
nn--for there is more water flowing llndeT
the soil than there is on the slriace-.aiia
this waterouake will shake everything INTO
ehoos. It Is lust coral-reef covered With
sand. -,
ro1,r eynectations raised too much. 1t Is
not always and everywhere the land OF
flowers. I was disappointed sadly, and so
will YOU be If you 90 there with much eA-
pectation. I am almost prepared TO say
that there is nothing good in it but the ell-
mate That is up to any praise. an eceem,
trio friend of mine used to say thae theLe
was only one verse in the Blble Willcii he
could recollect, and that was Blessed aIE
those who expect nothing, LOT !he! 1 T1nl
r;da' It is merely the tail-end of this coun-
try: and as that appendage is more orna-
mental than useful, serving only to prush on
Gies and other annoying insects, SO does
this some times serve to brush away the III
noyance OF ill-health.
One chief object of spending winter III
Florida is this A man with chronic disease
during the winter merely holds his enemy
at bay. He is content if the disease makes
no progress, while during the spring ana
summer he tries to get well. Now, Inc CT
mate of Florida helps this condition. IL Is
the best place i'll which man can put, q
disease into winter quarters previous 10 the
summer campaign. And if his life IS TO be q
constant retreat-a running fight with and
from Death-this is a strong fortress INTO
which he may retire, and from which he
NAV often set his enemy Mt defiance. :.
| know of many men, long lnValdS al
home. borne to Florida on beds, broken
down with disease, now strong and 1ieshv.
T know one, who with difficulty was
brought alive into st. Augustine, stretchcd
mon n couch, not able to raise his head,
and weighing only ninety-five pounds. tie
is now q stout, Well-to-do man vigorous
and strong, with weight of l93 pounds.
/ have many more cases similar TO thls III
nv notebook. Some wonderful instances
of recovery from desperate states OF disease
are on record; yet in many OF Jhese ID
stances the persons are unaDie 10 I'VE any
where else than in Florida. 80
The only two places / know OF Ill TINS
that can be called really healthy
are st. Augustine, on the Atlantic coast, and
Clear Water Harbor, near Tampa bay, on
the Gulf of Mexico. OF course L except
those places among the pine barrenS when
I ho va already mentioned.
OF st. Augustine, q well-knoWn resort lof
inyalids during the last hundred years, ana
where | spent a month, snail speak more
fully in future letter.
Clear Water Harbor has more advantages
than almost any other place i'll FLORIDA:
Situated on the coast, in the direct line OF
steamboat travel from Mobile to Key " est,
il is ALWAYS accessible, and, what's Of more
importance in Florida, place you can al
WAYS get away from. 1t Is a narrow strip OF
healthy country, almost entirely tree from
malaria and mosquitoes-the two ms that
make Florida miserable.
IT has tolcrable soil, good water, soft
climate. fine fruit, abundant fish and game,
and a good harbor. Many better places for
purposes can be found in the rich
lands of Florida. but none where better
health can be enjoyed by the settler. 1t
lacks, however, hotels and other accommo-
lations for transient visitors, and is for that
verv reason much more desirable place for
those who are willing to rough it and get
we'll. do not recommend any man to live
m Florida if he can make 4 living anywhere
Else. But if ones health is such that he
cannot live out Of it, l would recommend
It. Augustine, or Clear Water Harbor, as
The best spots in which to enjoy Florida life.
Hereafter l will speak of fruit culture,
md of the immense profits that can be made
rom it where easy access to market is uf
corded j. p. L.