Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-11
TALLAHASSEE TOPICS.
A Plethora of Newspapers-Increas
Hotel Facilities-Truck Farming-The
Florida and Western RailrOad-POlitics
A Dearth of Rain.

Florida and Western RailrOad-POlitics
"A Dearth of Rain.
TALLAHASSEE, October 9.-EditCr Morning
NetCs: If the number of newspaper published
in any place is any evidence Of ITS prosperity,
then surely Tallahassee should be the most
thriving city in the State We now have five
newspapers in full blast, to wit: The FloTfdfdn
Economist Land of FIoa0ers, Spectator and
Patriot, and rumor says that religious
paper, the organ of the colored Baptists, will
also be published very soon. But whether this
number is a sign. Of growing prosperity, or
not, it is ee. tain3y an evidence that we are
reading community. The precs is the great
lever Of civilization. 1t moulds public opinion
for good or ill., a. the greater the diversities of
opinion promulgated thereby the better it is for
humanity. Men can read both sides sift care
fully the mer sures proposed, and act according
ly. There are now sixty-four newspapers pub
lished in the State against about sixteen in
1860. Orange county bears the palm as to
numbers, having seven, next comes Duval with
six, and then Leon with five. Surely we do
not lack for local news.
Nor are we less fortunate in hotels, as re-
marked in my last In this matter Tallahassee
has for long time been behind the age, having
but one. But henceforth we can boast rot
only OF larger number. but with better ap-
planes for comfort. The City Hotel, under
the management of Mr.. G. A. Hover, who is
said by those who know him. to be the right
man in the right place, has been enlarged
renovated, and various modern improvements
added. A wing his been added on the
south side, 80 feet by "a feet, ard
two stories high. The first floor
will be used for bath rooms and the second
for sample rooms The drummer, notwith-
40 fav saI
on him in some states, is beginning to receive
deserved recognition. By many, especially the
retail merchant, he is regarded as great con-
venience, as he saves them the trouble and ex-
pense of going North to select his stock. As
the display of his samples in small bedroom
is often inconvenent, mine host of
the 'City" has very CONSIDERABLY fit.
vience. There the samples can be
spread out and their merits expatiated upon
dd tbitunI. Besides the addition referred to,
extending the entire length Of the hotel, thus
Ffording fine view of the beautiful rolling
country 70 the west These and other improve
ments will make this old hostehy more at
trs etive than ever. A portion Of tbs hotel was
built in 1877 and that part is probably the old
est building in the city The brick part was
added some Yeas later. At one time it was
owned by the late Ex-Governor Broome then
by his son-in-law, the late James 7. Archer.
From the estate Of the latter it wCs purchased
by the present proprietor, W. p SlosSer, ESQ
1t he's front OF one hundred and sixty feet
and depth on the north side OF eighty feet.
1t hes a capacity for one hundred ami fifty
guests.
The st. James, now rapidly approaching
completion, is owned by Mrs. F. R. Lamb. 1t
is built of brick, three stories high and is quite
an attractive looking building Surmouuted
by cupola, the visitor, on ascending Thither,
can obtain fire view Of the surrounding
country. This, too, has a sample room and
other conveniences. 1t has separate entrance
for ladies, and snug, cozy parlor, and thirty
rooms for guests. Mrs Lamb is now in New
York, purchasing the necessary fuI niture.
Situated near the business centre of the city,
this hot 81 will be a favorite resort with many.
