Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-30
TALLAHASSEE TOPICS.
The Ba0m In Florida Lands-The
States Attractions 20 be Seq Forth
Its Hurled Wealth-A Destructive
Storm-Governor BIoxham Home
ARain.

TALLAHASSEE. June 2s.-Editor Mov7afz.
Neios: Although our dull season has set in an,
our merchants have but little to do beside
taxing an inventory Of their stock, though the
lawyer is for the time briehass, yet in s,me o.
our State departments there is unusual ac
tivity. Especially is this so In the office of the
Commissioner Of Lands and Immigration
The constant Influx OF immigrants to OH,
State, together with the several railroads
now being constructed in various sections
mas created quite a demand for public
lands. The shrewd speculator ''sees million,
IN 1t, and forthwith HES him to the capital
where he seeks to enter some choice land unor
which he hopes to realize a handsome profit
G'he railroad President having completed a sec
tioa of his road, and being entitled under the
internal improvement act to subsidy in lands
also comes hither to make his selection. Never
before was there such a rush. The usual
clerical force of this office has been in
sufficient. for so heavy is the work
from these and other causes, that an increase
three months now than In twelve months some
years ago. There are three classes OF
so-called State lands, to wit: the swami and
oveIf1owed, which, together with the Ave hun.
purposes Of internal Improvement now consri.
tute the internal improvement lands: the
school and seminary lands. The first, by the
act OF 1888. are vested in the Cover
ney General and Register (now
Commissioner of Lands and Immigration and
their successors in Office as trustees Of the in
telnal improvement fund The sWamn and
overfowed lands comprise some fifteen mil
lion Of acres and liberal donations have been
made from time to time in aid OF various
railroads and canals. AS much as Florida
boasts of her network of railroads in some sec.
tious but few of them would ever have been
constructed but for the liberality of Con
gress in the grant of these lands by
which she has been enabled to foster
these great works of internal improVement
Millions of acres have been donated for this
purpose, and we now see with what effect
more than a thousand miles Of railways and
canals have been and are being constructed
The other two classes of lands (scho9I and
seminary are for specific purposes. The six
teenth section in every township is selected as
school lands, and the proceeds OF the sales are
invested in Florida six and seven per cent
bonds, which, according to the re-
port of the State Treasurer in 1880,
amounted to $230 goo. The interest on
these bonds together with the special State
and county tax. sustain our common schools.
The proceeds of the seminary lands are like
wise invested in State bonds, which now
amount to about $S4.500, and the interest ac-
cruing thereon is divided between the two
SeU1lndFl6S at dal06SVlllG ana IaIlanaSS0e. lt
will thus be seen that the State owns three
several classes of land only as trustee for GER
tain specific purposes, and that she is power
less to pledge them for any State
debt. The Commissioner Of Lands
is the salesman, and has to keep three separate
accounts of his sales Every mail brings him
scores of letters from anxious inquirers, all of
which must be answered Nor is the Commits
Sioner of the Bureau of immigration idle In
addition to the work of preparing his forth
coming pamphlet. relative to the soil, climate
and resources of the State, the bureau hes to
answer hundreds OF letters received from every
State in the Union, which of itself is no light
work. / am informed by the Commissioner
that his pamphlet will be about one hundred
and twenty five pages and judging from wis t |
have seen. it will be a valuable handbook to
the intending immigrant. No rose colored de-
will be given, but simply the facts
and reliable statistical information. 1t is near
ly ready for the press, and will be issued about
the first Of August The Commissioner in
forms me also that in his biennial report he
will strongly recommend an appropriation for
q geological survey of the State. This is a
great desideratum, and it is hoped that our
Solons will make a liberal appropriation for
lead coal and petroleum do exist, but to what
extent is not known. Every geological work
that have examined betrays a lamentable
ignorance as regards the geology of our State,
and what few sGUG1ls have penetrated into
the interior have been astonished at the evi-
