Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-11
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.

Washington SO well adapted as Hyattsville,
Maryland. SIMON.
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
THE ANCIENT CITY OF TALLAHASSEE PAST AND
PRESENT. NEGLECTED. PART OF THE STATE
SOME OF IT'S GOOD PoINTs-A FAMOUS SPRING.
Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
TALLAHASSEE, fla, March 9th. 1882.
1 arrived here after twelve hours ride by
rail distance only l6O miles) from Jacksonville,
and find a very beautifully-locatcd town. on
high rolling ground, and with soil more like
some around Washington than have yet seen !;
while the trees, &C.. have less of the character
ishc appearance of Florida than in any other part
OF the state. In fact, if you did not know it
was winter and saw the flowers blooming and
heard the birds singing, you would think You
were farther north. This being the capital of
the state. the capitol building is located here
1t is very fine building and in appearance
reminds me of the center street part of the
Patent Office building in miniature In
the building is the governors and other state
offices, including the land office, together with
the state supreme court room and legislative
nails 1t is in the midst of grove of oak trees
the grounds containing about ten acres. They
are laid out with walks and flower beds In the
front OF the building is a very handsome mOnu-
ment in marble to the state soldiers killed i'm
the late war, while in the rear is one in granite
to one OF FlOTda's sons, who distinguished him
self in the Seminole wars Gov BlOxham has
proven himself to be an excellent governor
and with it is courteous gentleman.
l am stopping at the old City Hotel built near
On to hundred years ago. and after the model
Of ''ye oiden times" and have often thought if
the walls could talk what tales they could tell
81 the lads and lassies of the good old times of
years ago. when this town was the center OF the
trade and culture of West Florida The views
from the upper windows of the hotel from the
west and south are very beautiful.
HOUSES OLD AND NEW
The town contains between 2 500 and 8, 900 i'll
habitants; over onehalf colOred. While there
are number of handsome and modern built
dwellings. large number are of the style and
in keeping with those days when master and
slave lived to enjoy life, in feasting much and
working little. They are now building large
frame hotel, which, when finished will do credit
to any town, while its location could not be eX-
celed. They have churches believe. of every
denomination. both white and col0red. One of
the first railroads built in the United States ran
from this town to ST. Marks. about twenty -fiye
miles in a southeast direction. on the ApaIa-
chicola bay. The town now is not of much i'm
portance, owing to the changes brought about
by railroads. and is comparatively deserted.
SOME GOODS POINTS.
This section Of the state seems to have been
passed over by the seeker after health and plea
sure, and yet it will give strength to the one to
stop awhile here and enjoy its pure air. and to
the other it presents fine drives with good fish
ing and hunting near at hand: and when it be-
comes known, as it Will in a short time, many
who perhaps have invested in poor land in the
south and east Of the state will come here and
Saftla of fhn farf;l -,
around which at present can be bought
cheap and yield handsome crops while at
the same time one is not annoyed with
the everlasting mosquito. This. perhaps. is as
tine section for Irish potatoes as any portion OF
the country, and the product is much superior
TO those brought from the Bermudas. and which
have such ready sale in northern markets. More
attention is being paid to this and other vege-
tables. and if more of the farmers here would
drop their cotton and GO to raising garden truck
they would have less work and more money
during the year.
About sixteen miles south of here, in Wa
kuila county, is Wakulla Spring,
ONE OF THE WONDERS OF THE STATE
and while in many respects it reminds one of
Silver Spring, in Marion county, mentioned in
one OF my letters, it far excels it in many re-
spects. The water is $50 feet deep. and yet
everything can be seen plainly on its bottom.
while the reflection from above gives a strange
and yet beautiful effect, which is both pleasant
and deceiving. 1t is impossible to describe this
or the Silver Spring, and l would advise those
who can to visit both to see for themselves
The trees are full of singing birds, and among
them detect the notes of the hooking bird,
and in the early morning and at evening
they make the welkin ring with
their melOdious warbling. The gardens
are full of all sorts of flowers,
among them the most handsome and prolific
JapOnicas l ever saw; in fact this seems to be
one of the garden spots of Florida. am glad
that business brought me here, and would adj
wise Others coming to Florida not to overlook
the state capital for despite the tedious railway
travel from Jacksonville, they will be well repaid
for the trouble in coming. The weather is
and all that one could wish or desire
Everywhere go, find much to astonish and
instruct. and my estimate of the state and it's
vast resources does not diminish but rather in
creases the more travel I see what il is and
imagine what 1t may yet be. NICK.