Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-19


IN my last large number of our citizens
have left for Louisville, some leaving on
sunday to avoid the crowd, but most OF
them leaving last night. Nearly all OF
the seyenty-tive newspapers published in
this State will be represented. Many OF
them will contain articles descriptive OF
their several localities, and extra copies
will be printed for circulation at the
Exposition. One paper in South Florida
announces that the editor will take with
him 800 copies for distribution. This is
as 1t should be, as the visitor will thus be
enabled to inform himself of the adyan-
tages possessed by different sections of
our State. Never before has Florida been
so we'll advertised as at Louisville this
year, and cur Commissioner there deserves
credit for getting up such an enthusiasm
for exhibits, etc. No legislative appro-
priatiOn was made or asked for, but the
people took the matter in hand, and we see
the results. If we may credit cor
respondents, little Floridas exhibit is
even greater than that of her sister-the
great Empire State of the South. on ac-
count of pressing business, only two of
his Cabinet accompanied Governor BloX-
ham-the Adjutant General and Commits
sioner of Lands and immigration. Some
of the Cabinet offices are by no means
slnecures, for at all seasons of the year
they have their hands full.
1t was hoped that by the sale of the four
millions of acres TO Mr.. Disston the in
ternal improvement fund would be re-
lieVed from the incubus of debt that
pressed upon it, and that the multiplicity
of suits pending would be abated. But,
though greatly relieved, the trustees are
not yet out OF court. Recently suit has
been Instituted against the trustees of the
fund in the United States Court at Jack
sonyille by Mr.. ShOecraft, who claims to
be an assignee or trustee of Milton S.
Littlefield, and as such assignee or
trustee asserts a claim to the entire public
domain, consisting of the land granted
to the several railroads of the
StaUe, and asks that the
several acts of the Legislature
and the contracts and cOnveyances made
and entered into by the trustees of the
internal improvement fund be declared
void. This is a rather bold demand, and
the reasons given for such demand are to
those of us who are acquainted with the
really puerile 1t seems
that Littlefield was to have, in addition to
the $4,000 per mile in State bonds since
declared uncOnstitutiOnal), all of the
swamp and Overflowed lands to aid in
building his road from Quincy west to the
Alabama line and for taking up the
NOse claim. And it is under contract
guaranteeing this grant that this preDos-
ferrous claim is set up. The bill alleges
that the Jacksonville, Pensacola and Mo
bile Railroad Company were allowed
tlCenty gears from 1871, or thereabouts. the
right to build the road west from
Quincy to the Alabama line: that they
were prevented from prosecuting the work
by reason of the litigation in the courts
and other matters, but that recently they
have entered into contract with
the Southern Trust and Security
Company of New York to furnish
funds, and have issued bonds to
pared IN good faith { p to carry out their
contract. The bill filed is quite vOlumi-
nous and recites at length the acts of Con-
gress donating the swamp and overflow
ed lands, the several acts of the Legisla-
ture bearing thereon and gives what Dur-
ports to be complete history of rail
roads and canals IN the State. While the
ostensible object is big grab, yet our Of
hcials ridicule the idea of the court heed
ing such preposterOus claim. 1t will
put the internal improvement fund to
HNAAAS ~ Nl'NAASS III NOuiStis Oul
beyond this, no serious damage will be
sustained. The leading counsel employed
by the complainant are new residents,
and are assisted by G. L. Robinson, of
Jacksonville.
THERE is NOW A PROSPECT
of having two canals across the State:
the great ship canal and barge canal.
Both of these have their advocates, but 1t
is maintained that neither will inter-
fere with the other. The former
will be built with American capital, the
latter with English. The corporators of
the latter are mostly FlOridians, and have
succeeded in interesting English
capitalists to engage in it. In a very
short time the engineers will be in the
field surveying the route, and long before
this much talked-Of ship canal shall be
barges will be tOWed from New
Orleans through Florida to the Atlantic.
In cOnyersing with a tobacconst the
other day obtained some valuable infOr-
nation as to the progress and profit in the
culture of the fragrant weed. There is
more tobacco raised in Gadsden county
than in any other county in Florida, and
the acreage there is % per cent. more this
year than it was last. In Leon county
but little is raised, and there is barely Il
increase. In Liberty the
acreage is steadily increasing. 1t is more
profitable than cotton, and after
making crop of Irish potatoes
the same land can be nut in
tobacco and yield well. From 800 to 900
pounds can be made to the acre, and as it
brings from % to 35 cents per pound it
will thus be seen that from $l25 to $3.50
per acre can be realized. Why cannot
our truckers, after gathering their early
put the same land IN tobacco
instead of cotton, as some of them do?
Two bales of cotton to the acre is a very
yield. This at 8 cents would be
$50 TO the acre, against $3.50 in tobacco.
SO great is the demand now for Florida
tobacco that producers find no difficulty
IN selling, as Messrs. Witt a. DeMilt, of
this city, offer to purchase all that is
brought IN. Surely when Il crop can be
made so profitable, when the gathering
and preparing it for market requires so
little labor and expense, our planters
should go into its culture more generally
OUR COUNTY BOARD
Of Public instruction have adopted
= novel mode of selecting a teacher
for the primary departments. Teaching
is an art, and the teacher an nartist. Ii is
not simply an Intimate knowledge of the
branches that are taught that is required
Of the teacher, but there must be Pc
cuiiar fitness for the duties in the method
IF instruction and discipline. Our board,
however, have adopted the Old-fashiOned
way of our grandfathers and require
examination of the several
applicants. 1T is not every ripe scholar
hat makes good teacher, and it some
lines happens that "A pedagogue Of only
moderate literary attainments is superior
N his methods of instruction, and as
to one who boasts of
intellectual qualifications. Asa
'ule, those who are thorough scholars are
preferable even for the primary depart
nents, but it appears to me that com
)etitiye examination among the appIi-
,ants as to their knowledge i'm the rudi-
nentary studies is carrying the matter q
little too FAR. Such an examination may
10 well enough for the students, but for
he teacher OF experience it is certainly
The warm, dry weather still continues.
md as it has been over three weeks since we
nave had rain, the dust is becoming almost
The gardens especially are
from the long continued drOuth,
md the daily watering of plants has to be
-esorted to. The heat is greater than |
nave ever known at this season of the
year. Some of the fruit trees are in full
bloom, and it is apprehended that sud
len change Of temperature would prove
injurious to them. / saw fg tree yester-
lay that was quite full with its third crop
)f figs for this year. Some of them were
ast approaching maturity, and if there is
no frost within three weeks. will be rine.
Cotton continues to come in RAPIDLY,
and most of it is purchased bv buyers
lere, who ship to Savannah instead of to
New York, as formerly. In the ante bel
um DAYS but little of the StanIa was sold