Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-07-28

CIt1 Ahehu on ClSars-Letter from
Indian River-HOpes and Pros
Pects-A Golden FuIure-The Ole
COnfeds.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, July ga merchant il
South Florida has recently executed an orde
from firm in France, for the hides Of fv
thousand alligators, and announces that he de
sires to purchase ten thousand more. Inexora
BILE fashion has ruled that it is the correc
thing to wear shoes Of the leather producet
from the saurians, and an onslaught has beer
made along the whole line upon the huge liz
ards. It is a somewhat profitable business
also, and pays the hunters handsomely Tht
skins average. in New York, about one dolal
each, while the teeth are worth the sam,
amount.
Parties are hunting the gators way down OF
the Caloosahatchie and Klssimmee rivers. anC
upon the numerous lakes in that region Moth
| ing Is used except the skins upon the belly anC
legs, the rough, scaly plates upon the backs o
the animals being rejected. The heads are Gu
on and buried for a few days, until the tusk
can be detached 1t was announced some dayi
since that one person had collected allies 10
teeth to the amount Of three hundred and AFT,
pounds. This fact alone will give some idea O.
the destruction now going on among thes,
creatures. Jewellers mount these teeth in &
| thousand odd and fantastic shaDes and manx
of the articles in the show cases here display
true artistic taste and genius. Not more proud
ly does the Sioux brave wear his collar of griz
ziy pear talons, than does the Broadway belle
parade her polished bracelet, composed OF
| teeth of slain alligatOrS
On the st. Johns river a new method has
been devised for the successful pursuit of this
| game a dark lantern with a powerful refIec
| tor is used on suitable nights, and no Difficulty
| Is experienced in approaching the quarry
The animals appear to be utterly be
%1deTsd WI atsdrt by tbs strong glare and make
| within few feet of the head, a touch to the
| trigger, and there is gator less in Florida
Ihls new process is very effective. as the hunt
ers are enabled not only TO kill but to secure
their prey. When pursued in the day, many
| of these creatures, although mortally wound
ed, do not fall into the hands of the sports
| men.
1t is sad to reflect that this interesting AMI.
NAL, without whom no Florida landscape is
| deemed complete is destined like the bison of
! the western prairies, to disappear before the
cupldltJ OF man and the caprices of fashion
Even the region CT the Everglades and the
mysterious Lake OkeechObee, which have for
| so long time affordt them a secure and in
accessible retreat are about to be invaded by
the dUd1t cOITierS of the future settlers
Seriously, however, the race of the saurians
Is IN danger OF being exurpated. Thousands
are slain annuslly by tourists and others for
amusement merely, in addition to those slau0h-
tered for profit. thousands of baby gators
are stuffed as specimens or sent off alive as
curloslties while mVriads Of eggs are blown
ana dlsposed OF by dealers. Amid all these
causes combined, the brute seems in a good
| way to beco ne extinct. This IS somewhat un-
| fortunate, as the beast is a constant source
OF interest to our Northern brethren, and
! ly Graves the distinction of adding an
! alligator scalp to his list of
| trophies. If theirwholesaIe distinctions CON
| tInues, 1t will become necessary to call on the
/ 1F1TGu GuTf
! rivers with these valuable animals Some
| political economist in our midst NAV see the
| necessity OF providing for the propagation of
these creatures, and secure one OF our big
| lakes for that purpose. Both the Legislature
and Congress would doubtless lend their aid 10
| promote any plan that would prevent this
| great industry from being suspended for want
| OF material Proper and prompt steps should
| oe at once taken to prevent any such lamenta
| be result.
In The midst of our present railroad boom
| comes a rumor that seems to have received
| some credit. It is limited that ex-senator Os
borne, the contriver and protector of the Creat
! southern Railway, to commence at Millen il
| your State, from thence to Jesup, and splitting
fIorida Vile open to terminate at Key West,
mas round purchaser in the person of a dis.
