New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-21

the St. Johns On some accounts, residence
would be preferable at Fernandns, So Sine Ao otbsr
point along the Atlantic coast. II intended 10
become cOttOn-planter, j should settle In one
of the Northern counties in of that tier lying
midway between the gulf and sea All Oftheso bavea
somewhat rolling surface with loamy SOIL or Dlack
hammock land, some of which would be exceedingly
productive of sugar and tobacco as well as cotton
Not Onehalf of these counties has ever been cultl
vated and the surface only of the land once planted
has been skinned over. Surface and underdraln-
ing, irrigation and deep blowing, in heavy lands
with liberal manuring will yet make this State won
derfully productive. Upon some of the poorest
sandy soil experiments have demonstrated that all
the fertilization needed may be derived from irriga
ton. Along the st. Johns. this must be accom-
as in Egypt 6y esnS as hG ~ one
way or the other, it is obvious that cheap eevating
power is at hand. Whenever 1t is used this desert
wis became as fruitful as the valley of the Nile.
I" Are there any large t0,CpS IN FlO,iddV
No Jacksonville contains an average population
of about 900 (half colOred There is no other town
half as large
"What kind Of a place is JackSonriHe9'
My friend, are Won aware that Won have put hard
question " What kind of place r IN what respect
politically morally, regiOusly, socially, geography
caly geOlOgcally or for business health or peasuIei
Politically, it is like the State, Republican, II the
carpet-baggers who have possession OF the
government of the State are worthy OF tnaJ
name. consider them generally as a pretty
hard lot Who for the sake of Office. are Wiling 10
pandeT to the old Rebel element, which. without
such nursing, would soon die out. In Jacksonylle'
the Northern element. combined WIN the colottu,
forms the ruling power Morally, the place might DO
improved. 1t is kind of head-center for lazy,
vicious vagabOnds, who when full of rum, act like
other men of the same class. Fortunately
that class in Jacksonville Is IN mie
nority which could soon be annhlated, III
the honest portion of the community would exercise
their power and Danish the rum-shops. , Kelgously
the place stands fairly VI metbeSis an
| Episcopal and Roman Catholic. Meetings are also
held by the COngregaionalists tSoutheInh UnlVer-
sastS AdventistS and perhaps others lhere are one
coored Baptist and two cOlOred Methodist churches,
and few Jews, but not enough to form syna-
| gOgue. ,.,,
visitor from the North, presume that is what you
wish to know. geographically considered, refer
yen to the 1va m' EounT TO" which T G lies almost
| in the northeast corner OF the state, between
latitude 500 and 80: consequently, it is Just on the
edge of the semi-trOpcal region. Geologically the
north part of the State 100 miles west OF the ocean,
| is underaid by cave lime-stOne the South part OF
the State is based upon coral reefs; in the central
| portions and near the coast, "cOqulna rocks are
found. These are composed of conglOmerated Shells
| so firmly cemented that blocks are easily quar-
| RED hewn, and used for building-stone. The
old fort, and many other buildings at St.
| Augustine, are made OF coqnina. AZ Jackson
Vile. there is no stone nor, clay, but bricks are
| made of sort of cemented sand found III some
places. The whole region Is apparently vast sea-
deposit of sand. but this sand being almost as fine
as flour and largely composed of powdered shells, is
| remarkably fertile, whenever mixed with the natu-
raj humus of vegetation, or arthclally MANFRED
The particles being fiat the surface neither drifts
into QuIlleS, ana being so largely
of lime it absorbs moisture rapidly so that neiIner
dust nor mud are troublesome. While the land does
| not sufier severely from dTouth, 1t IS wonderfully
benefited by irrigation. For business, suppose
| Jacksonville equals any other thriving, rapidly
! growing town. 1t has the trade of an extensive
hut very sparsey settled region. Pine lumber is eX
| tensively manufactured for exportatiOn and it
should be the shppingpoTt for threefourths of the
cotton and other products grown III the State
Health and pleasure go together. Where the first
fails the last will most surely. You must Judge OF
the healthfulness of place from Its climate There
! is great evenness of temperature here, the mean
| by Fahrenhet's thermometer for 20 years being 691
So. The mean temperature during January was 80
or February $50 OF, July. SO 90. August. SO 9S
| temperature below 40 CO., and during no August
above $40 60. The yearly mean temperature of
another period of 20 years at St. Augustine was 60
61t although that place is nearly threefOuTths of a
degree further south than Jacksonville tho average
heat was only nine minutes gIeater. The eyepness
of Florida temperature has always been noted as re-
markable. Ice has been formed at Jacksonville but
few times since it was settled by Europeans.
The thermometer rarely falls below 400 or rises
| above 9Oo In the shade the heat is not so
| oppressive as at New-York, but slight degree of
cold is felt more. Fires are not only comfortable
during most of the Gays III Winter, but on some Of
| them. particularly morning and evening, house
| would be uncomfortable that had no fire-places
| Wooden garments and blankets Indispensable
even in Summer, as the nights are cool During the
! Winter and Spring the climate is absolutely dry
But little rain falls and fogs are unusual The rainy
| season comes in Summer, during July and August.
The average rainfall during 10 years was 1855
inches. The average during the same period of the
month of July was 7Gl5 OF August, 77O5; January,
1889; February, 1855; while in November it was
only 1887, showing that month to be the dryest of
the year. is 1t necessary to say anything further TO
assure any aEha Dghs 'h be S SVSh rg%s
| are grossly violated For pulmonary, cntane0us,
rheumatic, and other diseases requiring outdoor
| exercise, | recommend residence in Flor
| ida. Bilious diseases of light type are com
there, but colds, coughs, influenza, and typhoid
feyers such as are often 40 fatal In England do
| moi lS m dc "A hon
that Florida is generally healthier than any North
em State, and that the climate, eight months of the
wear, from October to June, is the most delight
full that be found, at least in any Of the Atlantic
! States. The temperature and general condition of
the atmosphere is like that on one of our pleasant
! Spring days, leaving out the rain. During six.
months residence at Jacksonville. last Winter, |
never saw one stormy day. Rain fell at night,
and three times only 1T continued I'LL toward
doors month after month. Roses bloomed
III the gardens every day. and every day inya-
almost every evening, they found them
selves equally comfortable baskng in the blaze from
an open fireplace. Now, have answered your ques
ton satisfactorily Then let proceed with the
next gentleman, who wants to know:
Rha the cost Of reaching the place whee you lire
IN FlOriddT
By steamer, via Charleston Savannah, or Fer
nandna, thence by rail smaller steamer the first
class fare is $3O time about four days BY rail all
the way, via Washington and Weldon, or, via " The
Bay Route and Weldon, Wilmington, Manchester.
Augusta, and Savannah to Jacksonville, fare go,
beside food and lodging; time three days You can
also 90 by rail TO Charleston thence by good steam
ers Dictator and City Point, on Tuesdays and Fri
DAYS. From Savannah and Fernandina, there are
also two other steamers THE Lizzy Baker and Nick
King and there are four or five lines of steamers
from New-YOrk and numerous sailing vessels which
carry freight and passengers at low rates.
us transportation furnished free W any association 10
actual settlaSf"
No. Several Southern railroads make deductions.
1t often costs more in detention, however, than the
deductions are worth.
"WhGt could young man 9th rife and child and
N Iof2 in