The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-06-28
FROM TALLAMAssER TO NEW.
PORT

best physicians and medicine seemed to give m,
but little permanent relief at last determined
10 try the springs at Newport A few weeks aeS
started with my horse and buggy for the oncs
famous health resort of Florida. Going south
from Tallahassee, at the outer edge of the city
l went down quite . steep hill that contained
springs and little streams Of water flowing TO-
wards the nice little brook in the valley below
These springs by little labor and judicious
expenditure of money, could be made both bene.
hcial and ornamental to The city. passed
through beautiful valley near hall mile In
width, with quite high hills on each aide, ex.
TO the east and north east, lined with large plan
tations. rented or leased to negro tenants. ]
then ascended quite 9 high hill, on the top ol
which, one mile from the city, I had splendid
view Of the surrounding country that had once
been very productive and yielded excellent crops
but bad cultivation had greatly impoverished the
soil. As gazed over it I saw in the ieldsa Q man
blowing bis cotton with a little OK hiched to q
r,rsrabl< little plow another with half starved
mule, and another with poor old horse that
could scarcely move. l wondered how q soil
wonder that the people complain of hard times,
poor crops and poverty. Here is q soil that, by
intelligent and scientific cultivation, would yield
from sixty to a hundred fold, for years the ten
ants Of which have scarcely made living for
themselves and families How much more pros
porous would this country be, if these big planta-
tions were divided up into eighty and one hun
dred and sixty acre tracts and sold TO intelligent
farmers, who would in very short time, adorn
it with nice buildings, fences, gardens, orchards
and vineyards, and make it appear almost like
second Garden of Eden. I could not help but
think that the big land holder was like the miser
with his gold, he clung TO his broad acres like
"grim death" With these reflections, / passed
down the red clay hill, through another nice val
ley, across beautiful little stream of water and
out into the piny woods, about two miles from
the city.
Four miles from the city l came to Belair,
once gay and charming place, the abode OF
w.t. beauty, intelligence and wealth. The
wealthy planters of Leon county. before the war,
had their summer residences here. The society
was "par excellence" and many of the sallies of
wit and humor at the entertainments and social
gatherings still related by the old inhabitants
1t contained a fiourshing academy and nice
churches, etc. The war came, and with it fell
the gay little city. Only two white families and
some negroes now reside there. Many of the fine
residences have either been burned or torn down,
and what remain, all but two, are in sad state
of dilapldation. Wherever the negro resides and
has complete sway, there are to be seen the seeds
of decay, and may truly say destruction. He
has no taste for neatness, cleanliness keeping in
repair or beautifying his home.
The soil is sand, looks to be very poor, yet
those who remain have fine gardens, and the
finest oranges have seen in the State were rails
ed here, by Thomas Maxwell. The location is
on the south side of the lake, long famed for its
excellent fish, Belair has long had the reputa-
ton OF being the healthiest place in Florida, and
some say that there is no heal.l-;~- - a. =
could not prevent IIs DecUmIug uueoI InTuars
dead cities"
The country for eight miles south of Belair is
piny woods, interspeIsed with small growth of
black and red oak The soil is rather coarse
sand and covered with wire grass. If it were
not for the annual burnings of the woods, this
section would soon be covered with dense
growth of pine and oak timber. 1t is astonishing
TO see how soon the oaks spring up after the grass
is burnt off, and what rapid growth they win
make in one year; but the next annual burning
kills them to the ground.
Twelve miles south of Tallahassee the soil
changes from coarse TO fine sand interpreted
with marl From this point to the Gulf of Mex
leo the country is underlaid with rich beds of
II o,I ho 1otf flu
out and in many places large ledges are to be
seen above the ground. 1t seems strange that
the people of Middle Florida will send North for
all the lime they use for plastering and for other
purposes, when there was such an abundance Of
stone at their doors, that could be converted into
lime so easily and cheaply. The wire grass here
disappears and the soil is covered with thick
sod of luxuriant grass, excellent tor stock. The
cattle in this section are fat. The farms are but
few, small and scattering and generally sur
rounded by good rail fences.
Oil Still is little station on the rail road is
miles from Tallahassee 1t contains saw and
grist mill, cotton gin and press, school house and
church. Quite a number of small farmers reside
near here who have neat little farms, nice stock,
poultry and excellent growing crops, netwith-
standing the long continued drouth.
Here l left The St. Marks road and went
south east three miles to New Port, where am
now trying to be cured of rheumatism by drink
ing and bathing in the waters of the sulphur
springs at this place.
New Port was once grand little place Of
near two thousand inhabitants. 1t had good
schools, fine churches, printing Office, turpentine
distillery, saw and grist mills, foundry, many
stores, or hotels, thronged with visitors or
guests, many of whom resorted here to try the
health giving power Of. the springs. Ships from
various parts of the world loaded and unloaded
at her wharis. From 10000 to $4,000 bales Of
cotton were annually shipped from here. twas
quite shipping point for stock to the West In
dies Its inhabitants were full of life and energy,
which made it a gay, bustling and business
place. Two plank roads centered here; one
from Tallahassee, the other from Monticello.
AT the breaking out OF the war New Port was
in the heighth of its prosperity and preparations
were being made to erect large business brick
blocks. A greater portion Of the city was burn
ed during the first year of the war. After the
close of the war an effert was made TO rebuild
the city. Daniel Ladd the founder and leading
spirit Of the place died and the people were %
impoverished that it was given up. Nearly an
the real estate in, around and near the city had
been heavily mortgaged to non-residents Tie
mortgages were foreclosed, the land seld and