The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-05-08
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, I
April 24th '73 (

DEAR ADVOCATE. Since our last
writing changes have been going on,
aud while our pretty little city stands
about in the same place it did, there are
not quite SO many people standing and.
moving in it as there we're. Health
and pleasure seekers from more northern
latitudes have been leaving in companies
of from IS to 100 daily, both by rail and
steamer for two weeks past, making it
lively for Rail Road and Steamboat men
and furnishing quite harvest in that
one thing so very neadful to all sorts
and conditions of men to wit ",Stdmps."
Some have left little TO early, as wiuter
"lipgering in the lap of Spring." has
touc he'd them about the ears and noses,
and caused their whole bodies to shlver
beneath the Frost Kings parting tread
This morning we had letter from an
M. D. of your "Quaker City," which
in formed us that since his arrival at the
city of "Brotherly Love- on the 10Th
inst, he had experienced two snow
storms, and wished himself back again
in the Gland of Flowers" Only two
days ago one the most terrific snow
storms of the season passed over portions
of the North West, and so cold that
farmers in some parts of Nebraska froze
to death within two rods OF their dwell
ings while trying to take care Of their
stock, while here on the 22nd the ther-
mometer stood between 800 and 900.
Farmers all over the State are busy
with their spring crops, and the pros,
poets are of the most hattering character
of an abundant harvest the corn and
cotton crops stand we'll for the season
Garden vegetables, cabbages, green peas
new potatoes, onions, radishes, &C., all Of
this years production, are now quite
abundant.
While many people have been leaving
here for their homes in the North, there
are quite a number coming in. A week
ago this morning there were sixty fresh
arrivals from the North by Rail and
Steamer many Of those now coming tc
Florida, come with view to locate here
and build up home for themselves and
families. Florida has future before ii
of no mean character, and at no distant
day the large tracts of land now unoccu'
pied and uncultivated, will by occupied
employing and supporting large enter
r-;-:-s o-A ;ndnstrinus rnrniation
Lands are now cheap, but land like
every thing else in the markets of the
world, are high or low occasioned tc
supply and demand, and we might ado
the use for which it is intended.
Not many years since, indeed within
the lifetime of men not very old, there
were thousands of acres of land, within
your grand old "Keystone State" that
we're not considered worth taxes by the
owners that are now recovered among
most valuable lands of the State. Time
has developed their value, so time will
develope the value of our Florida Lands
and within the next decade, lands that
could this day be bought for 20 cents
per acre will be worth SIS to $40 pei
acre. The lands of Florida, like thu
lands of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, in
deed of all the States, must be devoted
to the purposes for which nature SEEM
TO have adapted them to maxi
them remunerative and valuable, Th'
soil Of some portions of the State viii
produce fair wheat, but genarally speak
ing the soil of the State is not whea
producing soil. Sugar cene, sweet po
tatoes, cotton and the tropical fruits ar
natural to the soil and can be grown
with profit. AS late as 1868 it wa
thought that Irish potatoes could not b'
raised in Florida, now it is demonstrated
that they can be grown proftably, ant
are now grown in large quantities
and regarded as one of the staples o
the State. Thus each passing year de
velopes some hitherto unknown propert.
and adaptation of our Soil But NOR
anon
Yours Truly