LIE new hotel built on the old court house
square, and owned by Joint stock company,
Is qr'ts an imposing looking building 1t has a
frontage of 227 feet on one street, with 122 feet
on another, and fitty-four sleepings rooms, sin
gle and en- suite. 1t will be well lighted with
gas and supplied with water on each floor. On
the first floor ere the dining room, railways,
Office, parlor, reception room, reading. billiard
and bath rooms, with kicthen, dish rooms,
carving room, etc adjoining the large dining
room. The height Of the rooms on the first
floor is fourteen feet with hard finished walls
and ceilings, ornamented with cornices and
centre pieces. On the second and third stories
are the sleeping rooms, with closets, linen and
bath rooms on each floor. The height Of the
rooms on the second floor is eleven feet; on
third floor, ten feet. A twelve-foot piazza
extends on the first and second floors along the
entire front of thetwo wings Of this fine edi-
building. The company, | understand, have
leased their ho5el and it will probably be open
for the reception of guests by the first of De-
cember. Thus, with three good hotels and
quite number of boarding houses, Tallahassee
will be prepared to accommodate the great in
dux Of visitors expected next winter.
From present appearances, there will be more
strangers emong us the coming winter than
ever before. Cur fine climate, the superiority
of our soil and the low price OF land is being
known. The success attending truck farming
has also contributed no little towards drawing
public attention TO this section. Last week
party from Chicago purchased from one OF
our citizens $50 acres for the very low price of
$3.50 He went all over the land aud was de-
lightc with his purchase, it being much better
than some in Other portions of the State that
has sold for ten dollars per acre. This
tract will be colonized at once
by hardy immigrants from the
West and others will follow. For some years
pc 81 some Of our public-spirited citizens have
been unremitting IN their efforts to direct the
tide of immigration to this section, and now
the fruit of their labors is being manifest.
From the great West, from the Middle and New
England Stat g, tidings reach us that prospec-
tots are coming out this fall II invest in the
rich lands Of Middle Florida Large planta
tions will soon be divided into small farms, and
this the choicest SECTION Of Florida, will once
more reach its pFestine vigor and reputation.
The changes that have recently taken place
in the management of the Florida and Western
P .iroad by the resignation of Sir. Edward
Reed and Mr.. MacVesgh, were not altogether
unexpected. 1t WIS with difficulty that the
Reed synds" tie succeeded in paying the money
due on about $50 1000 Pensacola and Gulf Rail-
road bonds The payment of the bonds of the
old Tallahassee railroad from here to st.
Mark's) was not made, and as the shops of the
company are on the lands of the old Tallahas
see Railrof : it g probable that the present
management lost more than they
thought they would when they default
ed. Under the decree of the court
the Governor is authorized to take possession
oil Of ba
This it is presumed he will do at an early day.
It appee~s that my informant was mistaken
in saying that the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad Company had offered $4,000
a mile for the road from Jacksonville to
ChattahoochCe. That company did make an
offer, but the amount am not able to ascer-
tain. 1t appears IS if Tallahassee is again to
be left out in the cold, but it is to be hoped
that we will yet have connection with Thorn
asville. Much of the trayel is by that route.
hey prefer pleas SAINT ride through beauti-
full HI y country to that by way of Live Oak
Last Saturday the Democrats of this county
met in mass meeting, and Nominated full
ticket for the coming Legislature. Captain p.
Houston was nominated for the Senate, and
Walker and Hugh Black for the House The
Independent were to have assembled in con-
vention and nominated a ticket, but from
some cause or o+her nomeeting was held.
/ have seldom seen so little excitement
during political campaign Our coIored COM
mun'ty generally throw their whole soul into
IL, OUT IulS year Ln6y seem D6bLef SabIsIi6Q az
3nding TO their several Focations than riding
their mule to political meetings.
Since the great storm Of 9th and 10th ultimo
we have had but little rain, so little, in fact,
that already our gardens are beginning to sut-
fer. A strong west wind blows during the day,
and the earth is considerably parched in conse-
quence. One trucker, who is preparing for Q
heavy crop OF cabbages, informs me that rain
is very much needed and that his prospects
are not the best on acool mt of the continued
drought. On the osher hand, the planter says
it is splendid weather for picking, and rain Is
not very much needed as yet The damage by
the storm and the recent fall in the price of
cotton, while it will naturally depress the pro-
Queer, will have the the effect Of increasing
the acreage of trucking next spring, as cotton
is an uncertain and costly product
LEON