Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-26
FLORIDA IN THE FREEZE.
Cracking Fires Closely Rugged in the
Land of Flowers.

f NAdliH uuIlh9 the idtlef part, We had no
idea that here, in our Land of Flowers
such a change would be experienced. ON
Sunday night we had slight shower. and
I the wind shifting from the north. If he
came quite cool by morning. Durino
most of the day the wind was blowing
from the northeast, and bv night If was
quite cool. But to-day it is cold. DISAGREE
ably so, and fires and winter clothing
are comfortable. Old residents saw
lhat we nave had more cold
weather this year during Nav thar in anv
year during this month since 1897. In
That year there was heavy frost that cut
down the cotton, and many were COM
PEELED to replant. 1t is too late i'm the
season Tor frOsts now, and though the pres-
ent cold spell is not agreeable to the in
valid, and the sudden change is trying to
enieeDled constitutions. vet our aOricul-
/ turists feel that they are cont of the
I woods as far as frost is concerned. and
I the truckers are already reaping the re-
I ward of their labOrs. Shipments of fDotatoes
/ and other truck are now going on rapidly.
and although the prices realized are not
as high as last year, they are sufficiently
/ remuneratiYe. Some of our truckers
/ complain Of a small yield. This is sun
/ posed 10 be caused by defective seed.
/ But, upon the whole, the potato crOp will
I be fair One-far better than two wears
ago, when the long drought materially
anected the crop. The season has bpen
reasonably prOpitiOus, and there is no
reason why IN another year the acreage
should be largely increased. With the
exporting of vegetables comes in
creased activity in all branches
OF business. Money flows in
and the merchant no longer complains of
dull times. The labOrer, too, gets his
share, which he invariably spends on Sat
urday, which, with the merchant. is always
the busiest day of the week. Some of our
truckers have this year been growing the
Bermuda onions, and with such success
that the time is not far distant when their
product, like the Irish potato. will be
raised extensively. The few specimens |
nave seen, that were raised by Mr.. John
\. Craig, show that this esculent
vegetable can he raised as well here and
with equal profit as on its native isle. If
they are shipped from Bermuda to New
York at profit, why can thev not from
here: Mr.. Craig finds such a ready sale
IN the home market for all that he has ON
hand that he has not attemDted any
Northern shipments. But as his venture
proved so profitable, he. and others with
aim, VIII doubtless try it on a larger
scale another season. The cassava. too.
Is being tried. Capt. Dyke, of the Flo
ftdldR, Is the only one in this county who
has essayed its culture. He insists that
H.
mirably adapted to il, and that it can be
made more profitable crop than the Irish
potato. Should his experiment prove Sue
cesStul II viii eventually become one of
the staple products of this section. 1t is
easily cultivated, yields we'll and can but
prove profitable crop.
Major W. &. Ames, General Freight and
Ticket Agent Of the Florida Central and
Western Railroad, in bis address before
the Middle Florida Fruit and Vegetable
Association, which convened here some
time since, spoke Of the peculiar resources
of this section, and advised that the farm
ers should diversity their products more
than they did. All through East and South
Florida, while special attention was given
TO orange culture, the necessaries of life
were high and mostly imported Butter.
poultry and eggs commanded much higher
prices than they do here. We may. there
fore, expect Middle Florida eventually to
become the supply depot for East and
south Florida. For some time poultry
and eggs have been shipped from this
section, and as it has proved profitable,
some enterprisIng citizen may vet be eX-
pected to have a huge hennery. and thus
aid in increasing the supply. In the
dairy products there is a steady increase,
and Leon county butter is being shipped
regularly to jacksonville. 1t Will thus be
seen that cotton is no longer king among
us. and our people are more prosperous
in consequence.
Though the Leon Hotel closed last month
the other two are doing a fair business for
the season. In looking over the register
of the st. James l find the number of ar
rivals for the past week to be pretty fair.
The st. James, like the Leon, is a new
hotel, has some thirty rooms, that are all
well furnished, and its fare, as l know
from experience, is first class. It's brick
structure three stories high, and
presents fine appearance. From its
observatory there is fine view
of our beautiful country, and strangers
who have climbed up to that lofty eleva-
tiOn are well repaid. On the same street
with our new court house, which is lOca-
ted in an adjoining square, it adds no lit
tie TO the attractive appearance of that
portion of cur city. As an individual en-
terprise this new hOstelry is deserving of
success. and if the well directed energy
Of its proprietor. G.. :. Lamb, will con-
tribute to that end, he will assuredly sue
ceed.
This il the day on which the st. Marks
branch Of the j., Z. Il VI. X. II. was adver-
. tised TO be sold. As there has been sew
eral pOstpOnements heretofore, it was
thought by many that a sale would GER
tainly take place. Accordingly specula-
tiOn was rife as to who the purchaser
would be. Some asserted that the F., c.
Il W. Il. II. Co. would be the purchaser,
some that the ThOmasville, Tallahassee
and Gulf Railroad would be the for
tunate ones, while others were
of the decided opinion that certain mon
eyed individuals would buy on specula-
ton. Hence, as the hour of twelve
drew nigh quite a number of our citizens
wended their way to the capitol to see
what would be the result. 1t was with
the Board of Trustees of the Internal I'm
movement Fund to say whether the sale
4 4 10
States Marshal Durkee was ON hand to
comply with the mandate of the board.
Attorneys from Jacksonville, who repre-
seuted different interests, were also in az
tendance. But u O'Clock, 1880 and finally
1 O'Clock came before the board came
10 a final decision. At last Major Dur
kee. taking his stand, announced that the
sale was postponed until the ninth day of
October next. Ii is said that the shops OF
the +. &. & W. Railroad are on the land
belonging TO the st. Marks Road, and that
in consequence the former may become
the purchaser. From the length or time
the Board of Internal Improvement was
in session to-day it is cOnjectured that
they were not all of one mind, otherwise
a decision would have been reached
sooner. In this connection, the du-
ties of the Governor and others
of his Cabinet, who constitute
this board were beginning TO be very oner-s
Gus on account OF Ine NdIlOuS IdllIOdu'
now being constructed in this State
hardly a dav passes without it becomes
necessary 6caIl the board together. The
ccngioting claims of certain railroads
have to oe adjusted, some great confer
euce or some petition acted on nearly
every dav or two. Indeed 1t may be
safely said that most of the time
of FIoFida's Executive is occupied
with matters pertaining To the internal
Improvement fund. This great trust, vest
ed bv the Legislature of 1880 IN the Gov
qruOr. Comptroller, Treasurer, Attorney
General and Commissioner of Lands ana
immigration. has by no means been un-
attended with difficulties, and though the
complicatiOns that arise from time 10 time
have been a harvest to some of the legal
fraternity. vet the fund has contributed
much TO the development of our State
since Friday, but with the exception OF
tbis morning, Northern mails have Deen
reaching here at ! am wa CiinaN anu
ChattahOOchee-that Is the man leasihg
Savannah by the 1Os30 a. IN. tram, Ihat
leaving Savannah by the IL p. M tralh
arrives here via jacksonville ON the p
m. train. We have thus been having TWO
Northern mails day, and our business
iaes 70 happy. This morning we nave
no Northern trail. but as this was the
first omission We 0aa Dear II.
Being in the Office Of the seeFeaaFy Vi
state this morning, | was shown tue pla'
( ~ sha route of the ThOmasville, Iallahas-
soc and Gulf Railroad, filed In NONenlpet
I 1 l. .rrrsnE "