Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-15


COuntrv-COttOD. However, NOg TO
be DethrODed-LSrge Cotton SEED
OIL MIL TO be Esta tablished-Ffrst
Glass Hotel WanGed-NeVv Region
Opened to TOurists-The Wakulla
Spring.
TALLAHASSEE. May 11-Editor Morning
NeICs: In 1924 Governor W. P Duval the first
territorial Governor of Florida, in writing
from the new seat of government "near the
Tallahassee old lelds'' (for no name had been
given to the new site), said ''this place is the
point fixed on for our seat of government. 1t is
the centre Of the largest body of rich lands in
Florida. and must, from its situation, and fer
tility Of its lands become the centre of a vast
population" Nature had done much for this
section, and for some years after this utter.
ance, it seemed as If our first Governors pro
phecy would be fulfilled Immigration poured
in; land was rapidly cleared, and in a few
years Leon county could boast of both the
wealth and refinement of its citizens The
great system Of railroads embodied in the in
ternal improvement act Of 1855 originated with
the people of Middle Flori1a a, and under that
act these great Improvements were COM
--SNNSN. DUb thC al C1Slt on. anu lLS close
found those who heretofore had been
the prime movers in every public
enterprise, impoverished in their old days and
Respondent. But this was only for a time
Aftor surveying the situation they manfully
went to work. First, foreign immigration was
tried, and quite a colony of SWedes was
brought over These hired themselves out as
plantation hands, house servants etc. But the
Swedes did not fancy our climate, and one by
one they left. Then strong effort was made
to induce immigration from the Northwest
This, too, failed. Our people, though. were not
disheartened, but continued pegging away, and
now new generation has sprung up, who
bring that new life and energy peculiar to the
young. Labor is cheap, and the system of
truck farming lately introduced is destined to
revolutioniZe the country Already lands have
appreciated in value, and small farms, instead
OF large plantations as formerly are in de-
mand. From April 1st to May Sth," says the
FloridtGn there was shipped of vegetables
from Tallahassee alone 259S barrels and
crates;" and as l have before remarked.
there will be shipped during the season,
and barrels and crates But ''King Cotton"
will not be altogether dethroned Improved
tillage In the cultivation of vegetables will
also lead to improved methods in the culture
and preparation for market of cotton. An
agricultural community will not advance in
one department of industry without the others
catching the spirit; each proceeds pGri pdssd.
Hence we confidently look forward to an in
crease in the cotton product, by reason of i'm
proved tillage. Heretofore the negro tenants
have exhausted their lands, and done nothing
in way of fertilizers; the landlords in many in
stances being satisfied with the pittance of
rent collected. The cotton seed, instead of
being used as fertilizers, were sold to agents of
oil mills in other States This has been a great
evil, and it has been generally conceded that a
cotton seed oil mill would do good business
In this section. Now our hopes are about to be
realized, for it is stated that w. r. Bond ESQ
of Station No. 2 Jacksonville Pensacola and
Mobile Railroad, has gone North for the
purpose of purchasing the necessary
machinery, and will have a mill in
operation by the time the cotton season has
fairly opened. A certain large cotton manu-
facturer remarked that by proper care and
culture the cotton seed alone would yield a
handsome profit to the planter. The oil OBJ
tanned. after being clarified, is equal to the
famed olive oil for table purposes. and of late
so great has been the demand for it that 10
some instances, our house wives prefer it to
lard Nor is the oil the only product obtained
from the seed. The seed, after the oil is ex-
pressed, is excellent for stock feed and for fer
tilizing. And thus, instead of having this
valuable product shipped out of the country
we have the prospect of keeping it at home
properly utilized and having a new industry in
our midst. Mr.. Bonds new enterprise will in
cite others to do as he is doing and other mills
will soon be in operation in Middle Florida
One great need in this section is a flrst-class
hotel. The taste of the present travelling pub
lie is more luxurious than that Of our fathers
The tired, dusty traveller. after he regis
ters his name frequently desires a hot
or cold bath, he wants luxury and
convenience. and if he cannot obtain
these. he will not tarry long. He don't want
to stumble through dark passages and then
ring for lights, but would have ease and COM
fort, such as can be found in the modern hotel
OF such a modern hostelry, complete in all the
appliances of ease and comfort, Tallahassee
will soon boast A few of our public-spirited
citizens have erected fine $25, 900 hotel, which
is just completed and will be opened in Novem-
Der next. 1t is a handsome wooden structure
having some eighty rooms. which will no ham
somey furnished with all the appliances that
characterize f1rst-class house. Quincy Mon
ticello and Madison will no doubt initiate
Tallahassee-and Savannah had better do like
wise %. With two good hotels and number
of first class boarding houses we will be pre-
pared to accommodate the expected rush of
next winter.
Hitherto but very few tourists have taken
this Piedmont" region in their route. Through
tickets being sold to Jacksonville and
points on the st. Johns almost exclusively
this section has had but few visitors and has
been comparatively unknown. And hence to
see Florida was merely to ascend the st. Johns
and its tributaries, occasionally striking across
the country by way or Gainesville. But now,
with the completion Of the Pensacola and At
lantic Railroad, tide of travel will pour
through this section. This road will be com
pleted from Pensacola to the Chattahoochee by
the first OF January next. 1t will connect with
the leading roads from the great Northwest,
and through tickets will be sold to Jacksonville
via this route. Special rates will be granted
excursionists, good for twelve months and
with the privilege of lying over at any point
With this new connection and the new hotel
together with the wonderful attractions of the
country, we confidently look for the advent of
many strangers in our midst during the next
season.
Middle Florida has always been noted for the
salubrity of its climate. And so much impressed
was gentleman from Ohio who casually visited
this section recently, that he purchased some
property in the adjoining county of Wakulla
as a sanitarium in winter for Northerniuvalids.
/ allude to the famous Wakulla Spring, re-
Gently sold to DR. Slosson. This spring has for
years been the resort for picnics from this and
Wakulla counties and is one of natures
wonders. On bright, clear day, as the visitor
looks down into it3 almost fathomless Depths
he feels as If he we're suspended in the air.
half dime can be clearly seen at the bottom-a
distance of about hundred feet OCCASIONALLY
far down below the visitor. may be seen a
large alligator while fish of various sizes are
sporting around. bold stream pours out
from under large rock from an unknown
depth This spring is said to be the largest
and most wonderful in the state, and is the
source or the Wakulla river. 1t is only fifteen
miles from Tallahassee, and five miles from
the nearest railroad station. 1 have
visited the famous Silver Spring. In Marion
county, but that of Wakula (Which tradition
says was Ponce de Icons fabled fountain of
YOUTH excels tit is larger, and its waters
deeper. stranger seldom visits &his section
without viewing this wonder. Some twenty
five years ago the skeleton of a mammoth
animal was discovered at the bottom, and
after much effort the bones were fished up,
and the discoverer packed and shipped them
to New York. Unfortunately for science, they
never reached their destination and were not
properly classified. Those who saw them b.
fore they were shipped were of the opinion
that possibly the animal was q mastodoD.
Similar fossils were lately exhumed in Tay-
lor county, and have been sent to the Smith
sonian Institute for classification. LEON.