Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-03
TALLAHASSEE-TOPIC
disappointed Fortune HuntersHThe
Value of Common Sense as shown
By Hasty Scribblers-The New
Ho.eI-CassavA CulIurez5TexatiOns
OF the Rail.

NetCs: There is probably no Statein the Union
that is so extensively advertised as the Land
of Flowers. The forty thousand visitors from
all sections who come here every winter for
health, pleasure or business, give their re-
spective impressions, which are good or bad,
according to circumstances Some, encour-
aged by the highly colored descriptions of
some interested land agents, come
hither with small means and stake
their all upon an incipient orange grove.
But the orange has to grow, like any other
fruit tree and time and expense are necessary
to its full development. Our newcomer can
not wait, nor has he the means to carry on the
system Of cultivation and fertilization so nee
essary. So, at the end of year or two, he re-
turns, disappointed man. Forthwith he gives
his impressions in the papers of the soil. eli
mate and productions of Florida, and virtually
pronounces the whole State a pine barren.
sickly and unfit to live in
Such a communication appeared in the New
York sun Of the 18th inst, written by one
Richard Lee. l have no means at present of
knowing who this Mr.. Lee is and why he gives
such an unfavOrab'e account OF our State;
but as it is reported that he sojourneG for a
while at Waldo, it is more than probable that
some of our good citizens there can give the
true iuwardness for this unwarranted and un-
called for attack on our State. He
no portion of it is free from malaria
that truck farming will not afford
living price and that flowers are scarcer
than in New York. Another communication
in the same paper of the 10Th by one V. Horne,
says that every word in Lees letter is true.
and that 'for the very worst kind of roads,
scarcity of stable manures, bad marketing
facilities and poor labor, Florida has no
al Natso
excited a smile of pity from our
people. But such communications appear
ing in a newspaper like the New
York Sun are calculated to produce bad i'm
pressions and to deter many who would other
wise seek home among us Had either Mr..
Lee or Mr.. Horne read the newspapers or
made inquiry from railroad and steamboat
officials, they would have found that the truck
increasing every year. Surely il gardening
and fruit raising were Improbable, there
would be no such increase, There,are good and
poor lands in every county, and had Mr. Lee
Waldo. he would have seen in the coun-
ty where he lives the celebrated
San Flasko hummock lands which are some
of the best in the State. Had he come up to
the Piedmont region of Middle Florida his ev es
would have been greeted by such floral dis
play as he had never before seen. Had ne
visited localities on the Gulf and Atlantic
coasts, he would have found that melariaI
inquired and observer, he would have found
thai everywhere throughout the State. achere
eHfs&V fQ4a as9t aaaeQs where persons were care
49, ~ y = sRz s. a'es, I, 5eff REoRsE psesaa'
ae4ally apsoxed aooa beall wrlss 1foiis
psE 40nai exparIRFke AfesIzant R fhe HsNTa
fever for twentvsfivsi *esf ~ Netti tnS&'aitf NJ
l was nearly four years in the Army OF North
ern Virginia during the late war, and conse-
quentlY unaccllmated on my return in April,
1885, yet have not had q days sickness from
malarial fever since my return Persons who
have come here in the month OF S9ptem-
ber from a more Northern cline, have
been en- irely exempt from fever during the
following summer. OF course people sicken
and die here as well as elsewhere. for go where
we will we cannot escape the fell destroyer.
Man is mortal, and must sooner or later sue
cumb to the inevitable fiat But Flori is by
no means sucn graveyard as these scribblers
would have their readers believe. Although
there are lands oil wonderful fertility in East
and South Florida, yet he different lines of
railroads do not pass through them. For this
reason the tourist, unless he goes off from the
line OF road, can have no lust conception
our fine lands. Much as this section has been
heretofore ignored, many judge of the whole
State by what they see along the line of travel.
1t is hoped, however, that during the coming
season tourists will extend their peregrinatiOnS
hither, and they will see something else
besides pines and sand.
Our new hotel has at last heen leased to a
DhIbN lIOll 0OFbu CdFOll0df ana Will DC opened
as soon as it is properly furnished Most of
the stock in this cOmpsn has been bought up
by Colonel George S. Henderson and ex-Mayor
Lewis, of the banking house of B. G Lewis &
Sons. Both of these gentlemen are live men,
and their control OF almost the entire stock is
guarantee that we will henceforth have first
class hotel with all the modern appliances for
comfort Property of this nature is always
more profitable in the hands of one or two
persons than when owned by a company with
its board of directors. While the old saying,
in the multitude or counsellors there is
safety" is true in most cases, it
operating with small capital. The same
interestS managed by one or two can be made
much more profitable. And now that there
is prospect of the speedy opening of this ho-
during the coming season, and our beautiful
section, of which we are Justly proud, will be
more generally appreciated.
Captain Dyke, of the FIOridid7t, is quite san
guine about the growing of the cassava be-
coming leading industry in this section. He
says or soil and climate are admirably adapt-
ed to its culture. If, as is asserted seventy
tons per acre can be made in this county, then.
indeed, the raising of it will be profitable l
learn that quite number of intelligent agri-
culturists will engage in this industry, and il
their efforts are successful, others will follow
their example. It is rumored that with a view
to encourage this move, gentleman intends
putting up factory here for the purpose Of
making starch. Thus it is, step by step, Mid
die Florida is improving in her re-
sources and becoming independent Of
cotton. The number Of bales of that
staple so far received falls far behind the num-
ber at this time last year. Indeed, on account
of the storms Of this and last month and other
backsets, there will be terrible falling off at
the end of the season. And yet, when we take
into consideration the amount received from
sale of vegetables, it will be found that the
income of the agriculturists of Leon county
is greater this year, from all sources, than it
was last year
Our railroad is beginning to run the old
schedule OF two or three years ago. Trains
come In on time, and after a reasonable time
allowed for opening the mai, I'VE are informed:
mo Northern mail; missed connection at
Jacksonville This has happened twice in
eight days-week before last and last week
Why they should be so prompt in leaving
Jackson Vile on time when the Savannah and
Waycross train has not arrived, and when
there are no connections to be made with
other lines, is a mystery. The great
southern mail goes via Petersburg, Weldon
and Wilmington. And yet have known the
train from Petersburg to be three hours be-
hind time at Weldon, and the train at the lat
ter point for Wilmington to wait that length
OF time Our roads. though, are not so accom-
modating (their business is so heavy[?D, and
hence passengers and mails must lie ever in
j Jacksonville until the next day, if not arriving
on time. Such utter disregard of public COM
fort and convenience render our people more
anxious than ever for a. connection with Thorn
asyille-and thai they will have one at no very
distant day.
The weather again has been quite warm,
and our thoughts naturally turn TO poor, suf
fering Pensacola. The plague still RACES, and
will only cease after one or two heavy frosts
So far the citizens of Tallahassee have con-
trtbubed something over $500 to the relief of
the suffering in that city. More would have
been sent. but when the appeal was made
quite a number of our citizens were absent
LEON.
Charles A. Whitney's Funeral.
NEW YORK, November 2.-The fun