The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-09-06
rsor.sa-Csinase, Productions, &c.
c,rroxnondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA.,2

HVAG~ 1850
c,rros,ondence of The Richmond Dispatch.
JACKSONVILLE, Flax
August %, 1870.
Since my sojourn In Florida. having re-
ceiyed numerous letters Of inquiry as to eli
mate. soil, business, and health Of this place,
7 have concluded to reply to the major por-
ton of them through the medium OF your
popular paper.
river near its terminus, and is the nearest
point to the ocean on that river. me 81;
Johns is navigable for several hundre9
miles to the south, and which Is connec.e9
with the upper lakes and many creeks anu
: rivers which penetrate the country . IEa
either side for many miles. This CITY SUI
centre and headquarters OF the n[aue nr
three hundred miles in length ana MY "
sixty in width, This large area Is oniS pa
tiaIy settled, but still the trade Is iais %.
THE em;oration and settling. now SILL 80
mildly soinp on will very shorty auu Ths
70 the Present demand for merchandtse. inw
crons will naturally seek this .hA, nor
sale here or shipment to the norcii Ill nnd
kets. The streets Of tins GU! are Ny Tma
regularly laid out: ana orsSsre ~'" oaks
i Sn%nu With the china tree and
m~scnalis, while the yards u gar
dans contain orange, banana, lemon,
and fe trees, alternately, filed with blos-'
SONS or mutt. The situation OF the city IS
yerv pleasant and healthy, though Level n
sandy. The population is in the nelghoor-
hood of five thousand. The business OF
the Mace centres in the lumber trade. when
e conducted on n large scale IN the immc-
diate vicinity of the city. AT one o! tnese
steam saw-mills on Thursday last IN one
day there was zoos feet OF LUMBER cut,
which is transported north IN schooners
loaded at the mills wharves on the river
Mercantile business is confined at this sea-
son of the wear to supplying the demands
of the citizens, traders up the river, Oh the
railroad, and planters in the back country.
Prices. as q rule, are about the same as IN
Richmond for the staple articles. Frelgnts
from New York are quite low, such mum.
bers of vessels coming to this port TO ioao
with lumber.
LAWYERS and doctors I would not advise
to come here expecting to meet with q pro-
ftable or lucrative business. MECHANICS
generally find profitable employment. MILL
Wrights and blacksmiths get from three to
five dollars per day. Good carpenters nn9
steady work at three dollars per day. Good
board can be had at from five to ten dollars
per week. Provisions, meat, ana nsn are
plentiful and cheap. 'egetaDles, irs MI
and berries, same as in Richmond. NILE
"a scarce. as few cows are kepS LOT
the purpose. Condensed milk is ge-
neraliy used BY the families: Inc
land cheap and fertile, farming is cay
and profitable. The soil is Of a hght anG
sandy character. Excellent manure lsfouhd
in the greatest abundance in every swamp;
A small farm of s~eventy-five to a hundreu
acres planted in vegetables will yield q
handsome revenue, as they ripen very early,
and bring large prices in the northern mar
kets, and can be sen daily by express.
Fruits also grow well and prove prontaole.
Strawberries do exceedingly well. any
man who Is willing to work can make an
excellent living from his farm after the nrst
wear. and with a better prospect OF accu-
mulatine largely ir a short time than In any
other State. Settlers from all sections are
welcomed by the people. Men and money
are what is needed to build up this section
of Florida and TO develope its resources and
make it the "Cuba" of America. school
facilities Just now are poor, but are I'M
proving with the population. CIhe writer
notes q considerable improvement IN the
past few months.) There are in the city
churches of the different denomination
Catholic, Presbyterian, EpiScopalian, Me-
thodist, etc. all of them neat editces.
Mmate.-The climate Of Florida has the
reputation-and justly-of being n OF
the finest in the world Persons who are
afflicted with lung or throat affections in
the northern States throughout the long
cold winters can enjoy exemption from
pain here. The winters are very mild n
pleasant. The summer, though long q
hot, is preferable to the same season North,
the air being so much purer and hraclng,
the heat tempered bv pleasant breeZeS from
the ocean, and the nights cool and comfort
able. There are no unhealthy fogs by DAY
or damp dews in the evening. A free out
door life is delightful at any season of the
year. 1t is healthy at all times. Strangers
coming from the North, as in all warm eli
mates, must, as a rule, submit to some ac-
climating sickness, but it IS generally mild
in comparison to other southern chimes.
Communication withth North daily keeps
one posted in regard to the movements of
the outside world. Have Geographic
communication direct from here with Cuba,
rs also with all the northern and southern
cities. There are several Richmond men
out here. Mr.. Z. S. Baker, formerly OF
your city, has quite q neat and weu-sup-
billed family grocery store on the main
street Of the city, where he is doing Well
His residence, in the upper portion OF the
city next to your correspondents, Is quite
q neat one, with several orange trees on the
lot filled with oranges, which makes the all
quite fragrant.
win write you again shortly in regard to
other points in the State.
Yours, sincerely, MACK.