Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-09-01
OUR JACKSONVILLE LETTER.

OUR JACKSONVILLE LETTER.
An Important COnventIOn..SOme of
HIS Features--HarmonY of the Pro-
eeedIngs--What It Proposes 10 Acc
eOmpIIsh--Raeh County TO Write
Up ItseIf--FlOrida Preparing for
the Atlanta ExpOsItfOn--She Can
Have a Splendid DIspIay.-Win She
Do SO 9--FrOm Atlanta TO Florida
A Big ThrOng of Tourists Expected
Bere--An Early SeasOn--FlOrIda
SymPathtzes with SaVannah--Al
Sorts of Items.
JACKSONVILLE, August SO.-A meeting Of
great importance to the future welfare of
Florida was held in this city recently. Whether
its results viii be beneficial depends to a great
extent upon the manner in which the work
suggested by the convention will be executed.
If the recommendations Of the body be re-
ceived cordially, and hearty effort is made to
carry out the business so happily commenced,
greatgood will be accomplished II, on the other
hand, the resolutions adopted are merely
strings Of well chosen words to please the ear,
without vitality and without meaning, the
seed may terminate, but they will have
sickly existence, end soon wither into nothing
ness. 1 am inclined to think, however, that
the tree that was planted will take firm root,
and throw out wide, spreading branches that
will extend shade and shelter TO thousands.
The gathering was rather peculiar In some
respects. 1t was perhaps the first convention
called by the people themselves 20 promote
the purposes of immigration AS a general
cgr,If fc nc1IaIlu the macmillan
vince OF legislative bodies, whose action is not
always uniform and acceptable Here in
Florida we have a Bureau of Immi-
grafton, which has received for the
past three years the insignificant sum
| of five thousand dollars for its maintenance.
| Two thousand dollars OF this amount are to be
expended annually in the publication and cir
culation of documents giving information as
| to the resoui ces and advantages OF the State,
and the remainder goes TO the salaries of the
| officers and contingent expenses. Even with
4 this small amount the Bureau has accomplish
| ed wonders, and its fruits can be seen in the
| steadily increasing influx of population.
| The correspondence of the Bureau Is large
/ and grows constantly, while the demand for
/ its pamphlets gives assurance Of the interest
| taken in the State by outside parties. Those
| who are acquainted with the work done by the
| institution, know that it has effected much for
| the good OF Florida, and would gladly add TO
| its power and efficiency. 1t is only those who
| are ignorant of its value who deny the credit
| to which il is eminently entitled, and who re-
gard the appropriation as waste OF the pub
| lie money.
Although not quite one-half of the counties
| in the State were represented, yet the spirit
| displayed by those who were present was in
| the highest degree encouraging. 1t was q re-
| markable cosmo pOlitan assembly, and Bour-
/ bOnS and Republicans men Of all nationalities
| and creedS forgot their usual points of vari-
ance, and acted with great accord and har-
| mony to promote the general welfare. There
| was very little sectional feeling local jeal-
ousy apparent, and the proceedings through
out were agreeable and satisfactory.
| A simple plan was proposed, which. IL adopt
| ed by the counties, will supply want that has
| been long felt and will furnish at very little
| trouble and expense large mass of authentic,
| estly urged without delay, to organize an as
sociation, whose duty it shall be to collect all
/ the data bearing upon the soil, products,
| health means of transportation, school and
church facilities and all other matters OF inter
| est TO the prospective settler. These facts are
| then to be placed in the hands of q committee
/ of discreet, intelligent men, who will furnish
/ a condensed report of the facts thus obtained
| 10 the Commissioner of Immigration, who will
/ incorporate the various papers in his forth
/ coming pamphlet Matter to the amount Of
| two thousand one hundred words from each
county will be inserted These reports should
| be carefully prepared, and should be- of such a
| character that the statements therein set forth
| can be established if their accuracy should be
| called in question.
