Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-03
MAY DAY IN TALLAHASSEE
ITS OBSERVANCE GRADUALLY
DYING OUT.

EXcise-Peas Which Reached the New
York Market Before There Was "a De
mand-Other Topics of Interest.
TALLAHASSEE, May 1.-Mav-dav is MOI
SO generally observed as day of festivity
among us as in former years. Whether il
be because We are more practical OIL
that the vernal season has long since SCI
in previous to this day, or that there is n
gradual disposition TO discontinue many
OF the time.hOnOred observances Of on
ancestors, know not. One thing is true.
however, that in this climate the weather
is quite hot at this season. and picnics
and other outdoor amusements are not
| quite as enjoyable as in the months Of
March and April.
In former years our young people have
nad some very pleasant reunions on this
/ day. The ''Green," as it is called. situ-
ated in the eastern portion of our city.
was the place usually selected for the
ceremonies of the occasion. There tho
! queen OF Love and Beauty was crowned
| and enthrOned, and there her subjects
! would dance around the May pole. Sew
! eral years have elapsed since we have
/ had May Day celebration. Miss s. ).
! Williams, of this place, an educator
II.
decided that the breach is not
better than the observance. Accordingly
for weeks past her pupils and other Young
ladies have been busy preparing for this
festive day, and from her previous success
ON occasions of this kind, it is safe to pre-
| diet that Gallie's Hail. which has been
engaged for the purpose, will be crowded
tonight to witness the interesting cere-
monies.
AS most Of our merchants are dealers
III tobacco, this has been a very busy day
for them. BY act of Congress March 3D.
/ 1888, stamp duties on tobacco cease on
| and after to-day, and all dealers who
may demand a rebate of taxes
paid are required on this day to make ont
an inventory of all unbrOken packages.
certified and sworn to bV two Witnesses
| But as this requirement is hedged about
| with SO many difficulties, it is very prOba-
bic that many small dealers will not nut
themselves to the trouble, especially as
Congress has made no appropriation for
paying the claimants, who may be with
out their money for year or two. One
dealer informed me that for this reason
he would not bother in making
any demand. The act of Congress
aforesaid was a step in the right direc-
ton. Taxes of this nature was never
popular with the people. They create a
system OF espionage which is ALWAYS re-
pugnant to a free people. Dr. Samuel
johnson, the great photographer, defines
excise to be ''a hateful tax levied upon
commodities and adjudged not by the COM
mon Judges of property, but wretches
hired by those to whom excise is paid"
In justice to the Government of Great
Britain, however, it is said that this pecu-
liar definition of the Doctors was given
because he was incensed at his appIIca-
ton for the position of eXciseman being
refused. The internal revenue tax being
originally war measure, and the neces-
sity that caused it no longer existing. it is
earnestly hoped that in few more years
1t VIII be only among the things that
were.
Passing through the capitol grounds
to day, | was surprised to see a stock of
corn in full tassel. On inquiry | found
that the grain was planted in January,
and as we had some very cold weather
in March, it is singular that it was not
killed. This proves that vegetation is
not so much affected here as
in some localities farther South. Irish
potatoes here can be raised all
through the winter. One lady. formerly
a resident OF this city, told me that where
she lives now, it had been her custom for
years to have new Irish potatoes for her
Christmas dinner. At the Middle FIori-
da fair last January, Judge ID. w. Gray
son exhibited some fine specimens that
had been dug but a few days before. So
with some other vegetables. Green peas
can and have been shipped from here i'm
January. If this be so, why cannot some
vegetables be shipped earlier? The an
swer is that they will not sell out of the
season. a gentleman who shipped
a small lot of green peas from here in the
month of January some years ago. was
Informed by his cOnsignee that there was
no demand for them al that season of the
year, but as his shipment was a small one
ne mad sold to different restaurant keepers
who wished to place them in their show
windows as curiOsities. But every year
the demand for earlier vegetables is in
creaslng, and the time is not far distant
when Florida truck can be sold in winter
as well as in the early spring.
On inquiry find that some of our truck
ers are very unfortunate with their Irish
potatoes this year. Those pests. so de-
structiVe i'll some sectiOns-the potato
bugs-have made their appearance in
some localities about here, and in cOnse-
quence the crop has been materially IN
jured. Patches of ground are seen
tn look as if the fire has
passed over. Upon the whole,
however, the outlook is better than at this
time last year, both as to the yield and
the acreage, and already many are busy
preparing their crops for shipment. The
cabbage crop, on the other hand, is behind
hand, the quality being far inferior to last
years. Shipments, too, Of this product
have materially fallen off.
There has been quite brisk business
done here in real estate since last fall.
More property has changed hands since
that time than in five years previous. The
great demand is for truck farms, and in
consequence, property near the city, or
to
terially appreciated. One real estate firm
has sold to different parties from
the North since the 1st of last September
about five thousand acres in this county,
These facts, together with the prospect of
direct railroad connection with Thomas
ville,h caused many who sawno future
for this section TO be very eXultant. They
now believe Middle Florida will be what
she once was, and, like the young men
who have always been alert and seeking
to benefit their section, they are showing
their faith by their wOrks-in other words,
they are dgTicNttuTdtlg reconstructed, and
are fighting out the battle of life on that
line.
Memorial day was more formally OBJ
served here than ! expected it would be-
We had no impassiOned address by a
silver-tOngued orator, but, better still, a
beautiful poem was recited by Miss Nellie
Bassett, of this place. At 3 p. M, it being
generally understood that there would be
some formal observance of the day, num-
bers of our citizens repaired to the city
cemetery. Soon were seen winding
their way thither the pupils of Mrs
;. ,. Williams school, each bear
ing a lovely buOquet. After
singing by a selected choir and PRAYER bv
Rev. A. T. Allison, and another hymn,
Miss Bassett recited that beautiful poem,
''Scatter the Flowers There is soul
in poetry, and few know how to call
it into life. But from the impressive man
ner in which this young lady rendered
those beautiful lines / would infer that.
Joined TO peculiar aptness in elocutiOn,
she had been well drilled, and reflected
credit on herself as well as her instructor.
The engineers of the Thomasville Tai
lahasee and Carabelle Railroad are now
engaged in running the line from this
point to the Gulf. Three experimental
lines have been run between here and
ThOmasville, but none of them have been
selected as yet. The object of the COM
pany in not sooner selecting a definite
route between here and Thomasviile is to
ascertain on which route the most stock
will be subscribed for So far the Cen
treville line seems to have the most sup
porters. MiccOsukie started with a
liberal subscription, but at last ac
counts the people along the
Central line were ahead. Will this road
be built by the present company: There
are still some doubling Thomases. but
seeing will be believing very soon. If nv
information is correct, and | have no
reason to doubt it, the cars will be run
ming direct from here to Thomasyille by
May, 1884.
Though our May day was ushered in by
a heavy rain that threatened to last
through the daV and into tho c0mip,r