Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-20
JACKSONVILLE JOTTINGS.
SUNLAND TOPICS OF GENERAL.
INTEREST.
Christmas Comes But Once a Year-Let
Us Enjoy It-ThOse Ohio Editors -
They Had a Jolly Time-A Favorable
Report Expected - Florida Grows -
Why state Fair-The Leeislature

Us Enjoy It-Those Ohio Editors
They Had a Jolly Time-A Favorable
Report Expected Florida Grows -
Why ?-State Fair-The legislature
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, Dec. lS.-A week from
to-day and Christmas-the day so dear 10 all
true believers-the day specially welcome TO
Southern pcOple-Will be here with its iollitv.
its cordial greetings, its good cheer, its CAV
and grave "reminiscences, and its old time hos
pitality. 1t is day peculiarly dedicated to
the happiness of children, and those of us who
are parents grow young again in seeing, as it
were, our youth renewed.
Those good cid household deities, Saint Mich
olas and Santa Claus, are busily engaged day
and night preparing for the countless stock
ings that will be hung up for their arrival, and
how passing strange it is that the worthy cou-
pie learn exactly what their little friends most
desire. As general rule, Miss Bessv and
Master Charley, in rummaging over their
stockings, discover that they contain the very
counterpart of the doll they so much admired,
and the very image of the knife so long craved,
with four blades. AS the little fellows grow
Older these mysteries, now wonderful, will
all be unraveled, and they, in turn, will be-
come active lieutenants on the staff of General
Nicholas.
All hail to merry Christmas! l wish such
occasions We're more frequent in this practical
American existence. They expand the heart,
brighten the sympathies, draw more closely
old friends, and render us more charitable and
less censOrlOuS.
hundred Ohio editors have been 'doing"
this State for the past week. Every attention
and courtesy have been shown to the press
gang, and Florida has thrown open her doors
and been prOfuse in her hOspitalites. They
have been up the river, down to Ocala, over
to st. Augustine and number have traversed
portion of the weird kissmmee They have
seen the alligator, plucked oranges from the
tree, gathered moss, purchased canes. shells,
sea beans, etc, etc, and have had a splendid
time generally. Governor BlOXham has well
coined them to Florida in his warm hearty
manner, while the press and the people have
united in the effort to render their visit pleas
ant. They are delighted with their reception
and with the country, and five score ready and
able pens will soon be telling the OhiOans that
Florida possesses some advantages that will
bear inspection. Florida will get first class
and widely extended advertisement at very
moderate rates, and the notice will appear in
the most conspicuous columns of hundred
journals. l am sorry that the party could not
find time to run up to Tallahassee, for they
failed to see the prettiest section of the State
in my opinion. Generally speaking, the
scenery of East Florida is far inferior to that
of the middle section.
1t is said that the party went wild when they
were turned loose into the splendid orange
grove of Col. Dancy, at Buena Vista, and
Invited by its hospitable owner to enjoy
the delicious fruit Us long as their
storage capacity permitted. There are
some wonderful accounts given of their proW-
ess in this department, and it is said that the
ladies were in no respect inferior in the way
of absorption to the masculines. My good old
friend, Col. Dancy. won golden opinions in
exchange for his golden globes, and | know
that he was delighted with the opportunity
allowed him of playing host and illustrating
Florida.
Another excursion from Iowa arrived short
ly after that from Ohio, and others are to fol-
low in quick succession. There is a charm
and an attraction about Florida that com
mend the State very strongly to the attention
OF tourists. The country generally is finding
out that until we annex or purchase Mexico
or Cuba, there can be but one Florida. 1t is
such strange thing to Northern man to see
the seasons reversed and to find flowers grow
ing, grass springing, fruits ripening, and
birds singing, while underneath them is firm
soil, overhead clear sky, and balmy breeZes
to invite to out door exercise. He has gained
three or four months, or the length of his stay,
clear, and the profits are largely in his favor
To the man of wealth and leisure, this is
great advantage, and then the proximity to
his counting room or banking house enables
him to be at home III a couple of days if an
emergency arises.
Somehow an orange looks larger in the eyes
of 1ankee than barrel of apples and the
apex of their idea of human happiness
has been reached when in possession of a pro-
ductive grove, 1t is an easy and comfortable
life, and the time is near at hand when the
orange-growers will flourish as once did the
cotton lords of Mississippi and the wealthy
sugar planters of Louisiana.
