Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-27
LETTER BROM FLORIDA.
GainesvIIle-AIschu County-RsfI-
roads-LRnds- Are reaondO-AFcher
-BrOnsOn-Cedar Keys


-BronsOn-Cedar Keys.
CEDAR KEYS June 22-Edit0r HorRing Netes:
Leaving Waldo, going south, on the Florida
Transit Railroad, tho next important point ar
rived at is Gainesville This is a large, -four
ishing town Of four thousand Inhabitants, cen
trally located in Alachua county and the PENN
sula, and already enjoying the advantages Of
the Florida Transit and the Florida Southern, it
has in expectation the Live OAK and Row
lands Bluff, the Suwannee and Santa Fe and
Georgia and Florida Midland Railroads to in
crease its future growth and Importance. The
county is about fifty miles SQUARE, en-
braces perhaps the largest BODY Of ell
gible good lands IL the penins1la, no
ted as the Paines prairie region and
the Arredondo Spanish claim. The section
presents almost every variety OF sol, from the
deep rich swamp TO the high, sterile black
jack ridge-the Intermediates the high dry
hummocks and well timbered rolling pine
lands, considered the most valuable for farm
ing purposes. From Gainesville southwark
embracing the next two stations on the Transit
Road. Arredondo and Archer, the country
looks much like the undulating fertile regions
Of Middle Florida ami Southwestern Georgia.
Excellent farms appear along the roads, and
the uncleared forests show the dense, heavy tim.
Der of fertile soil. The lands here, especially
about the towns and stations, are in demand.
and sell at high prices Around Gainesville
even very thin lands sell at ex-
travagant prices while town lots
with residences are fabulous. Some
of these are very pretty. the grounds covered
with groves of moss-draped oaks, and the
dwellings often embowered in the foliage of
the orange Gainesville is situated upon a
sandy ridge, porous, sterile and healthy but the
surrounding couOtry is fertile, well timbered
and populous, giving the town a liberal trade
and concentrating there the energy and intel
ligence of the section. Several good hotels
aud many private boarding houses accommo-
date the travelling public. The East Florida
Seminary Is located here, and its liberal patron
age and the laeSe attendance upon ITS COM
mencement exercises attest the interest
the citizens feel in its success.
Gainesville is moral hieh.tonad
sociable iowa, and is rapidly growing in i'm
portance. As the ceptrs Of East Florida
population, it Is mentioned as the future seat
of government, and there is little doubt that n
vote on the removal of the capital would
crafty its ambition. It has two well CON
Quoted newspapers, exerting their forces for
the good of the town and country and was
glad to learn 4hat the citizens accord a sub
stantial recognition Of their merits in the way
of patronage. had the pleasure of meeting
in the office of the AdUOcate Mr. Oscar AZ
Myers, editor, and Mr. McCrarey, one of the
proprietors, to whom | am indebted for
Weekly Bee, Mr.. Chas. L. Fildes, editor
and proprietor, whose energy and
ability enabled him, stranger in a strange
place, not only to set up and establish a po0d
newspaper, but TO enter the legislative halls a
the representative of one of tn first counties
OF the State. almost before he was out of MS
swaddling clothes. They have good field for
the employment of their talents, and noble
work to perform in laying solid foundation
for the great future of the tropical peninsula.
BRONSON.
Next to Archer in Importance is Bronson in
Levy county, growing town. expecting soon
route of the Live Oak and Rowland's Bluff
Railroad to Clear Water Harbor, and
with the advantages of that road
crossing the Transit, would receive
a great impetus Bronson is near the dividing
line between the hill country and the fiat
coast region. From it northward to Archer
the high sand hills studded with pines and or
namented with clumps of hedge-like syrnmetri-
cal wild sage convey the idea of good health
and scarcity of water; while to the southwark
the limitless lat pine woods, the constant sue.
cessloh OF cypress ponds, the occasional dense
swamp of damp, rich lands, and the broad for
ests Of cabbage palmetto, mingled 10 the SER
rled ranks of pine, impress one forcibly with
the reign of malaria over the sullen, dark-red
waters of autumnal floods. And vet
those who know from experience, assert
the healthfulDess of this region. and declare
the fertility Of soil, apparently in general,
the forlorn hope of poverty and despair Ex.
ceptions to the general rule are to be found in
the lands bordering Otter creek and the Wal
kasaSSer. Here are dense sWamps of some OF
the finest sugar lands in the State, and covered
with the same great forests of valuable timber
seen in the river swamps of higher latitudes
with additions of the beautiful deep green Of
cedar, and the solemn grandeur of the tower
ing palm, which here increases into broad for
estS, alternately scattering and CLUSTERING
overtopped among the pines but, gathering
fresh vigor from the more congenial soil Of the
deeply shaded swamp, towers lOftilV above
and regns in deathlike stiffness until the ocean
breeze waves the softer variegated foliage be.
meath, and awakes the sleeping echoes Of its
wild metallic crash.
CEDAR KEYS.
This is the Gulf terminus of the Transit Rail-
road busy little town nearly covering Wav
Key, one of the largest Of the numerous very
small Islands in the cluster, and can never grow
very large for the want of room. The locality
is not prepossessing, since the islands have
been beaten by the sea into corrugated sand
banks or smoothed into marshes and mud fats
but surrounded by salt water, washed by
high tides. and swept by the perpetual breeze
OF the tropics, it is salubrious exhierating and
healthy. Several large hotels occupying favor
able positions on the island are Constantly
hlled with guests, enjoying the excellences of
the breeze and climate. and, with more railroad
facilities from the interior, Cedar Keys viii
become better known as a seaside resort FOR
the summer. Considerable activity and induq
Try are manifested IN the multiplicity of m6r-
camille houses, shops, stores, warehouses, ship
ping, lumber mills. etc, and constant stream
of trade flows in through the fleets of small
craft from the islands and coast regions of the
vicinity.
The well known Eagle and Faber cedar pen-
Gil manufacturing companies have branch mills
and factories established on adjacent islands,
and the large quantities of cedar cut from fine
interior forests and piled along the Transit Rail-
their works.
The citizens Of Cedar Keys are without osteu-
tation, sociable and clever, polite and attentive
to strangers, creating a good impression upon
those who visit the pleasant little city and tread
the bright sands of her sea-glrt shore.
GOOD CONDUCTOR.
Before dismissing the Florida Transit nou
the property of the Reed syndicate, which has
still more recently added the Peninsula and
South Florida Railroad to its al
ready extensive railway ACQUISITIONS
must pay merited passing tribute TO the
right man in the right place." On this road IL
was my good fortune to pass under the ssfoes
terlng care" OF Conductor S. @. Tucker, and Il
don't think have seen railroad official heftar
qualified, or more earnestly, affably ana
agreeably devoted to his duties. His ceaseIesg
vigilance and graceful attention to the comfort
OF his passengers are only equaled by his pa
nence and good humor, which seem actually
grateful for acquisitions upon his services
May 1t be long ere he is called upon to Weld his
iF0nstt-oTy sway and hand in his checks'' at
the end of the line. r.
-%$>ae4<
Don't DIE In the House.
"ROugh on Rats" Clears out rats, mice.
reaches, bed-bugs, flies, ants, moles. chin
munks, gophers. 15c.