Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-22
HOPE DASHED TO EARTH.
JACKSONVILLE DISHEARTENED
BY NEW SMALLPOX CASES.

OhOhoONN lille DISHEAKIENEI
BY NEW SMALLPOX CASES.
The ScOurge Principally Confined t,
the ColOred POpuIatiOn-More Tall
About Dull Times-Expectant Excur
siOnists Disappointed, and Othel
Notes.
, JACKSONVILLE, May 21-It was the
opinion of the best informed week age
that your regular correspondent, 'EW
ID. b." would be on deck this week. and
again interest your numerous readers
but 1t seems that such is not the case.
and that he is doomed to remain in exile
for some weeks yet to come, and continue
to care for those stricken with the loathe-
some seourge. The happy anticipatiOns
or our citizens a week ago have been
changed materially. At that time it was
believed that the scOurge of smallpox
was under control and about over, but
during the past eight days new cases
have developed in and around the city.
generally among the negroes. The cool
nights have greatly aided its spread, and
| there are now reported to be total of
nineteen cases in the city, pest house
and suburbs. About twenty of the first
victims are recovering, but a number
have died since the disease first appeared.
The warm weather is thought to be the
best means of checking the disease. and
the promise of supply of that is very
| good just now. The greatest difficulty is
to break up the filthy disease among the
negroes. They cannot be kept in bounds.
ana their love OF visiting each other seems
| 10 De as strong now as it ever was and if
! tn9V think 70
| and see what's the matter. None of those
| having the disease are even willing to
| sacrifice any article of wearing apparel
| or bed clothing after recovering and hay-
ing other articles supplied in place of
those destroyed. No doubt the disease
has often been contracted from a ten cent
! pocket handkerchief or other personal ar
| tlcles of small value.
Two cases have been tfaced directly to
dogs, whom the owners allowed to 90 and
come when they pleased. The authori-
ties are hard at work and it is earnestly
hoped, with the aid of warm weather. our
FAIR city shall soon be delivered from the
pestilence.
Dull times are here again, as usual. at
this season of the year, and the streets
give unmistakable evidence of the de-
parture of people therefrOm. Hundreds
OF these are at work on the new railroads
IN East Florida. OfcOurse the majority of
those who have left are negroes: the
whites only go when actually necessary
Tor health or business. Those who
wish can get employment now
on these new railroads, but here
are goOdly number here who prefer to
stand on the streets and pass their time
in 1dleness, nevertheless they are often
out OF food, and living with them is hard
at best. The railroads pay 81 % per dav
to laborers, and want all they can get, but
this is not enough for the lazy, indolent
ones left in the city. They demand 81 80.
IL they own hatchet, saw and lack
plane they must have 81 per day, and
would willingly contract to erect
100000 buildings, although not
having the intelligence necessary to read
the figures on an irsn square. 1t is an in
suit to ask them to shovel dirt, but they
would readily undertake the work of build
ing bridges and trestling. Jack-leg carDen-
ters and other mechanics are thick in this
city, and many of them are the worst of
dead-beats, and stand ready ''tO take in''
a stranger.
Buildings are still going up in the city.
and the saw-mills are busy supplying the
lumber, and neither saW-miiI men nor
contractors seem to apprehend any seri-
GUS drawback from smallpox. In fact
there is little fear of the disease among the
more intelligent people. The mills and
the erection Of buildings, as well as rail-
roads near the city, furnish employment
to many and supply thousands with daily
bread. ltalsO prevents the ''bOttOm fall
ing out" OF al classes of.4husiness.- and
gives a Hfe-liKe appearance to the me-
tropOlis of the State in the dull season.
After many months OF work the little
road between Jacksonville and st. Angus
tine is completed, and regular daily trains
are now run on it. An excursion was
advertised over the new road yestesdav.
but the Board of Health sat square down
on it, and the average citizen was dis
appointed, Many have inquired what is
to support the road, but as
yet none have satisfactorily an
sWered the inquiry. The road
is short and passes through a poor sec
ton. The timber along the line is not to
be found in large quantities, nor of extra
size. 1t will probably carry all the
freight for the merchants and others of |
st. Augustine, but much cannot be eX-
pected to come from st. Augustine to
Jacksonville. In the winter a good pas
senger business may be counted upon, as
people can go and return the same
day, spending few hours in the Ancient
City. But this will not prove beneficial to
the hotels of st. Augustine. During the
heated term number of our business |
men propose to move their families over
to the Ancient City, and have the train so |
run as to allow them to 90 over late in the |
afternoon, spending the night with their !
families, and return early the following |
morning. Some WiseaGres say they can't |
see business enough ahead to make the |
road pay, but it does seem as |
II, after surmOunting the many difficult |
ties in building it, the management should !
possess business tact sufficient to make i !
self-sustaining. Centuries have passed |
since the founding Gf this ancient town,
anG, as strange as it may seem, neverthe- |
less it is fact, that last week Witnessed
the approach of the first steam locomo- (
tive into its limits. 1t'is sincerely hoped !
tbat II may be the beginning Of new era
OF activity and prosperity in the old town, |
The Strathmore Hotel, on Fernandina
beach, is one of the popular summer re-
sorts of East Florida, and it is now open |
and arrangements have been made 10 run |
the train from Jacksonville to Fernandina |
to. accommodate those Of our people who /
WISH 20 spend q night on the sea |
shore and return next morning. |
TIE StFatAmore Company are
building railroad from the town to the |
hotel, which is quite an improvement. /
Now the tug of war is betWu.1en our two |
nelghpQrIng towns for the summer nusi.
ness. The grand opeDit,s hop viii take |
place at the Strathfh0re tomorrow night. !
at. Augustine must come forward now
with its grand ball OF the season to keen
pace with her sister.
For week past large gangs of men
pave been busiiy engaged in tearing up
the street railway on Duval and Catherine
streets, and relaying it on Pine, Hogan
and EeaXer atFeets, entirely changing the |
route which has been travelled by the cars |
for year or more. The new route takes
in considerable territory, and the MANA
gers think it will be made to pay better
than on the other streets.
The freight tangle between the WAY
cross Railroad and the DeBaTy-Baya |
Steamer Line has not yet been 'amicably !
adjusted" and is often the theme of dis. !
cussion among the business men in Jack |
sOnyille and along the rlyer. Some un-
easiness Is felt in certain quarters by the |
announcement Of the coming to the st.
Johns river of large steamer from the
Chattahoochee river to run in connection
with the Waycross Rsiiload. '''
The prospect OF building a railroad
from this city to Mayport {St. Johns barr
is again being agitated with favc~,jrabIe
prospects. subs"Ti',+'ons for stock are
Ing received, and the enterprise pushed
by energetic and responsible men, The
road is to start FROM point on the south
ekGre OF the river opposite the city. This,
when completed, will open up the Sara
tOga of Florida, as there is no better
place for quietness, sleeping and mOsqui-