West-Jersey pioneer., 1869-12-10
For the West Jersey Pioneer.

For the West Jersey Pioneer. sf
TALLAHASSEE, Florida, Nov. 25th, 1863.
MR.. EpIToR.-When in former letter 1,
promised to tell your readers something
about the Capital of the Land of Flowers
thought to have gathered some facts and.
items of interest before this time, but TO
tell YOU the truth, can find more facts OF
pleasing interest to civilization in ride
from Bridgeton to Shiloh, than l can rake
nm here in a months residence. Tallahassee
covers about as much ground as half OF
Bridgeton. From the Depot on the extreme
south of the city to the extreme north is
about as far as from the Glass House to the
Depot in43ridgeton. From the Depot north
east to the Capitol, are but few houses, and
the land is principally in vacant lots. On
the first street west of the Capitol, which
runs north and south, and Immediately OPP
posite it, is the Governors s House, tolera-
bly, passable frame dwelling, two stories
high something like DR.. J. Bowen's resi-
dence in your city, but not so fine. Across
street running west from the Capitol is the
city hotel, large factory looking concern.
1t is the only hotel in the place, with moth
ing like modern conveniences excepting
piano, and billiard room.
The business part of the city is one side
of the street east of the Capitol, which runs
north and south, comprising string of
stores extending along three squares north
from the Capitol, and, with the exception
of cotton buying and shipping, which is
done at the Depot amounts to about as
much as the business of Commerce Street,
south side, from bridge to Pearl Street. The
dry goods stores keep also groceries and
housekeeping articles, and fish, oysters,
hacnn and on the eou.etor, you WIN nHa
huge pieces of black looking fresh beef,
ready for the purchaser. White and black
wait on you across the counter, and if you
buy piece of this beef, negro will put his
dirty slouch hat under it without paper or
anything between and carry it home for
you.
The only amusements, or country sports,
are sugar boilings and deer hunting Par
ties go out to a sugar boiling, ladies and
gentlemen, and stay two or three days and
nights. The sugar mills run all the time
during the grinding season. Deer abound,
and approach the very limits of the city. I
have not been to sugar boiling or deer
hunt yet, but in my next hope to be able
to give an account of the manufacture of
sugar. This, like all other places that I
I, .,,t tl,x,c Sc ,nIoa fo~
enterprising men to make money.
Tallahassee was formerly much more
business place than at present. A great
part of the business portion-nearly one-half
perhaps-was burned down, during and since
the war. There used to be two banks here,
now there is only one, the Freedmen's
Bank, which does large business. We
may here say that Mr.. VIM. Stewart of
Cumberland County, is Cashier of the
Freedmen's Bank. The State Bank is ex
tinct and the "Old Union Bank was long
ago swallowed up by the State Bank.
The Freedmen's Savings Bank occu-
pies the sold Union Bank building,
spacious fire-proof, with marble floors,
burglar-proof vaults, &c. The National
Freedmen's Savings and Trust Company,
has about effected its purchase at the low
figure of four thousand dollars. 1t is worth
full twice that sum, say competent judges.
Various modes of locomotion are to be seen
on the streets, but nearly all eliminate in
the use of the saddle and OK yoke. Stand
ing on the corner you will see approaching
six or eight mule team, with driver in the
saddle, or a single donkey-cart with driver
i'll the saddle, and his feet nearly touching
the ground. or a single mule with long,
lank, sun-bonneted cracker" Qow down
white woman) mounted thereon with rope
reins in hand, slowly vending her way
along. Many other things see to laugh at,
but they are of such silly, ludicrous nature,
that on paper, they, like this letter gene
rally, would fail to please or even interest,
which reads the Pioneer.
Order and law are better observed here
than in any place l have seen in the SOUTH
At all other places where / have been police
have patroled the streets daily and nightly,
but here there is no police. There is Ma
yor, and one Constable, Ia black mani who
has to do something else than arrest people
to make his living. Altogether, barring the
onions, this is a pretty good place to live in.
In my next will try to give some idea of
the food and climate, one of which is not SO
delightful as the other.
OLIVER TwEEDE.