Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-05
Florida Affairs.


Florida Affairs.
Blt. Pleasant pest office, Gadsden county, has
been discontinued. Mails intended for that
point should hereafter be sent to Glen Julia
post Office. in the same county.
A correspondent writing from Monticello in
forms us that the beautiful residence of Mr..
Charles Gawood was destroyed by fire last Sun
day evening about O'Clock. He saved part
Of his furniture, hut Rev. A c. McCants, the
Baptist preacher, who lived with him, lost
heavily. The origin OF the fire is not given.
The Fernandina Mirror learns that the
branch OF the Southern Tropical Railroad to
Indian river will be built at once. contract
has already been entered into for the construc-
ton Of twenty-five miles of the line. It will
diverge from the Tropical in Sumter county
and cross directly to Titusville, a distance Of
about eighty miles This will give the Indian
river and eastern portion OF South Florida d.
rect railroad connection with the main trunk
lines Of the country, so that cars can be loaded
on the banks Of Indian river and proceed
direct by rail- without transfer. to the most
distant Northern markets.
It is generally conceded, says an exchange,
that the brown or rusty orange is much the
sweetest, and can be kept longer than the
bright fruit, but by not unusual perversity
Of taste, the brown fruit is deprecated in
Northern markets and sold at half the price Of
fair fruit.
During the month Of December thereswere
$4,000 feet of yellow pine lumber shipped
from Jacksonville. against 3,3iS GOO feet for the
same month last year, an increase last month
Of :, 900 feet over the amount shipped dur
ing the same month in 1850. The above does
not include the amount OF lumber shipped
North, via Fernandina, over the Fernandina
and Jacksonville Railroad.
A man named d. w. Fair, Of Nevada. claim
ing to be a son of Hon James G. Fair, United
States Senator from that State, has been cir
culating around Jacksonville. Unfortunately.
while he was at the height Of his prosperity,
Senator Fair himself appeared upon the scene,
and blasted the young mans hopes and pros
poets by declaring that he had no such son
and heir.
The Fernandius Express bases its expecta-
tiOns OF a grand boom in Florida on the fact
that the purchasers Of the Transit Railroad
are possessed OF unlimited capital, and conse-
quently are able to organize and perfect i'm
prOvements without regard to expense.
This, il thinks, will 'enthuse" an amount of
energy and vim into all sections tapped by the
road.
General Loring is still delivering lectures,
with stereoscOpticon accompaniment, in
Florida, on Ancient and Modern Egypt The
lecture Is said to be very instructive and en-
tertaining
"a few days since" says the Fernandina
Mirror, I'VE were on the north shore of Orange
Lake, IN That is known as the island once
designated az TOWnsend's Territory from its
Is lation. Five years ag0 no pubic road
passed through it. no rail or water communi-
cation came within twenty miles of Il. White
we were there, within twenty minutes time.
We heard the putting Of trains on the railways
the whistles OF a steamer and of three steam
sa mills, and realized the change which had
been made, and which is going on all over
Florida"
Concerning the financial condition Of the
city OF Fernandina the Express of that city
says: May or Hsley informs US that ne has
been endeavOring to ascertain the amount Of
city scrip outstanding by the only means in
a pOWer-an examination OF ali the scrip
stubs BY this means the amount OF floating
Indebtedness can be ascertained near enough
Tor all practical purposes. The result of Mr.
Haley S investi cations shows that there is now
outstanding S5,So4 O9 Of city scrip. The two
judgments sgsinst the civ, granted bv the
st term Of the Circuit Court, will absorb
Sl,O-4 o. or this 0mOunt. which leaves in resii-
ty only 3, yos 42 afiOat. The taxes for 1881 and
the uncollected taxes Of 1880 will REQUIRE
>. 5s5 % IN scrip-an excess over the fioatirg
inde btedness or S2,4SS 81. If this showing is
SUBSTANTIALLY correct, anC there is no reason to
dOuOt IL, the citizens OF Fernandina NAV con-
gratulate themselves upon the early ADVANCE
ment 70 a cash basis Notwithstanding these
facts. however. the price or scrip still continues
low, probably because the real condition of
the city finances is not known"
Fernandina EFDress: 1T is evident to even
the most casual observer that Florida il now
exciting greater degree Of interest than apy
other one Southern State, or we may say than
any one state IN the Union. The fact that
capitalists ike the DisstOn syndicate and the
English ana Dutch companies. represented nv
Sir Edward Reed and Dr. Wertheim are fear
lessly investing millions of dollars in the state.
argues well for its future prosperity Capital
except In rare instances, does not follow a wild
goose chase, but seeks for and allies itself TO
real and undOU ted resources 1t has al
ways been con nded that Florida possess
ed undevelopei resources OF untold
value, but until recently there seems to have
been attached to our favored State an old man
OF the sea which prevented rapid progress to-
ward the rank the State is Justly entitled 10
The past few years, however. have witnessed A
development Of her resources. and
the tide Of improvement. gathering strength as
it moves. has now attained Unprecedented di-
mensiOns. No one can fail TO rejoice with us
in this happy state Of affairs, and there is not a
doubt that the whole world win soon contribute
largely towards the development Of our vast
resources
The following account of a brutal murder
We get from the Pensacola Advance: Anna
Francis made affidavit last Wednesday before
Judge Shackelford against her husband, Oliver
Francis. charging him with the murder OF her
son. Alexander Watkins The particulars aR
we gather them from different sources, are of
a most shocking character, and are TO the ef-
feet that Francis and Watkins we're skylarking
together on Christmas eve. at their home at
Pine Orchard. which is near Milview. The
latter IS represented as having at the time a
pistol IN hand, and the former becoming fren-
ued through strong drink, whipped out his
knife and stabbed his playmate in the abdo-
men watkins demonstrated by asking why
ne mad been cut, adding that be had no inten-
ton cf using the pistol. But the now infuriated
Francis could not be Gained, as he again
plunged his knife into the arm, shoulder and
head OF his youthful victim Not contRut with
tins he walked TO the rear Of his house. where
ne deliberately loaded a double berreled gun
ana called on watkins to Join him. The boy
advanced towards his step-father. evidently
with 10 apprehension as to his fate when
Francis leveled the gun and said I'm going
TO klll You,' and with this emptied both bar.
rels INTO the unfortunate boys stomach, kill
ing him instantly. The murderer quit the
premises at once, but it was rumored vester-
day that he had appeared before Justice Crow
at Aillyie". and had been released on $500
bal. The facts, as far as we can get them
point to the sad affair as one Of the most
he6rtleSs murders ever perpetrated in this
county--We were told also that Francis is
wanted IN Alaoama, he being reported as hav-
ing killed man in that State BY crushing his
skull. Sheriff Hutchinson Is armed with a
warrant for this fugitive, and ft Is to be hoDad
he may be brought to Justice"
A Jacksonville correspondent of the Nash
vile World thus writes Of Florida's favorfte
insect Every lake that I saw in South
FLORIDA large enough had its family of alliga-
tors Near the settlements where they are
frequently slOt at they disappear az the ei;-
proach OF man. They visit each other ffom
lake to lake When a man, woman or child
overtakes one IN the woods the beast runs to
the nearest wateFs.f hemmed. he stous. swells
and blows like mad bull. They handle their
tails right lively in resisting an enemy or Flip
ping hog or dog into their great mouths. I