Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-26
CITY AND DISTRICT.
Way Down ON the Suanee.

SHK LAND OF FLOWER AND sUNsHINE-A LECTURE
ON FLORIDA BIT Mr.. COLUMBUS DREW.
map OF Florida was hung on the wall OF the
coy lecture Of the Y. NJ c. A. rooms Saturday
night, and indicated the subject to which the
evening was to be devoted. The audience pre-
sent taxed the seating capacity OF the rooms to
the utmost The lecturer was Mr.. Columbus
Drew, formerly OF this city, who has resided
many years in Florida, and now holds the post OF
immigration agent o; that state. Mr.. Drew de-
voted himself to his task In q manner tina.
indicated that hat, he was as much actuated
as by oficia ZeaL In describing the beauty OF the
land OF flowers and dwelling upon its romantic
history, he dscoursed more In the language of the
poet than the stad and formal diction OF an imm!-
grafton agent WithaI, his represen tatfons
modest. and bore on their face evidence OF their
truth He described the railroad enterprises re-
Gently completed which have given easy access
now 10 the most Interesting parts OF the state and
devoted some time To the poetic nomenclature OF
She state. He described in glowing terms the pic
turesque scenery of the Suanee river. George
Christy, the MINSTREL he.said, conceived the idea
OF the song,
Way down upon the Suanee river"
when dwelling at Ellavie, the banks Of the
river In lS45. Proceeding with his lecture, Mr.
Drew carried his hearers, In an imaginary tour,
over the railroad lines OF the state, beginning
with the weS., or the oldest portion Of the state
settled by an American population, describing the
weird and sombre scenery OF the level country or
pine barrenS between Jacksonville and Lake City,
and passing on TO the picturesque portion of the
with It's varied woods.
The soils were so various as to be difficult of
description. The average amount OF good land
was equal to that in the rolling Ian Is OF the
middle states. In entering middle Florida the
roads show clay or red soil. 1t was not tenacious
Clay, but contains a mixture of reddish sand
through which water soon sinks into the earth.
Inc Land through the upper portion OF middle
long strip OF level pine country along the coast
TractS OF land OF large size cOul1 be purchased
from private owners, In some cases at prices less
than that asked for public lands
about Tampa bay, with its great hIrbor, and
passed on TO the Keys, with their chain Of ocean
gems The "Ten Thousand islands, now thlnly
Settled. would, he said, sometime form one or the
greatest health resorts In the world. OK the 81.
Johns river he said 1t was one OF the grandeSt
streams IN the country. Its general features
It's mouth were said to resemble the lower PotO-
mac. Above Paatka 1t becomes more tropical in
scenery, and the reSem blance TO the Potomac
Ceases.
The springs of Florida. with their lImpid wa
ters. rejecting everything with prismatic ors-
great national reservoirs, larger than any ever
wonders OF the world. The lecturer said that
from 10 10 lOO orange trees could be planted upon
An acre. 1t takes from seven to ten years to Sc
cure profitable bearing orchard. One hundred
now selling at SO per thousand. AS to the health
or Florida the speaker Said that the changes
IN the climate were all probably In favor
OF Florida Malaria decreased with
cultivation. He noted the entire absence of stag
nant marshes In the thirty five years OF his resi-
dence there he had never known OF case OF SUM-
stroke or hydrOphobia. 1t was impossible to
indicate the best point for settlers to locate. For
those intending TO cultivate citrOnS and fruits the
presumption was In favor OF the more tropical
south. The frost line Is a myth, climatic jump
Ing Jack, fitting about from place to place. The
Climate OF Florida one Which may indeed i'm
part additional charms to human existence.