Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-13
THE SOUTH
ks Seen by Hon. Joseph MedilI, Of
the Chicago Tribune.
IT'S PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
Northern People in the Southern States
Sentiment of the Southern People in
Regard to the North-land That
Might Be Reclaimed.


scenes which President Arthur is now Wis
iting in Florida, he said:
II did not 20 to Florida to fish, but /
think President Arthur will find an abund-
ance OF sport there. l had not been south
for several years, and l wanted to find out
something about the people and the
country, as well as to take little vaca-
tion."
Ibid you find many Northern settlers in
Florida, Mr.. Medill?'
Yes, great many. The best property
in the State is rapidly falling into the
hands of Northern men. All the railroad
property. with few exceptions scarcely
worth mentioning, has Northern owners.
There is one system, with the Southern
standard gauge OF rail, five hundred miles
in length, which extends east and west, |
north and south, and transversely across
the State from Fernandina to Cedar Keys,
ard about half way down that line. An |
important road is now being constructed, |
running due south from Waldo about
one hundred and eighty miles. 1t will |
reach deep water harbor at Punta Rosa
in about year, and then 1t is proposed TO |
establish line OF fast steamers from this |
port to Havana via Key West, which will |
make the voysge in fourteen or fifteen |
homs. This road, it is believed, will attract |
most OF the travel between this country |
and Cuba. The State during the winter |
season swarms with Northern people, and |
10 a casuul observer it would seem as II he
were in a Northern community. Northern |
white Republicans are furnishing the capi-
tai, and Florida black Republicans the |
labor TO develop the State
What is the sentiment OF the southern
people in regard to the North, Mr.. Medili''
The old
Confederate white People
appear quite amicable towards Northern
people, and profess great friendship for
them. They claim 10 be thoroughly re-
constructed and reconciled to the new
state OF things, and admit, generally, that
the rebellion was blunder or mistake,
and say they wouldn't restore the previous
status il they had the power. ! was strong.
ly impressed with the sentiment all
through the South from Louisville TO
Jacksonville ard from Jacks nville TO
Washington. There is only one city in
which Northerner is likely TO be remind
ed of Confederate sentiment, and that Is
Charleston. 1t Is about the only place
where one sees pictures OF the Confederate
leaders in public places and even then
most OF tneln nave ulShppedreui eACepb
that OF Lee. | didn't see sing'e picture
Of Davis in Charleston. They maintain
two military schools in Charleston. l ask
ed some of the citizens what was the object
in keeping up military academies at the
public expense, but got no satisfactory
answer. They seemed TO be reluctant to
give their motives or reasons for teaching
Young men the art OF war. Still they treat
Northern people well, and seem quite
cheerful. Business appears 10 be fairly
good"
"Are there many noticeable improve
ments in the condition Of the country
since you were last in the South
Il found very
Decided Improvement
all through the country since ! visited 1t,
eight or nine years ago. There IS more con.
tentment now than then, and greater
number OF white people at work; the col.
ored people appear 10 be all at work, and
have improved immensely in their seven.
teen or eighteen years OF freedom. Every
observant Northern man | talked with had
noticed the same thing. Apparently they
are in better condition than ever keiere;
they are acquiring property, living better,
dressing better, and their children are
going 10 school very generally. 1t is my
opinion that more than onp.half OF all
the co!ored children in the South, over
ten years old and under twenty, OF both
sexes, can read and write. While
/ was coming Gvwn ibe St. Johns
River half dozen little colored lads, from
to II years OF age, were on the lower
deck OF the steamboat. An Englishman,
who was travelling as tutor with an Italian
Marquis. asking them il they could read or
write. On replying atlirmatiyely, he asked
hou n urita thaiP aud whpra
they were born, in his notebook. They all
did it except one, and in very fair hand;
some of them considerably better than
mine. In talking to the colored men |
found that the younger men had acquired
the art of reading, and many OF the older
ones, too. They are fond Of reading the
newspapers, and seem as well posted as
the whites IN the current news OF the day
and political matters. i asked young
black at Pilatka, who seemed idle at the |
time, what he did for living. In sum-
mer,' he said, 4 fish fora living, and in the
winter live off the Ianks.
Speaking generally Of the
Development Of the south.
Mr.. Medill said: There is one matter re-
lated TO the development OF the South |
which / think OF importance. ALI along |
the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, from Louisi. |
anna up to Virginia, there is al almost |
sterile strip of country, from 20 to 40 |
miles wide, full 620 niles long, and appar-
entity not more than Is or 80 feet above the |
ocean level and much OF it is less. 1t is
ali sand, except where the rivers that come
down from the hill country flow through |
1t. Nine.tenths Of it is poor. the soil,
covered with yellow pine. There is
no grass except near the creeks |
and rivers, and there 1t is
coarse, wiry swamp grass. almost utter
ly unfit for pasturage. The cattle show |
this lack Of grass; they are small .I lean and
kind, and the people seem poor and de-
spondent. The only business that yields
any money being the pine lumber produc.
tion, in places opened by the railroads. / |
found two impressions in regard to how |
that immense area OF sandy barrens might |
be improved, for until they can raise some: |
thing equivalent to grass and fodder for
cattle, there can't be prosperity in that
piRey woods country. Any country that
produces nothing bat cotton soon crops
itself out What they ought TO DO is to |
SOW sorghum or corn for fodder, As they do \
out in Kansas and Nebraska / don't know |
whether they have the enterprise or sagac-
ity TO try the experiment, but until they |
do they'll not have any milk or butter or
meat ft 10 eat.
Ny Second Thought
for the improvement of that sandy track is
10 irrigste il from the freshets OF the rivers
that flow through il. There are dozen |
large rivers on both sides OF the Florida
peninsula that might be used for this par.
pose In the winter and spring. II dams,
made cheaply of timber, were thrown
scross them every fifteen or twenty miles,
high enough 10 elevate the rivers at los
water to nearly the level OF the banks
in summer, when the foods come down in |
The winter and spring, they would over
flow the whole parched up country, for ii
is ss level a. the prairies OF Illinois.
The water Of the rivers after rains is
yellow with sediment washed from the |
rich clay soil, and carried down from the
upper country, and If this could be spread
over the sandy lands Of the lower country.
Instead Of being washed into the sea, feel
confident il would sool make the sandy /
land fit for cultivation. There are millions |
OF scres which might thus easily be reclaim
ed in q short time. aud made twenty tin - |
as valuable as Il is now. | suggested The