Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1882-03-16
Florida.

Florida.
The attention of the whole country has
been called, in tho recent past, to the great
efforts being made by capitalists and others
to develop the latent resources and revive
the dormant energies of Florida, the Gland
of Flowers"
The capitalists of the country, including
a wealthy English company, arc engaged in
building railroads, connecting the remote
and now inaccessible and important SEQ
tions Of the State; and also, by tho i'm
proyement of the coast, river and lake
transportation, so that in few years su.
perior facilities of this kind will be en-
joyed by tho people of tho State. Be-
sides, the State has many miles of seacoast,
lined with ample harbors and inlets, for q
trade of almost any proportion. In ad--
dition to these invaluable means of COM
munication apd transportation, Mr.. Diston
and others, of Philadelphia, are engaged
10 the laudable work of draining some of
the larger lakes and everglades, thus bring
ing into market, for sale and cultivation,
thousands Of acres of the finest lands in
the country.
Florida has long been known in history,
having been discovered 10 1912. The
United States obtained possession Of the
territory by purchase from Spain in 1921,
and it was admitted iuto tho Union as
State in l845 Since that time, although
tho area of Florida is larger than that Of
Georgia, her population now is only about
100000, the whites outnumbering the me-
groes by small majority.
1t is only in the last ton years that the
culture of tho orange, banana, pine apple
and other tropical fruits and veecta bles, for
market, has assumed anything like the pro-
portions of magnitude and success that it
has now attained. Tho soil of Florida in
the main is thin and sandy, and covered
generally with pine timber. There is some
fine soil, known as hammock land, and
covered with oak, hickory, magnolia apd
other fine timber. On the coast, railroads,
rivers and lakes, the lumber business ia as
sumins large proportions and il used for
building purposes in the State and For ex-
port to markets outside
Formerly cotton was the chief product
of Florida, the "long stople" growing and
maturing perfectly, whilst tho ehort staple
was grown more or less in the North -Eas-
tern part of the State. Sugar cane was
also staple crop. Some corn is grown
also Now, however, with negro labor in
many pucea at from 81 to 81 25 per day,
probably not much cotton and sugar cane
will be grown in tho near future. Fruits
and vegetables appear to botakipg the place
Of cotton, sugar cane, &c.
The present excitement in regard to
growing oranges and other tropical fruits
can only be properly understood by visi,
to Florida, as We have had the pleasure of
making recently. Large numbers of peo-
pc from all the States, with means, edu.
cation, industry and encrgy,are going there
for the purpose Of prospecting and invest
mcnt in lands, orange groves, go. Many
persons arc also visiting tho State in win
ter for pleasure, hunting, fishing, so. As
q consequence, good lands. favorably stu
atod near railroads, rivers and lakes, arc
very high. The Pine lands arc ccar
enough and very abundant. In fact
homestends can be solicited from the lands
Of the Government at merely nominal rates
Five years residence on them is necessary
unless tho government price of the lands
are paid, which is generally from 81 25 tc
IS per acre, the tracts varying from 80 to
100 acres.
| The cities and towns along tho rivers
and railroads arc growing and improving
rapidly. Jacksonville is tho chief city OF
the State and bids fair to DO very large and
prosperous. Et is on tho St. Johns River,
twenty five miles from its mouth.