| Nothing should be omitted that might be Of
value to the inquirer. Such a complication
| would necessarily be full and complete, and
| would constitute publication Of great value
| No time should be lost in getting at work
/ upon this matter The pamphlet should be
| ready for distribution at the Exposition at
| Atlanta, which will open in October. This
| work with the exhibition which Florida will
| make at Atlanta, will direct much attention
/ to our State and draw crowds in this direction,
| Let every county get to work at once and in
the right spirit The labor required will not
| be misapplied, and rich reward is in pros
/ pect. The delegates went away in an enthu-
/ siastic frame of mind, and they must stir up
their respective communities into prompt,
| energetic action. The papers must bring
| their powerful influence to bear. and the re-
| suit will be triumphant success.
| Active measures were also taken TO have the
| State thoroughly aud worthily represented at
| Atlanta. 1t is ascertained that the Waycross
| and Transit Railroads have secured space for
| an exhibit of the products of the country
through which they pass a d the cidcers of
| these lines are to be commended fer ne enter
| prise they have displayed. A full aud interest
/ ing display of the tropical and Semi-tropical
| fruits of this State may be expected. 1t is in
contemplation 70 oTlng on specimens OF the
various fruits in full bearing, so that a clear
| idea may be obtained OF the peculiarities of
| each variety. This feature alone will add
greatly to the Florida department, and will
| prove a great attraction to the visitors Monroe
| county, at the extreme southern portion of
the State, has sgniled her intention of con-
tributing TO the exhibit, and her collection will
be rare and curious.
If the proper feeling can be aroused, and the
| Importance of making good display be COM
| pletely understood, the exhibit made by Flori-
da will be inferior to that of none of her sister
| Southern States. In many features she can
| not be rivalled. There are so many odd, quaint
| and strange things found on her soil, In her
| waters, and along the coast, which are not
| found elsewhere that specimen of each class
| would constitute an extensive museum.
The Eastern and Western people will throng
the space reserved by Florida, and many will
| be their expressions of delight and wonder.
| Arrangements will be made for weekly dis
| plays of fruits, vegetables and flowers from this
| State. and the juicy and rich Favored orange
| of Florida will be introduced to many stran-
| gers Our hotel men viii be forced to open
| their houses some weeks earlier than is Gus
| tomary. The tide of visitors to the Atlanta
| Fair viii necessarily bring on strangers early
| in the fall. and mine hosts must be prepared
| for their reception. All signs indicate large
| flow of tourists this winter, and the prospects
| of a lucrative, gay and lively season are
| promising.
| The facilities for reaching Florida are far
better than during last winter, both as to time
and comfort. The number of routes has been
| increased. and the conveniences are vastly i'm
proved. Visitors will find new steamboats,,
| new railroads, new hotels, and will be able to
| penetrate portions of the State heretofore only
reached with difficulty. The st. Johns river
country constitutes only small portion of the
State, and is not the only section that is worth
seeing Middle West and South Florida is full
Of attractions and objects OF interest.
| Among the important resolutions that were
| adopted were the following:
WHEREAS, 1t is the sense Of this convention
| that each county is a constituent part of the
| whole state, and is prof1ted by the prosperity
| of all other counties; therefore,
Resolved, That each county can but serve
| both herself and sister counties by collecting
and placing before the public all the facts
| which will invite labor and capital.
| Resolved That county associations for the
| collection of data that will furnish truthful
| information, is earnestly invited, and that all
| counties who have not formed associations
are earnestly urged to do so.
| Resolved, That the State make an exhibition
/ at Atlanta, to consist Of woods, fbres, miner
ais manufactured articles by hand or machiu-
| cry, native fertilizers, fruits, vegetables, sta
| pies, cereals, natural curiosjtes of land and
water, etc. and all other things that would
illustrate the resources and products Of
| Florida
Resolved, To this end the following named
gentlemen be hereby appointed railroad and
shipping agents: Jacksonville, T. T. Stockton :
Callahan, W. A Mahoney. Live Oak, Robert A.
Reid; Pensacola, w. d. Chipley and DIR. r. H.
McIllvain at Cedar Keys. The duty of these
several agents shall be to forward TO Colonel
d. H. Elliott, who is hereby constituted Super
intendent Of the States exhibit at Atlanta all
articles turned over to them respectively.
It is made the duty Of the Vice Presidents
of the several counties to appoint committees
to solicit subscriptions of money and articles
for exhibition. There is very healthy senti-
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