Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-28
TALLAHASSEE TOPICS.
WONTED YULETTDE JOYS AND
NOISE.

| NONAEO 1OLEIIDE JOYS AND
NOISE
The COlOred Brother to the Front-The
FrOsts and the Crops-An Elegant
notwithstanding for the Legis-
lative Session-Middle Florida Fair
| Those Vexing Mails.
! TALLAHASSEE, Dec. 26.-Editor Korajao
Neacs: 1t is said by many that bright. clear
Christmas day is something unusual. Many
Of our young people, in looking forward to this
festive season, are apt to say, ''We will have
rainy Christmas" Their prognostications
were right for this time at any rate, for
more wet, cold and disagreeable season
have not experienced for years. Though
the day opened cloudy it did not
! commence to rain until shortly after y
/ O'Clock, and thus, fortunately, our church.
| going people were enabled to attend the ser
! vices of the day. The attendance in the vari-
| Gus churches was better than usual, notwith-
4 standing the lncemency of the weather. In
| the Methodist Church, on Sunday night, a
| christmas service of songs and recitations bv
| the Sunday school children was held The in
| terror was beautiful dressed with evergreens,
ana large and appreciative audience filed
! the house. The little folks carolled their
| Christmas songs very sweetly, rected their
| several parts well, and JOY and salts
faction reigned supreme. In the Episco
| pal church, which had also been
! appropriately dressed. The chief attraction
was the delightful music by its trained choir
Ihere, too, Notwithstanding the inclement
| weather, there was quite good assembly on
| Christmas morn. While many of our Young
men spent the dayi in hunting and their elders
! his devotiOns to John Barley Corn, and as a
natural sequence our police had their hands
full. Quite number who have been off work
| ing on the railroads have returned to
| spend the holidays with their fam
| lilies. They are flush with their
accumulated earnings, and from what have
seen during the last few days, like Jack, when
| ne comes ashore after long cruise, they seem
determined to have good time. While our
| people stayed indoors pretty closely during
| the pelting rain of yesterday afternoon our
| colored element was out in full force in the
| streets, determined to have all the fun they
| could. 1t has always been a mystery to me
that while so great efforts have been and are
stlll being made TO furnish this people
religious and educational facilities, no
effort has been made to inculcate
the principles of temperance among them.
Nhlle among the whites these principles are
strenuously advocated and societies and as
sociatiOns formed with the object of exter-
pating what is believed to be an evil, yet
among the poor sons of Ham we have vet to
hear of any movement in this direction
| Their preachers will talk of future punish
ment every Sunday, but it is seldom that they
near 1rom their own color of the cardinal
virtues of Christians. They are taught to
dread hell, but are not furnished with the
antidote.
The cold spell Of Sunday week was Sc
verer in its effects on vegetation than had
supposed. have cOnversed with a number of
truckers and find that beets, onions and young
cabbages were all killed. Only those cab
bages survived which had been planted for
some time. But where they had been lately
set out, in every instance, they were killed
Our truckers, though, are not discouraged
they will try again, and no doubt with better
success. The orange trees were not at all in
jured, Notwithstanding the thermometer reg
istered as low as twenty degrees, and such of
our farmers as have planted largely of this fruit
feel 9nCOnr1Dnn another Nxra
do not have intense cold, this county will ship
large quantities of this delicious fruit While
it is not as certain crop as it is further south
1t may prove, Notwithstanding quite remu-
nerative even in this latitude.