lences of rich mineral deposits It is well
known to few that galena abounds in GER
tain portions, and l have myself seen some
rich specimens of anthracite coal. If, there
fore. an appropriation can be obtained at the
next meeting of our Legislature for the pur-
pose having a survey made, we NAV look for
ward to wonderful results therefrom
Our public schools closed on Friday last and
now follows the long vacation of three months
Whether our modern instructors can teach
more in nine months than did the pedapopue
If our fathers in ten and eleven know not
At any rate, three months vacation, in these
lays, seems to be the rule. The complaint is
hat the weather is too warm and the pupils |
will not attend. But in former times the wishes |
II the latter were not so much regarded |
he parents will was law, and only six weeks
)r two months vacation was allowed Tenn
1oTG nIutdntur ct nos nlutGm1Ls 5lLis The |
3oard OF Education of the West Florida Semi |
lary, located here, have heretofore had the |
male and female departments in separate |
buildings and under separate teachers. In fu- |
ure they have determined to adopt the now
Utmost universal system of coeducation Of the |
wo sexes under the same corps of teachers. |
This plan has many advantages, and has al |
vays been tried with success A spirit of ri |
airy is created between the male and female |
lupils, both as to department and studies. |
With an endowment amounting to nearly |
. 600 year and good philosophical and |
hemIcal apparatus, and an efficient corps of |
/ see no reason WhY this inStitlI- |
ion should not be the best in the State
On Friday. 23d, we had quite an unusual /
torn for this season of the year, though for |
unately it was of short duration. The usual |
or thunder storm was wanting |
n this. The dav had been clear, and many of |
uc young people had assembled to witness a |
'ase ball match between two rival clubs Some
we're out taking pleasant evening drive,
While many of the ladies and children were |
listing or shopping indeed, 1t was at that
ime of day when in pleasant weather nearly |
very one is from home. Suddenly dark
LOUD w was seen in the east rapidly approach
young tornado was upon us. The wind blew
nth almost resistless force. and the
ain fell in torrents. Fences, and
nd had the earth been previous
soaked by copious showers, many hand
ONE shade tres would have been uprooted. |
IS It was, the damage to the crops and roads
ignihcant. The corn was prostrated and
1ch is the condition of the washes on some of
he roads that they will require working at
nee. Coming on as it did, at $3.50 p. M, many
ould not return until far into the
light. More than one careful house
life found to her dismay that she
ad her keys" with her, and access to the
amlly larder was delayed and supper post-.
oned to a most unreasonable time. Children1
'ere caught away from their homes, and more
1an one anxious parent was In great distress
3 to their safety; while ladies who had gone
ut to do an hours shopping had to content
lemSeves by remaining in the stores until
)me friendly hack could take them home
or Cnree nours our TWO livery establishments
ere taxed to their utmost in car
7ing home the belated ones gen.
eman who was out on the Gulf at the
me, says that he never before wit
essed such scene. that the fury of the storm
as indescribable, and that he saw no less
an four small water spouts during its con.
nuance. But now that the danger has passed
I'D no one hurt no property damaged, the
lnerous numerous Incidents that happened |
I'd the condition of the belated aud bedraggIed |
les form pleasing episode at this dull sea-
n. What threatened to be tragic resolved
to the comic.
Governor Bioxham, after an absence
several weeks in Washington, is
rain in the Executive Office The post
On OF Governor OF little Florida is by no |
cans sinecure. Not only is he the Kxecu-
ge In the usual sense, but by virtue of his |
1ce he is one of the trustees of the interna
lprovement fund, which of itself takes UP
ncn OF his time, and often requires prolonged
I'd frequent absence from the seat of govern
ent. as member of this board and in his
pacity of Executive, he recently visited
ashington, and notwithstanding the red tape
stem that prevails there to such an extent. |
arm from him that the various State ms tiers
at there engaged his attention are in a fair
~ of adjustment and that our State will |
on nave justice done her. LEON. [
Duty 30 Others. ]
CHAMBERsBURG, July 25, 1875.
This is to let the people know that /,
ma Maria Krider, wife of Tobias Krider