The four performances given by the Madison
Square Company were far superior to those of
the various companies that have preceded
this troupe. The audiences were large and
select, and the two plays presented, "HaZel
Kirke" and ''Esmeralda," were rendered in a
manner that was entirely satisfactory The
company will appear in Savannah on Wednes-
day night, when you will have an opportunity
to judge of their merits.
During the approaching State fair pre-
miums will be awarded to the best drilled in
tantry and artillery companies, and to the
best drilled individuals. There will be prizes
also for rifle teams. The feature of the week
however, will be the tournaments which
promise TO be unusually spirited and interest
ing. several entries have already been made
by the various counties. There will he no
races as such, the managers having resolved
to use the money usually appropriated for
this purpose in increasing the premiums for
agricultural products. Levy and Sumter will
compete as counties for the award offered to
that section making the largest and finest
exhibition of the products and manufactures
OF such division, and 1t Is to be hoped that
others will be induced to participate in such
an honorable competition. Governor BlOXham
has consented to open the fair in a suitable
address.
Preparations are being made in Tallahassee
for the approaching session Of the Legislature
The room occupied by the Assembly has been
furnished with new desks and chairs and
looks now somewhat better than an old fash
iOned cross roads school house. | believe in
proper economy, but the members of the Leg
lslature should certainly he made comfortable.
There are few State houses in the country that
are furnished as plainly and ineXpensiVely as
that of Florida. Our lawmakers will assem-
Bile two weeks from Tomorrow, 1t is gepes
ally thought that an adjournment wiz y "a
before the sixty days limit is y" dached and tbo
Legislature is expected 20 signalize itself Inv
general reun"".lOn of expenses and A DroTnnf
olsp2tch of business. Messrs. Mcclellan. of
"a JACKSON; d; Dougherty, of Nolusia, and Harris,
OF orange, are mentioned as candidates for
speaker. The two latter gentlemen have
welded the gavel in that capacity with credit
and ability.
1t was cold enough last Sunday to recall
their Northern homes to many of our visitors.
Ice was abundant, and all pot plants that were
exposed and tender vegetation were DESTROY
ed. We have already had more cold weather
than we experienced during the whole of last
winter. a strange feature of one of these
blizzards was that the thermometer showed a
lower temperature at points one hundred and
htty and two hundred miles south than in this
CITY. These snaps viii send down hesitating
visitors earlier than they had intended to arr
rive. The hotels are all doing fine business.
quite satisfactory.
The expedition undertaken by the New
orleans Times Democrat to traverse the PENN
sula from east to west by boat has been suc-
eessfully accomplished. The party left Kissim
NEE City on Lake Tahopekaliga and passino
through that sheet of water, and lakes Cypress
hlsslmmee and Hachewahe, entered the Kis-
simmee river, which empties into Lake Okee-
chobee. From the point of entrance into FlOri-
da's great lake they proceeded forty miles when
they encountered the dredge, then 1.-THE Lth
lnstant within seven hundred feet of Okee-
chobee. Hauling their boats overland this
short distance they were in the waters of the
Oaloosahatchee, emptying into the Gulf of
Mexico. The entire distance traversed was
43S miles and the time fourteen davs.
we may expect daily to receive the news
tnat the dfedGe has cut its way into Okeecho-
bee, ana 1t Will soon be known what can be
effeeted in the way Of drainage. The second
dredge is now working its way down the Kis.
sinInee, ana IS 1ast overcoming the difficulties
1t has encountered.
So the dredge employed in opening commu-
nication with Indian river is progressing very
satisfactorily, and that canal, SO important
ana an0rdlngan outlet to such vast terri
tory, Will be thrown open to the public.
llredge boats are destined to be largely en-
ployed in Florida In the way of draining pur- |
poses and opening up water communication |
There are Paynes Prairie and many other ex- |
tensve savannas that can be reclaimed by |
these machines and subjected to cultivation
at comparatively moderate expense, and com
panies will be organized for this purpose. So !
too many of the lakes now separated by mar /
row strips of land. can be connected, and |
afford facilities for transportation. This is TO |
be regular business, and big one, of the |
future.
Another Duke-this time an English one |
is expected here shortly to pass the winter /
here. If he comes, and the weather con- |
Srnnbt tlnges severe, tn Goals VIII have to be
that no common people arrived here. but that |
all were distinguished. The columns of Isner I
sOnals" are simply immense
Jacksonville Is becoming quite a resort for |
newly married parties, no less than nine
bridal couples having recently arrived in one |