Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-03-29
TALLAHASSEE TOPICS.
WINTER LINGERING IN THE LAP
OF SPRING.

Term of COurt-The Railroad to ThOm-
asville-The Burnt District-The New
Court House - The Tide of Visi-
tors.
TALLAHASSEE, March 27.-Easter sun
day, the great day OF the season
with the Catholics and Episcopali-
ans-a day on which the churches OF
these denominations are beautifully
dressed up with floral offerings, when
sweet music entrances the audience and
when our young ladies are wont to come
out in full spring attlre-has come and
gone. But, alas! for those who looked for
ward to that day as time above all
others when they would come out i'm
their new dresses. Winter fingered in the
lap of spring, the elements were unpro-
pitiOus, for Easter Sunday was ushered in
| by cOpiOus rain, the March wind blew
steadily, winter wrappings were i'm great
demand, and Easter bOnnets and dresses
VIII make their appearance little later
III the season. In consequence of the un-
/ favorable weather, the attendance at the
several churches was rather slim, The
long warm spell of weather in February
caused many to think that the winter
was over. The trees budGsd, hOw-
/
forth its tender shoot. The trucker was
| jubilant, for the earlier his vegetables are
shipped the greater the profits. 1t was
thought there might possibly be one slight
! frost, but no more. Vain expectations :
The entire month of March has been al
most one continuous season of cold, and
one severe frost has been followed by an
other. Damage of course to early vegeta-
bles there has been, but not to any great
| N fho
toes in the bottoms were nipped and other
vegetables killed. In the vicinity of
! Tallahassee, and of the BradfOrdville
and Centreville neighbOrhOOds but little
| damage has been done, while about Mic
! cOsukle and inv ekulla county our inform
ant says the frost killed everything. AS
Miccosukie is some eighteen miles north
of here and Wakulla lies south of us, the
exemption of certain localities is some
| what singular, and after stating the facts
| leave to scientists to give the causes.
! The present prOtracted cold spell is some
what unusual, for it has been of
| weeks duration, and though its kill
ing effects have not been
! general, yet it certainly
has retarded the growth of early vegeta-
! bles, and i'll consequence the shipments
may not be as early as last year.
Our Circuit Court is still in session, but
| very little business has been transacted
| Not civil case has been tried and only
! four criminal cases. In two, the parties
| pleaded guilty. In the other two, one was
! acquitted, and in the other convicted of
murder i'll the first degree. The latter re-
| suited from fracas on Christmas day
| last. The prisoner had taken too much
| whisky, and used his knife with fatal
| effect on another negro, who died
| shortly afterward. The grand jury after
| presenting few indictments was dis
| charged on Friday.
was in the office of Mr.. Page, Vice
! President of the Tallahassee. ThOmasville
and Carrabelle Railroad Company, a few
| days since, and from the numerous plats
| | saw spread out, the staff of clerks en-
| ployed, and the information kindly fur
nlshed me by Mr.. Page, | am inclined to
think that this company mean bust
ness. The engineers are now at
| work locating the line, after which
plat of the same VIII be filed in the
! office of the Secretary of State, and the
contractors will commence work in earli-
est. There are some who are disappointed
that work has not been commenced at
once; but they should remember that in
an undertaking of this nature, involving
an expenditure of nearly a million of dol
lars, 1t is necessary to proceed cautiously:
the interests of its projectors as well as
the public must be consulted, and as that
OF the former is of paramount Importance,
| they cannot be too cautious. In OtherWOrds
though railroads are a public convenience.
| yet they arc all built as Investments for
no syndicate would build Il road If it was
believed it would not prove paying in
Vestment. Now, while those who have
inaugurated this movement are fully able
to construct and equip a road of sixty
miles in length, yet it cannot be expected
of them to 60 heedlessly ahead without
regarding their individual interests.
Lands along the line will enhance in
value, and if the road can purchase at a
reasonable figure some of these lands. so
much the better. Its early completion,
though, is cOnsummatiOn devOutlv
wished by our entire community,
new route to the great Northwest, will
cheaper freights and travel and be a
great convenience to our truckers, More
than this, it will be the means of bringing
in more settlers from other States, and. as
natural sequence, more capital If,then,
doubts are sometimes expressed about the
probability of railroad connection with
ThOmasville i'll the near future,
if impatience is manifested at
the slow progress made, it must be at
tributed to the great interest felt. From
the character of the men engaged in it. es-
pecially those of our own citizens, | have
no doubt whatever but that Thomasville
and Tallahassee VIII be connected by iron
bands in less than two years time. Mr..
Mccullough, of Wisconsin, one of the
directors, has already purchased a fine
property on Lake jackson from Messrs.
Bell and McCabe, and also another piece
of city property, which he designs as
his winter residence. Indeed, the
early completion of this new highway
is regarded with so much certainty that
it has already affected the price of real
estate to certain extent.
Passing by the site of the Minis block.
destroyed by fire on the 18th instant,
L was surprised to see the work of
rebuilding already commenced. The
fire was on Sunday, and on the follow
ing Friday the debris had already been
removed and new sills were laid down.
Mr.. Minis said he was going to build one
store at once, and add others as he was
able. Such pluck and energy is well wOr-
thy of one even of much Younger
years, and shows the indOmitable spirit of
the man. AS one of our able citizens who
has made his home here for more than
half century, he has the sympathy of the
entire community. Shortly after the fire
he was offered for the land double what it
would have brought (withOut the build
ing) five years ago. l mention this to
show how real estate is appreciating.
Our new: new court house is rapidly
being near two stories high, and
will no doubt be finished and turned
over to the County Commissioners in
few months. 1t will have fire-proof
vaults for the records of the Probate and
Clerks offices, and be quite am improve
ment on the old structure that was de-
stroyed by fire some few years ago.
Strangers continue to arrive among us,
and express their surprise at the magnif-
cent scenery of this section. 1t is anus
ing at times to hear their remarks.
"Why," said one, II had thought
that all of Florida was a bed of
sand until / came here, and that
the woods were nothing but pine"
And so it is with nearly all. This sec
tiOn has been misrepresented, and when
they come here they find it altogether diff
ferent from their preconceived notions.
The completion of the p. and A. r. r. and
the establishment of daily line of hacks
between here and Thomasville have CON
tributed no little in bringing visitors here,
who otherwise might have given us the
gO-by. Already one gentleman who thus
casually visited our city has become so
much pleased that he has announced his
intention Of purchasing a winter residence
here.
improvements in our midst are going
on steadily. Adjoining the site of the
Minis block is the Clark block, now
nearly completed. 1t will have a glass
front over five compartments, which are
already engaged for stores. Right oppo-
site stands the old Masonic Lodge
building, a brick three-story struc-
ture, owned by the Masonic and Odd
Fellows lodges. This has received a
new coating of plaster. and it is
intended. as soon as the city and county