Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-08
SUNLAND GLEANINGS.
THE DOOM OF THE SAURIANS
SEALED.

Exit the AlligatOr-A Leading Fea-
ture of Florida Scenery TO be
Wiped Out-FOssII Re- aims Of
Former Animals-A Field for the
OrnithOlOgist and GeOIOgist- FIOri-
da Day a Success-She Leads In
StapIes-NOw for the state Fair
Uncle Ssm's COurI-GaIhering of
the UsusI RetInue-Bisbee and
WttherspOOn-Sma maII Items.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, December 7.-As
the buffalo of the western prairie is doomed
to an early extinction, so the same fate
appears to be in store for the Florida alligs-
tor. A day or two since merchant of this
city received box containing one hundred
and thirty-two pounds of the teeth of these
great water lizards. Now, each one Of
| these teeth represented numerous saurians,
as the tusks found in each animal are neither
large nor weighty. A dealer in South
Florida has, this year, executed an order
from Paris for five thousand alligator hides,
| where shoes of this material have become
| fashionable. As the Caloosahatchie and
Kissimmee rivers are opened to naviga ion,
and steamers freighted with sportsmen
anxious to slaughter these scaly reptiles
traverse those waters, the race will fall back
into Lake Okeechobee and the recesses of
the Everglades. Even there their safety
will not be assured, as the. great drainage
schemes contemplated in those regions
uou1d Croof1u ha ofr Ioef ,Ieoas
Of refuge. By the close Of the present cen
tury the gator will be an object of curiosity
In many portions of Florida. He seems 10
be an essential feature In every landscape,
and 1t is sad to IT feet that his ugly Uranium
and serrated back are to be Withdrawn from
the coming sketches of Florida scenery.
To judge from the large quantities of the
bones OF that strange and interesting ami
NAL, the Manatee, or sea COW, found in Ger
tain localities, it must have existed in former
days Ia immense numbers In Florida So far
as am able TO ASCERTAIN, 1t is now onlY seen,
and that too rarely, in the Indian river
When the waters of that stream are plowed,
as they will be ere long by numerous steam
ers, 1t too will disappear before the tite OF
civilization.
You can wash from the sands of almost
any OF our creeks and water courses large
collection of the teeth of fishes, entirely
unknown to modern ichthyologis sand they
furnish wide field for the researches OF
those fond OF this branch of natural history.
Alachus county, In the vicinity of Gaines
vile, abounds in such relies, and a days
exploration would be rewarded wi b q rich
and varied collection.
doubt If the great Audubon, with all his
patience and industry, has exhausted the
ornithology of Florida, and it is quite prob
able that in the vast, uneXplnred recesses
Of the unknown Everglades there are still
to be discovered and classified specimens of
the feathered tribes yet unknown 10 science.
SO, too, thorough and exhaustive geo
logical survey Of Florida will furnish most
valuable results, not In revealing beds of
| rich ores, but in the development of facts
OF the greatest importance to the interest OF
| the scientific world. l. is a new and virgin
| field for the investigation of the curious
| inquirer into the wonders and mysteries of
nature, and will amply repsy the labors of
experts. All oyer the lengthy peninsula,
| the savant and philosopher can discover
materials for impre enable facts aud plausi-
| BILE theories.
Friends who have returned from attend
| ing the ceremonies of "Fiorida Day" at the
Atlanta Exposition, speak in the most
| glowing terms of the beautiful appearance
of the hall that contained our State ex-
| hibit. It was filed to overt owing not only
| with the rare and novel products OF our soil
and waters, but was specially remarkable
for the excellence Of the great staples that
supply the commerce of the world, in the
shape OF naval stores, rice, corn, sugar, tC-
baceo and cotton. Toe day was pleasant.
| and there was fu attendance of dis
tinguished dignita'iss. Major Russeli's
address was in his happiest vein, and the
eloquent orator did full justice to the occa-
| sion. q tn the State Wniah bao
represented. 1t is subject of pride and
| qualification that Florida is the ONLY State
| that had the courage and enterprise 10 erect
separate building for the display of her
| exhibition.
The good that has been already accom-
plised lar, far outweighs all the expense and
,rouoIe connected with the enterprise.
thousands OF people from every section of
| Ine country have been enabled to have
ocular demonstration OF the wide extent
and varied character of our resources. and
| tn5 impression produced has been mark
edly beneficial. We have shown rice aud
sea Island cotton equal to that grown In
Georgia and South Carolina; sugar cane
superior to that produced iD Loui-
siana; naval stores that will
compete with ::..milsr articles from North
! ! =" ~4ina; tobacco that compares favorablY
| with choice Havana leaf, while no section
of the country crosses a lance with US In
the way OF semi-troDical fruits and late and
early vegetables Every dollar invested In
"Florida Hall" will be returned a thousand
| fold, and the utmost credit is due to the
brave and energetic sp rfs who devised and
| so faithfully execui ed the succt ssful enter
| prise. Il was conceived at a most oppOrtuue
momen', snd its happy results will be per
| ceplible Tor long period in the future.
The 5 ate Fair, TO be held in this CITY
next February, should surpass in the ex-
tent and variety Of the display ny pre-
vious exhibition OF the same LescrIption
There should be generous rivalry between
the different counties to bear off the palm,
and lively competition of this charsc'e er
Will insure triumphant success. The i'm
preston made at Atlanta should he supple
mented here In Jacksonville. l. is very
reasonable to expect an unusual attendance
| both OF strangers and our own citiz ens The
means OF communication with distant Dor
ttons OF the State have been greatly iucreas.
/ ed during the past year, aud transportation,
| both for persons and articles for exhibition,
is cheaper and more certain and expediti-
GUS. Those sections, that failed for vari-
Gus reasons, to be represented at Atlanta,
| should summon all their strength for the
| February display, and put in such an ap-
pearance as will amply atone for past dt Fl
| ciencies.
The United States Court opened for the
tendance OF persoUs from several counties
against whom indictments have been found
for alleged violations of the election laws
Many OF these charges rest upon no better
foundation than the affidaVits of vagabond
and esponsible negroes. Swift witnesses
are here in abundance, and the professional
juror has, for the nOnce, laid down ode
shubble and de hoe" and fingers around
the court room in the hope OF making two
dollars day by serving as one of the tradi-
tfonal intelligent twelve A wet blanket has
been laid upon the patriotism and loyalty
OF many Witnesses in these cases by the re-
cent decision of the Supreme Court OF
Florida, which declares ali persons convicted
OF petty larceny no longer entitled to the
right OF suffrage, and Incompetent to testify
In court Of justice. A friend Of mine who
acted as inspector at the late general cleo
tioD, and who obeyed the State laws In re-
fusing to receive the vote of a negro, twice
convicted Of larceny, was indicted for this
action, mainly on the testimony of the afort.
said reliable witness and has been compelled
to visit Jacksonville several times, at
great expense and annoy ance, to at
tend to this business Such in
stances are not uncommon, and call loudly
for change. They provoke bad blood.
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