Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-06-12
Gainesville, Fla. the Atlanta of the

ST. MARY's, GA, June 9.-After an alb
sence of sixteen eventful years in the
political, social and material history of
our section, visited Gainesville and was
surprised and pleased with the wonderful
development she has made during that
period.
Leaving st. Mary's on the 31st of Nav
at a. m. on the beautiful steamer
Martha, I arrived at Fernandna at 6: 80
and took the train for Gainesville at $3.50.
arriving there at 2:3O.
The most striking improvements COM
mence at Lawtey, ON the Transit Railroad.
and from that on there are many fine
orange groves made on pine lands, which
eXplodes the idea that the orange cannot
be successfully grown on our pine lands,
Progress seems to be written on every
tree and flower in Florida, and glorious
future opens up before her.
Gainesville has nearly all of the appli-
ances OF city, and within the next de-
cade will have population of ten thon-
sand souls.
Through the kindness of my old friend.
Professor J. III. Roper, the father of edu-
cation IN that country, l had the pleasure
OF a drive through the city and suburbs.
where many new and stylish cottages have
been erected.
In addition to being a commercial point
OF growing importance, Gainesville is
seat OF learning of which the people of
Florida might well be proud. The East
FLORIDA State Seminary is located there
and the teachers employed are persons
who are pre-eminently qualified to fill
their positions, and possess characters
that give high tone to society. and the
institution is destined to reach great pros
perity.
Professor Roper has and deserves to
nave the love and esteem of the people.
some years since he donated his seminary
to the State upon the condition that the
East Florida State Seminary be located
there, which was occepted by the State, he
being my successor IN the Florida Senate
at the time, and managed the affair in per-
son.
The Seminary was recently DESTROYED
by nre, but the smoke had hardly cleared
away before the corner stone of a new
building was laid with appropriate cere-
monies, and in short time there will be
erected on the ashes of the old building a
large and fine brick seminary.
Gainesville being undoubtedly the most
healthy interior city of the State, has very
properly been selected by the State as a
central educational point.
A university for the cOlOred people,
similar 10 the one the State of Georgia
established at Atlanta, with proper eff
forts, might be established at Gainesville.
which is already the Atlanta of Florida.
Such university would result in good to
both races, for as the colOred people be-
come more enlightened they improve in
all essentials going to make good and
useful citizens, as shown by our expert
ence in Georgia.
There is an easy air of cheerfulness and
push about the people of Gainesville, SIM
liar to those Of Atlanta, and instead of
trying tO'keep persons out, they do all in
their power to encourage good ones to go
there.
In point of energy, force of character,
education and refinement the citizens of
Gainesville will compare favorably with
older cities containing a population of
equal numbers, as educated and polished
people from all sections have centered
there.
She has two good newspapers. The
AdoOcdte, weekly, seems to be popular.
The Bee huns daily, and is the leading
journal, appearing weekly also, and there
is no reason why, with proper efforts, the
Bee should not become the most infuen-
tial journal east and south of the Suwan-
nee river, as the Cotton States was during
the war. "More anOn." J.M.A.