In former letter mentioned that our new
hotel had at last received name, and that
hencefOrth 1t would be known to the public as
the Tallahassee Hotel. This information |
received from one of the directors, and such
was the decision of the board. But better
counsels prevailed, a change of name was de-
termined on, and now it is the Leon" In
this, like your correspondent, they have
chosen very good name, and, like him,
shown proper judgment. DR.. VIM. ii. How
erton, the lessee, has recently arrived. bringing
with him six cooks and a corps of well trained
servants. The Doctor has been for number
OF years the proprietor of the SwannanOa
Hotel, Ashville, \. c., where he won for him
self deserved reputation, and so popular was
he that quite number of his summer guests
will winter with him in his new quarters. He
informs me that he will open on or before the
first of January, and will be prepared to en-
tertain one hundred and fifty guests and
more if need be. Learning that | was the
correspondent of the MORNING NEWS, he
kindly escorted me through the spacious build
ing. The kitchen of itself is a curiosity in
this section. There all the modern appliances
Tor the culinary department are brought into
requisiton. Coal instead of wood is used for
cooking, and meals for three hundred guests
can easily be prepared. There are two large
dining rooms, the smaller of the two being
intended for ladies' ordinary, for chill
dren, private suppers, etc: The building
VIII be lighted with gas, the
works for its manufacture being located
In the rear of the main building. Instead of
the old fashioned bell for the guest to summon
servant electric bells will be used. Hot and
cold baths will be provided, with all the con-
veniences incidenttO first class hotel. The
furniture is new, heavy and durable not the
light, cheap cottage furniture that will last
but a season or two, but such as every well ap-
pointed hotel should have. The proprietor
thinks that as soon as he opens his house will
rapidly fill up, and in this he viii not be mis-
taken; for, such is his reputation, so many are
the appliances for comfort and luxury that his
house will afford, that he will not fail to be
literally patrOniZed,
And now that Tallahassee is leading off in a
first class hotel, let Quincy, Monticello and
Madison follow her example. Middle Florida
is a beautiful country, and, while we are
naturally partial to this section and proud of
Its beautiful scenery and its resources, we
should be able to offer sufficient inducements
to tourists and others to come and stop with
us. In Quincy hear that they are already
has already been subscribed. 1t is hoped that
they will keep the ball moving, and expect
at no distant day to chronicle the fact that her
citizens are initiating those of Tallahassee
Now, let Monticello and Madison fall into the
line.
Having occasion to visit one or two of the
offices at the capitol this morning, found the
various officials busily engaged in preparing
for the coming Legislature. Most of the work
has been completed, but much yet remains to
De done. The worthy Comptroller, General
Rarnps-
though smiling and as genial as ever. He was
ITO use his eXpression), ''as busy as a bee in a
tar bucket" In the Assembly Hall quite
a change is being made conducive to the COM
fort of its members. Heretofore the
state has furnished its law makers
in that legislative branch with superior old
fashioned desks of clumsy and fragile make
Now each member will set behind neat, new
modern one, with all the necessary eonye-
nlences attached. This may be thought to
SAVIOR of eEtTavagance, but the dignity of the
State requires that her legislators should have
every comfort and convenience while engaged
in their duties. The repairs on those old
fashioned Wornout things every two years
were startling in amount possibly exceeding
the interest on the recent Expenditure AS
matter of economy alone, then, the refitting of
the hall after the present plan was absolutely
necessary.
To-day week our Legislature win convene
and for few days the number Of ofice-seek-
ers VIII equal If not exceed that of the men,
bers Of the Legislature. From janitor up to
Chief Clerk there will be a half dozen or more
applicants for each office. Resides these there
will be the usual crowd Of persons who have
axes to grind, 'billa for relief" !" subsidies to
some RAILROAD or canal company These and
other matters always bring a crowd far ex-
ceeding in numbers the assembled wisdom of
the State.
Preparations are quietly going Oh for the
Middle Florida Fair, commencing on the 18TH
proX. The CADETS of the West Florida Semi
nary, under their efficient commandant. Major
+. K. Rivers, have been drilled for fy6 davs
IN every week since the the lsI OF October,
and II they don't take the one hundred dollar
prize offered to the best drilled company. it /
will not be the fault Of their instructor With
their pretty uniforms OF cadet grey, the new
accoutrements recently received, and their
well kept rifles carried In proper position, |
they present quite a soldierly appearance.
The mails continue to reach us irregularly, |
and VIII continue to do so until they are sent |
via DUPONT and Live Oak. We will not get |
them any sooner by that route, hut we win |
get them seven times week Instead of five,
as at present. It is not so much the railroads |
that are to blame in this matter, as the postal |
authorities. LEON.
Seized by Wreckers.
KEY WEST, FLA, Dec. 27.-Mr. Bald |
win returned today with the WFecking |
steamer Ellis knight from the capsized |
vessel in the Gulf Some sailing wreckers |
laA