Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-20


Forest CIty,s Trsde-ROsewood--
Beautiful ScenerV-Cedar Key
Why It Has Not Grown-Talxtng
on BOom-The Value of Concrete.
OTTER CREEK, Fla, October 15-Editor
Morning Ne1Us: As you enter Levy county
from the east of the Transit Railroad you are
impressed by nothing for few miles save the
barrenness and poverty stricken aspect of the
country The first thing that reminds you thai
you are in a new country is the sight OF the
temple Of justice of Levy county perched
upon high sand hill, hard by which stands
the little red jail, its necessary aocompani-
ment. Justice is here dispensed by that
amiable gentlemen, able iurist and staunch
Democrat, Judge ]. B. Dawkins, who
presides as Judge of the Fifth
Judicial District. Around the
depot at Bronson, this county site, clustered
thickly together without much regard to Or
der, are a number Of buildings, mostly new
and some quite tidy in appearance, from which
the smell Of paint has not departed. You
leave Bronson feeling that If it had been better
located it would have impressed strangers more
favorably The citizens claim that it is healthy,
and it may be so; but located as it is upon the
very brink of pond, that is called CHUNKY"
whether from the scenery about it or not
am unable to say-you leave it not all prepos-
sessed with the idea OF healthfulness. Here
the original survey of the Live Oak, Roland's
Bluff and Tampa Railroad crosses the
vet by what name this road viii be known. AS
roads not infrequently take their names from
objective points, l conclude that it will be
known as above designated To Savannah this
is one of the most important roads Of the
country. 1t will give her control OF almost the
entire Gulf trade on the Peninsula. The name
Of Col. H. s. Haines, which is a tower OF
strength, is now connected with 1t. and its sue
cess is assured. You are now thirty-three miles
from the Gulf. The country intervening Is low
and level with but little to relieve the eye Of
the stranger until the great Gulf hummock is
reached, an arm of which the road penetrates
about half way between Bronson and the
Gulf. Those who are fond of wild scenery
may be fully gratified here. None more
beautiful and attractive can be found
anywhere The majestic oak, hickory,
cypress, palmetto, gum and other giants OF
the forest tower majesticaly above your head,
while underbrush, vines of grape and bramble
are so dense as to render it difficult to explore.
Imagination pictures here tiger or bear that
abound in these wilds in every jungle. The
Gulf washes the western borders Of this hum
mock for thirty miles, which proximity gave
rise to its name. Between two arms OF the
hummock, and on a ridge Of pines, which
seems to be much higher than the swamp, is
situated the village OF Rosewood, ten miles from
Cedar Keys, the western terminus of the road.
Whoever named the place doubtless thought
that there is something in name, and so gave
it one that for euphony is certainly pleasant to
the ear. 1t is regularly laid out, the houses are
neat, the small orange groves are green and
fiourishing. There seems to be something
peculiarly inviting about it, and you leave it
feeling as one must-that Rosewood has q
future as well as pretty name.
'Fords" ON a sign board in front of
the largest and best building in the
place may Ie graGed %tb IN the fGemeT n[o
prietor of this boarding house, Mr.. J. B.
Ford, this sign brings up train of sad rehec-
tions. This gentleman was Northern man
who was afflicted with consumption, that fell
disease that carries away so many OF our race.
Coming to the South a few years ago in hope
of relief, he located here, where he met with
some success in business, but gradually
declined in health until about two years
ago he died. He was a gentleman OF
intrinsic worth. and highly esteemed by those
Shortly after leaving Rosewood you again
dive into this deep, dark. vino
clad swamp, and do not emerge from it
until In full view of the Gulf. Now, Cedar Key,
Atsena One, Sea Horse, Snake Key, Grass
Key, North Key and a host of other little keys
loom up at a distance OF four to six miles. This
coast is studded with a multitude OF little is
lands but none more beautiful than those that
cluster around Cedar Key. Viewed from q dis
tance, these dreamy days of October, they pre-
sent a very picturesque appearance. Four
miles from the main land, where the road ter
inmates, is the town Of Cedar Key, which al
ready aspires to the Importance
of city trust / will
be pardoned IL have erred in speaking of it
as town instead of city. The communica-
tion with the main land is by rail and small
boats. A dirt road has been projected and will
be built. 1t is very surprising, considering the
advantages that such road would be to the
place. that 1t has not been constructed before
this-and the more so when it is estimated that
It's cost would not exceed three thousand dol
lars With such communication the place
uOu fQrT II q n
perity. he natural advantages OF Cedar Key
as to health aud commerce are such as to war
rant population OF ten thousand Why, it
has not a larger population and more wealth
than Fernandina, the eastern terminus OF the
road, is question not very difficult to answer
by those who are acquainted with its
history It is more favorabiy located for
commerce than that place. The real estate Is
owned here principally by the Florida Town
improvement Company. the members OF which,
It is understood, are capitalists. They have not
been over anxious to dispose OF more OF their
property than is necessary to pay the interest
on the investment. A feeling of insecurity on
the part of some purchasers as to the sbility OF
this company to give good and sufficient title
has caused distrust on the part of many who
would have invested. There is no real ground
for any such apprehensIons and am glad
that this feeling is dying out. Real estate
held by this company seems to be in ac-
tive demand now.
1t may be remarked here that there
are other causes that have initiated
the material interest of the town more po-
tent than the one mentioned above Within
the last few months the place has grown very
rapidly. The buildings are constructed mostly
of lime and SHE'LL forming mixture known
as concrete, which when dry is very firm and
dehes the tooth OF time, giving the houses an
air Of stability. The process Of building in
this way is necessarily slow. Your house rises
at the rate Of two inches only per day, or
twelve inches per week. time being necessary
for the concrete to dry and CONCEAL Should
this precaution be disregarded your walls will
crumble and fall before the house is half COM
pleted. These,buildings were thoroughly tested
by a storm of dreadful violence that
swept the Gulf coast about year ago. Many
frame houses were dismantled and some
wrested from their foundations. while the con-
cretes that were complete received scarcely
any injury. Economy is claimed for these
buildings. as well as durability and stability.
Shells of almost every conceivable shape and
size are heaped up on the beach, and can be had
without money or price. Brick here is costly
building material, as none are manufactured
in this part Of the State, that used for CHM
neys being shipped from New York or Boston.
Necessity is the mother of invention, hence
this substitute for brick. By putting a stone
finish on these buildings it gives them the ap-
pearance OF brown stone, and the cheat cannot
be detected without close inspection.