The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-04-10
a West Yirginian's Observations
ffgI IN FlOritlu.

lengthy conversation with our young
friend, Mr.. John 4. Harris, who has Just
returned from southern tour. He left
this city the latter part OF December, and
spenta greater part Of the winter in South
Eastern Florida, concerning which Coun-
try he has written several letters to the
INTEELIGESCER. There has been q won
derfnl current ottrayel fromthe North to
Florida within four or Eve years past, but
the number Of tourists there during the
last four months greatly exceeded that OF
any previouswinter. 1t is estimated that
at least fifty thousand Northern people
have visited that land ofperpetual sum
mer since the first Of December. Many
Of these travellers we're inyalids who left
home to get away from the harsh blasts
Of winter, and hoped to find relief for
their ills in the genial breezes Of a semi
tropical latitude. Others belonged to that
class who lrayclt crafty that inordinate
disposition for sightseeing, which Ameri-
cans possess more than any other people
on the face Of The earth. They were simp-
ly going somewhere to sec something
The mass Of those Florida tourists, how
ever, was made up OF land spectators
and men looking for places where they
could invest in orange groves. The Tor
ange ieveF now is rs intense as the oil
excitement was in this country several
years ago. Tho most cxoFbitant aud
fancy prices arc asked for the poorest
Florida acres, and there arealwaysShor
sighted, visionary men around ready to
buy abany price without considering tho
intrinsic value 81 what they arepurchas.
lug. Al great many Northerncrs have
settled in Florida, but they generally be-
longto tliut class Of people who become
dissatisfied with every country and de-
vote most Of their time to reading pampll'
lets on immigration, with n view to chang.
ing their lOcptiOn, AthOme they figured
up the enormous profits Of orange grow
Ing sitold by land agents in their Gircu-
Iarsnnd started tor Florida without unce
rcaecting thatit wouldcost something to
make grove. JIT0b
The natives Of Florida and the people
from other Southern States, who have
settled there are inclined to look upon
the majority Of the Northern travellers as
very dubious characters. They nearly
always speak ofthem in derjsivc way
as "yankees,p and circulate the idea very
extensively that they must necessarily
be "carpcl.bnggers," This mode Of treat
ment smacks somewhat Of ingratitudc
when Il Is known that most Of these
southerncrs arc At present not very rich
in this worlds goods, and are dependent
on tho Northern travellers money TO n
great extent, for their existence, They
like a yankees money exceedingly well,
but generally dcspise his presence. A
poor, ihdolent Floridian, when asked by
n Nbrtherner what he and his native
neighbors live on, replies: "ln the sum.
mer time We live on fish. and during the
winter. va feaSt ON yankeesl,
notwithstanding the present view these
pcople take Of The Northern man, we will
ventura 10 say flint The tide Of travel
from The Nortl, in succeeding winters will
eventually be productive Of much good.
These Southern pcople will find ont after
a while that the majority Of the men they
hive suspecled Of hunting Offices. and
of heinz tho;r inycteratc enemies, are
really very clever folks, carrying with
them GOOD intentions. By associatinp
with thsmtley will be able to rid them
selves Of a miserable prejudice, and re-
alile that the only road to prosperity Is
nv way of friendship instead Of hatred.
There con be nodouIt that the South il
exceedingly poor and the Southern pco.
pie are Of course ready to attribute their
condition 10 the war While II Ia trpe
TINT they lost heavily by the emancipa.
ton northumberland The coniisCation of
property, tits nlso eoually true that the
beginning Of their poverty dates far back
Of The war There il n law In political
economy Which teaches that tho prosperi.
" Of a countryis directly propoFtional TO
the number Of Ia industries, The people
Of the South have ALWAYS devoted their
attention to agriculture to the exclusion
of manufactures, and when the war closed
they had nothing left On their hands but
broken down plantations, The majority
ot the blantets sav. Tint although free
inbor Il much cbcsncr Than sinye inl,or
,hov ,re horolv ,llo n moto n liv;na rry
hscnn.o ahe;r. INN, .co,,o, fo,ds .soriro
.tStbItl.Abh dndt ebbimsttiol, Ar,llizer.
ara an vo,v ovnor,tvo IN rororI =, ,ho
inbor rno.iion ,hov oIl oorcc lin, stnrvn.
i'm Sa,iE S,SrS ttsb, a N. facc II tLc
negroe. warn t,ton from ,hcm, Tim M.