! lngulshed Georgian, widely known in military
| and political circles 1t is even said that the
! price to be paid reaches INTO the hundreds of
| thousands, and that the Louisville and Nash.
| vile combination are behind the scenes
Another enterprise is spoken of in the near
establishments of line of steamers to run from
| this city 10 Indian river and to extend their
| trips as far down as Lake Worth. Such a line
| would relieve the people in that region amaz.
| ingly and enable them to get their delicious
| oranges to market safely and in the best con.
| dition. As a luscious fruit, combining all the
| most desirable qualities, iuicIness fine flavor
| ana attractive appearance, the Indian river
orange has no rival and defies competition
unGar %nie savannah mas been ees staggering along
| mometer has not risen above 49, Even this
has caused many of our citizens to grumble
and numbers have sought cooler latitude
| The disastrous effects of an equatorial wave
are not felt here, as in the Northern cities and
we are neither frozen in winter nor roasted in
summer. Frost bitten extremities and sur-
| strokes are unknown in our favored land, and
we are permitted to enjoy the happy mean
without anxiety or distress.
The Waycross line, through their live, active
and efncleDt Colonel Haines, have just closed
contract for fifteen additional locomotives
aud are turning out fiat and boz cars as rapid,
ly as the capacity of their workshops will per
init. That long stretch of trestle at Bopov
swamp WIZ soon be hIled in. and on the open
ing of the busy season the entire road will be
In hrst-class condition A ten hours run is to
be made between Jacksonville and Charleston
and few hours more saved in the through
run from New York to Jacksonville
An automatic register ON one of the big en-
glnes On tins road indicated speed recently of
mile minute. This speaks Volumes in
favor of a road not yet one year old
According to the returns in the office of the
Collector or Internal Revenue for the District
of Florida, the Mclean Factory in this cifv
sold last month $1,000 more cigars than any
other similar establishment in this State Tb;s
industry is assuming large propOrtions here
and the quality of the goods turned out com,
pares most favOrably with those made else
where Heretofore Key West has won the
belt on cigars, but Jacksonville is ambitions
and is determined not to be behind hand in the
race for honors.
friend, who resides on Indian river writes
me as follows: I'VE are now enloying the
fulInesS of that characteristic of Florida i1feN
hopefulness. Our hopes rest on a more solid
foundation than ever before. We are emery
ing from that experimental state through
which all Eew countries pass, but which is
more applicable to the Indian River country
SO peculiarly unlike anything else from
Maine to California, and yet promising
to grow with some degree of certainty nearly
all the crops of the whole country. do not
mean that we have ceased to learn bv exneri-
ment, but experience has established the Ger
tainiy and profta bleness of certain monied
crop' as well as correct rules to govern their
production for market. year with us means
1Chote year, and by a judicious use of our
time, we have something 70 plant cultivate
harvest, use and transport all the year round
heretofore the Want OF better transportation
mas been and Is now our greatest drawback
BulkineSs and perishableness are prominent
characteristics of all our soil products without
single exception, and as a result our opera-
tions in many of our most abundant and easy
products, on account of high rates and slow
carriage, have been restricted to home con
sumption.
With railroad connecting this river with
the St. Johns at Paatsa, and canal tbrouob
this river from Okeechobee to St. Augustine
our population will increase and our operations
expand IN degree different from and greater
than Is possible anywhere else It
will be like opening the waters of a
pent-up fountain, while Ia return we want
bacon, corn; flour. manufactured articles and
millions of feet Of q better class of lumber
than we ean furnish ourselves
We believe that the time for the realization
OF our hopes is near at hand Everything
seems encouraging and favorable The low
raCe OF lnterest oy the government is causing
capital which has no banking privileges. to
withdraw from its bonds, and invest in The
material interests of the country. We find
the bondholder here making the change in
LANDS, and our agricultural interests. as well as
the proposed railroads and canals are resnond.
ing 10 lts influence, while our increased trans
actlons ana mammoth consummations in the
sale of State lands, stand as pledges for the
1ulnliment OF these prophecies.
lt is dlf1cult TO place limit to the advan-
tages OF this section of the State and its pro-
auctions under them with improved transpor-
tation. NO lands are more fertile and more
susceptible OF higher degree Of improvement,
while he healthfulness and salubrity of the
climate enable man to work up to his plans.
Our homes here under our present circum-
stances are so enjoyable that we do not go into
ecstacies over these dawning advantages but
await their coming with quiet, patient salts
faction.
Tomorrow the reunion of Finlev's Brioade
will take place in this city, and efforts will he
made to render the occasion one OF great en-
joymsnt TO the old soldiers. II is to be honed
that some arrangement can be made nv which
vivors OF the various organization and thar a
more suitable time may be selected than in tbe