The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-10-24

but we push off and drive to-day, the
2Sth, eighteen miles to Mr.. Samuel Phil
lips, who is a member of the House OF
Representatives from Coffee County. He
did not impress me favorably. Is man
apparently twenty-five years old, unedu-
Gated, not versed in politics, and not able
to say exactly what position he occupied
quite uusocial, and little disposed to ac-
commodate, though assured I expected
and desired to pay for what received.
The correct road through this section is
rendered difficult to keep by the many
intersections made by timber roads
crossing and re.crossing it at various
points. These timber roads are made by
parties hauling logs to the river to raft,
and as they are cut wherever they can
be found of right size the road intersec-
tious are very numerous, and will easily
mislead you if you are not very watchtul.
To-day, 1st March, I got out of the road
for the first time, and went some distance
before found it out; and once wrong,
the majority of the people are unable to
set you right, as they know only the road
to their nearest neighbors, who is gener-
ally six or eight miles of. This error
occasions another short drive Of eighteen
miles, but which is accomplished without
further nishap, though Phillips had told
us that the Santilla was swimming, and
'twould he best for us to procure guide
on this side, as the ford was a wide one,
and we would likely have trouble in
crossing. This we could not do, how
ever, as the only person living near the
stream was away from home, and would
not return until late. This caused much
trouble and uneasiness to my lady, who
desired forthwith to camp, but l could
not afford to lose the time, as it was
early in the afternoon. l comforted her
by telling her 1 would try the stream on
horseback, and if it was dangerous l
would not allow the wagons 10 proceed.
This I did, and though it was deep
enough to run into the wagon it was not
deep enough to swim the horses, and the
bottom is firm, which enabled us to cross
without interruption. Tonight we stop
at Mr.. Corbit's, two miles beyond what
is known as Daniels Station on the R. R.,
but laid down on the map as Willacoo-
chic, about thirty miles from Stockton,
for which place we will start tomorrow.
Dcviating from my journal, Mr.. Edi-
tor, I will say that the late heavy gale,
which interrupted our mails, has pre-
vented me writing sooner. The storm
has been the severest ever experienced in
South Florida. The orange crop is Sc
riously damaged, the trees l think losing
at least half of their fruit from being
beaten off by the winds. Many Of them
are thorned, and continue daily to drop.
With US, few, if any banana plants that
had heads, were able to stand, and in
some places the leaves have been whipped
from the trees. For near sixty hours
the clouds, wind and rain were an un-
changeable feature. Fences were blown
down and, in many instances, near the
streams, swept away by the mighty del
uge of water and mingled with floating
logs and brush. The coast was lined
with dead fish thrown up by the winds
aud tide, and left to perish upon the re-
ceding Of the waters. In Polk county,
and lower down, the damage to stock
and cattle has been serious. From being
poor were chilled through by the storm
and rain, and many drowned, being un-
able to escape, as the whole country was
submerged. One man, 1 understand,
lost as many as one thousand head oil
cattle, being driven for refuge to an
island, where they were unable to subsist,
eating the very bark from the trees. !
presume the extent of the damage can
cot be correctly estimated at present, but
it has been very disastrous, there can be
no doubt. G. H. S.