The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-03-09
CLEAR. WATER HARBoR, |
January 18th, 1870. {

Dear Sir,--Your letter of December 22d,
came to hand to day. take pleasure in an
swering all letters asking information con-
corning this country. AS relates to the sub
ect generally, you have in the articles re.
published in the Central Presbyterian from
the Planter and Farmer, about all the infor-
nation I can give. 1 will, therefore, give
as explicitly as can, answers to your ques-
tons, and then add what may think most
important in the close of my letter.
1st. The ordinary way of building is to
go into the forest, cut pine poles, 8 or 10
inches in thickness, peel them, and put them
up Split boards make good roof, and
serve also for closing the cracks. Plank for
flooring can be got at SIS per 1000 feet
End. All furniture would cost high If we
bought any,; but we make our own. can
make bedstead in half an hour, and other
things in proportion. A good horse costs
$780, COW and calf $40. We stock our
own ploughs; a turn. shovel, and bull-tongue
are all we want; no harrow is needed, as the
ground never clods. A horse cart will cost
$50. We buy the wheels and make the re-
mainder.
3rd. Flour costs SIS or $10 bacon 20
cents. We make our own sugar. Rice is
easily produced, as are the principal family
supplies. We can make and cure our own
bacon.
4th. Corn sufficient for bread can be made;
it does not however do well; this is not a
growing country, and the depredations
of the weevil are felt very seriously.
9Th. The supply of wild orange stocks is
not very good. We can have them deliV-
cred on the banks of the Withlcoochee river,
about ninety miles north, at Is cents piece.
We have to transport them in boats. We
are planting and raising our own plants
9th. Our present post office is Tampa,
twenty five miles distant; but there are pro-
posals for mail route from Tampa to this
settlement, and we are assured that we will
have post Office near US in a month or two.
There is no physician nearer than Tampa.
The class of people living here, until recent
ly, was such as did not want anything but
"yarb medicine" Weneed one "a Dr. very
much, and think proper man would do
very well.
7th. We have few Presbyterians, and I
preach every Sunday to small congregation.
1 expect to organize church in few
months. Schools are very Indifferent.
9Th. Rheumatic complaints are not CON-
mon, nor are diseases of the liver.
9th. Population is sparce, and quality in
ferior, but greatly improving. If the ind-
cations from letters are reliable, we will have
good population within twelve months.
10th. At 80 feet distance, (which think
the BEST if you get wild orange stocks, you
may estimate them as costing so cents each;
to SIOChS TO Cl6 dCI0 Will COog RAt.OO. Ii
you raise them from the seed, they will cost
you nothing Bananas cost from 8 to 10
cents each. At 10 feet apart you would
have AL plants to the acre. These, at 10
cents each would amount to $44.10 Pine
apple sets have to be brought from Key
West, as they have not been raised here as
yet in sufficient quantity to furnish sets for
seed. From what [ have learned, l think
the cost would be about the same as the ba-
nanas.
18th. Hired labor is very scarce and in
ferior. You can scarcely get any for less
than 81 per day.
18th. If four or five industrious young
men could come together, and would land
here with 500 each, they could each get
homestead for SIS. They could work part
of the time in improving their own land, and
part of the time they could hire themselves
out at good wages, and in year or two have
good home. A wife, in such case, (un-