Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-28
TALLAHASSEE AND FLoRIDA,
Interesting News Notes for the Perusal
of City and Country Readers,
coTreSOondence Of tie Nornino Neacs.


On sunday last it rained most of the day
ana continued through the night. On
yesterday the wind veered from the north.
west, and drenching showers descended
At one time the rain was accompanied
with considerable wind, and many feared
that the storm was upon us. But il is
now bright and cool, and winter clothing
Is not unpleasant. No danger now OF
| the fieecy staple being beat out bv the
herce winds, and those who buy and sell
are Jubllant accordingly. Such storms as
we sometimes have in this vicinity. if oc-
/ curing early in September, damage the
1 crop from 10 to 20 per cent This is the
result not only of the loss of the cotton
that IS scattered by the wind, but from the
staple being trashy, or, as it is sometimes
called, ''stOrm cOttOn.' DESTROYS of IN
forming your readers Of the prospects
Oh the cotton crop in this county, l
called ON Mr.. 5. ID. Perkins, of the firm of
L. u. Perkins x Son, for the necessary in
formation. Mr.. Perkins has been for
many years IN the cotton business and
his statements are therefore reliable. His
estimate Of the present crop in this county
Is that 1t VIII be 10 per cent. larger than
that OF last year. The quality too is bet
ter. The reason of this is that last year
lhere were two storms, on 10th Septem-
Der and about 10th October, respective
Iy. This year we have had none, and
open, fair weather. Some planters will
make less than they did last year. owing
10 the TACT that their fields were cleaned
out Dy the caterpillar as early as eth Au-
gust. But as most of the plantations
were not visited by this pest until the lat
Ter part of August, their crops will be
better than last year. With crop Weld
l,,~f
with a staple of better quality, our
planting community may be con-
graduated as doing reasonably
well. The receipts uD to date
are more than double what
they We're, up to this time last year, and
IN lew weeks more the entire crop will
have been gathered. | find, too, that as a
rule the tenants are more prompt in pay
ing thelr rents than in former years.
Rent is paid in cotton, the first bales
gong TO the landlord and the next going
TO the merchant who makes the advances.
Formerly he who rented his land eXpe-
rlenced no little difficulty and worry in
collecting his dues. The cotton would be
surreptitiOusly conveyed to some cross
road grocery and sold, and the Justice
Courts had numerous actions for the re-
cOvery of personal property. But the law
was indicated by the punishment of the
Offenders, while he who suffered wrong
was compensated in damages. The con-
sequence is that the season of the wear
that had always been looked forward to
by young lawyers and officers of court as
the time OF harvest, does no longer yield
such prOnts in fees as former
ly. Landlords and tenants un-
derstand each others rights,
and both are better off. And vet, though
the rent is paid promptly by the tenants,
the revenue to the proprietor from this
source is not so much as formerly. Why
is this? 1t is because that on many of
the large plantations, the lands are get
ting poorer and poorer every year, and of
course yield less. 1t may prove very
profitable to rent and receive a good share
of the crop from year to year, but those
who persist in the policy, if not requiring
their tenants to use fertilizers, are killing
the goose that lays the golden egg. Some
few are beginning to see to what such a
policy Will tend, and require of their ten
ants to usea certain amount of fertilizers.
for they justly reason that by impover-
ishing the land, they are virtually i'm
poYerishing themselves as well as their
tenants.
The number of landowners among the
cOlOred element of our community is
steadily increasing. They are mostly the
owners of from five to tOrtv-acre tracts.
and in a few instances there are those
hundred acres. Few, if any, of this race
engage in trucking. TO raise cotton.
cane and corn seems to be their chief am
bition; and progress in any other direc-
tiOn is out of the question, at least for the
present AS they were reared in the be-
lief, we cannot expect a different result.
The new postal notes issued by the
Post once Department seem to be very
popular. The number issued from this
office during the present quarter is eighty
two, and includes sums from TWENTY-FIVE
cents up to five dollars. Though PAYABLE
to bearer and liable to be distracted. they
are Il great convenience, and 1t is hoped
that future legislation may make them
payable at other offices than money order
offices, otherwise the sender would be
subjected to the inconvenience and eX-
pense of registering the letter.
THE PASSAGE OF THE LOCAL OPTION |
LAW
by our last Legislature and its validity
affirmed by our Supreme Court, has had |
very beneficial effect in some portions |
of our community. Those crOss-road |
groceries that were such terror to law |
abiding citizens have been closed in con- |
sequence of the prOprictOrs failing to OBJ
tain license. This information obtain |
from one of our most intelligent planters.
lie stated that drunkenness in his neigh |
borhoOd among the negroes is almost un-
known, and in consequence thefts and
other crimes are less frequent So great
have been the evils of intemperance
among that race that a number of their
preachers have taken bold stand in fa-
VOr of the temperance cause, and are
using all their influence among their re-
spectiVe congregations to prevent their
members from signing any petition for
the sale of spirituOus liquors. 1t was
thought by many that in the black
belt region free lCblSky would in
duce many to sign, but recent events
go to show that the negro cannot be so
easily manipulated. Their preachers have
great influence with them, and it is graft
Tying to every friend of temperance to
know that this influence is now being
eXerted for good.
With the cooler weather that we are
now enjoying come some of our citizens
who have been summering away and
strangers from more northern cline.
The wagons loaded with cotton arriving
every day, the planters and laborers
coming in to sell, the customers of our
merchants buying of their new goods,
ana the strangers and visitors on our
streets, all present a scene of activity and
hustle peculiar to this season. On the
books of the st. James, the only hotel now
open, / note arrivals from Nashville,
Louisville, Cincinnati, etc. 1t is expected
mat Jne NUMBER OF visitors this season
will be largely in excess of what they
we're last, aud in consequence one or two
more boarding houses VIII be opened
One of these will be for students
the Florida University. AL
ready applications have been received for
BOARD from those who contemplate enter
ng both the literary and Medical Depart
nents, and it is hoped that there will be
4 large number in attendance.
Work on the ThOmasville, Tallahassee
and Gulf Railroad is going on steadily.
The hands are now grading in the vicini-
~ of Lake Jackson, and are promptly
paid. The corps of engineers are still at
work locating some portion Of the route.
and express themselves as fully confident
hat the road will be completed. Regu-
arly every month the pay-rolls are sent
20 the proper office, and officers and labor
9rs paid. There has been no abatement
N the work of grading since the first
shovel full of earth was thrown up. a
month or so ago, From this, the infer
9nce is, the directory are in earnest. and
nave no idea of abandoning their work.
Mr.. Page, the Vice President, is daily ex.
Dected from New York, and those who
correspond with him, say that he is very
'angulne. LEON.
BIaine's Residence Leased.