The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-21
acknowledgement.
Letter From Col. Jacob Horn.
brook.
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, Feb. IA.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, Feb. "A.
Editors IntellIgeucer;
Thinking that some Of your readers
would like to hear from this part Of the
world, will attempt to write you a short
letter. I have been in this land OF
oranges and flowers over four weeks, and
lind the climate delightful, although
they call this one OF their cold winters.
Florida, as you know, is much visited
from the North during the winter months
by those who love mild and balmy
atmospheres, and especially BY inyalids
in quest Of health.restoring climates.
/ would not recommend persons whose
lungs are affected very much or who
are suffering with consumption, to come
here. The climate is too damp and iogy.
1t soon tells upon this class Of in.
yalids, and almost every day we see the
long pine box shipped North with the
remains Of the dead.
Jacksonville il situated on the st.
johns river twenty-five miles from the
coast, and from this point up the river
is one TO four miles wide. There are
about ten arrivals and departures of
steamers Of all sizes every day; also a
number OF schOoners taking away lumber.
The products Of Florida are princi.
pally pine lumber, oranges, alligators
and sand. find the white people more
industrious than in South Carolina-not
80 much heightened aristocracys Jack
sonyille before the war was not much
better than q shanty town. The finest
hotel would be now not better than a
sailors clearinghouse. At the present
time it contains five lirstClass hotels,
and every other house is a boarding.
house. The town has been almost en-.
tirely built up since the war by those
much abused people called carpet.bag.
gers, Two years ago the visitors were
so numerous that the hotels and other
houses charged from three to four dollars
per day. Now most Of them are glad to
get two dollars per day or ten dollars per
week, and they are not half full at that.
They killed the goose that laid the gold
en- egg,
The orange crop for shippers has been
much injured by the frost, and not 30
juicy in consequence. have found 10
lar that this land OF Perpetual Flowers il a
myth at this time. We have early cab.
bages aud other garden vegetables, but
no Strawberries.
You hear very little about politics
here. The Legislature this winter pass.
eda set OF highfa!utin resolutions invit-
ing the industrious capitalists OF the
North TO come to their State, where they
would be cordially received, &C., (pro.
viding they vote the Democratic ticket
They have sharpened the axe and are
putting it TO active use in the way Of cut
ting off the Republican otlice.holders
heads. would not recommend any OF
our West Virginians to come TO this
State to better their condition, while they
have such healthy and productive
country at home.
Mr.. L. A. Hagans, wife, mother and
son are here from Chicago. Iput in'part
of M time sailing and fishing. The
people here show much more hospitality
than in Carolina.
| would advise persons Sisiting this
State for comfort not to patronize the
railroads, but come by steamer from
Philadelphia or New York, for most of
the Southern railroads, like the people,
are slow and somewhat uncertain.
There Is decided improvement in the
colored people in the way Of education.
The school houses are well filled with
pupils, and very little intoxication is Wis.
ible among them. They are polite and
willing to work. There are five small
towns, some otthem incorporated, adioin-
ing Jacksonville, containing about 5000
people, and mostly owned by the colored
people, which speaks much in their favor.
Until the last few days our earliest
news was from the northern news papers.
Now, however, the local papers gel, while
the electoral tribunal is in session, n
short press report.
find u marked difference in the re-.
ception you receive ut the different
churches here and in South Carolina.
You are made welcome and given a de.
sirable seat.
lwillclose my letter and wait to see
il you will print this. Ifso, may in my
ramblings send you another. j. II.
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