Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-01-24
JACKSONVILLE JOTTINGS.
THE ANNEXATION BILL BEFORE
THE LEGISLATURE.

Opposition to the Measure Developing
The Steamer City of Jacksonville
Passengers and Freight-Temperance
The Rage for Roller Skating-The
Western Link-GeneraI Notes.
JAcKsoNyILAE, FLA, January 22.-During
the past week much interest has been mani
tested IL the bill now before the Legislature
Ior the annexation to Jacksonville of the sub
urban towns Of LaVilla, East Jacksonville,
Springfield and Brooklyn. The bill has num-
her Of warm supporters in this city who
offer good arguments and sound rea-
soning to maintain their position, but
there is no doubt of their being
greatly in the minority, and will probably
remain so. These advocates declare it is to
the interest of the city of Jacksonville to ex-
tend her territory and thereby increase the
taxable property, and in this way assist in
paying of the bonded debt, which is becom-
ing quite burdensome to the large property
holders, believing 1t is nothing but fair for
those who enjoy all the privileges and benefits
! OF city 70 help support it. And further, that
In case of an epidemic breaking out in one Of
| these outlying precincts, the city authorities
! would be pOwerless to act in the matter and
protect the inhabitants against scOurge by
| enforcing sanitary laws.
On the other hand, those opposed to anneXa-
tlon land this includes nearly all the tax PAYERS
! IN the above suburbs and large number in the
city assert it to be an attemptt to uniustly force
/ them to assume an obligation to which they
| were never party in creating, and are now
opposed to any measure compelling them to
| pay higher tax than at present for the mere
| privilege of being under the one government
| Of this city; that their insurance and taxes
| VIII be increased without receiving in re-
| turn any better protection than they now
! nave within themselves. AS an offset
| some hold that the amount Of revenue
| received from these towns will not
| be su1hclent to defray the expenses incurred
! by this annexation, as the citizens will de-
mand an extension of the sewerage, gas,
water and scayenger systems into this wide
| territory, as well as means to protect them
selves against fire, and addition of six
| policemen to patrol this part of the city's do
main. Again, these citizens assert it to be an
I act OF coercion to compel them to come into
| Jacksonville at this time, when there is no
necessity for it, and knowing such measure is
approved a by nearly every property holder in
whole matter, if such bill should become a
law, is the delivering of the municipal gov
| ernment over to the negroes, who would have
| at least three hundred majority in the city
vote. More negro votes are cast in LaVilla
| than in any other two precincts in the county,
| This to the white citizens is the most potent
and convincing of all the arguments offered,
! and seems to clinch the matter with many,
| except they be of the many who can
only obtain position through negro votes.
BOTH SIDES AT WORK.
! Attorneys, letters, petitions and protests
have been forwarded to Tallahassee to repre-
sent the different opinions of the people. 1t is
the uppermost subject for discussion now in
Jacksonville, and the result is awaited with
anxiety. Saturday there were half dozen
| members of the Legislature in the city, and
all were anxious to get the opinion Of the peo-
pie upon this subject and they got in their
work pretty well all about the city, as knots
Of citizens could be seen discussing the issue
on the streets Saturday late at night and Sun
day,
ABAD START.
One Senator said there was way to bury
/ al 90 had tIflh thaf
| was to get the Republican members from Du-
val to support ii, and all the other members of
that political stripe to chime in, and its coffin
| might as well be ordered, He had met but
two Republicans of influence in Jacksonville
! who were opposed to it. 1t had very bad
! political complexion to him, and when he cast
his eyes at the registration list it nauseated
| him.
| THE DUvAL COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH,
| said gentleman, are much in favor of exten-
| sion for better sanitary measures, but one of
/ the members of this board has stated that the
| board cared little about enlarging the city, it
| only desired some action taken by the Legis-
| lature to give Justices of the Peace power to
| impose penalties for violating sanitary laws,
| When health officer ordered these sanitory
measures enforced, said the NJ. D., to have It
done at once, and those neglecting fined and
imprisoned for such neglect-that was what
| the board wanted
GOOD SIDEWALKS
are the most desirable thing just now in this
| city, considerably more so than an extension.
Sand here is too deep to tramp through, and
! the boards used for walks are forever out of
! repair, and at times some walks are really
! dangerous TO pedestrians, particularly after
| nigftfall. These board coverings are exDen-
| siye and unsatisfactory, and brick as substi-
| tute do not improve the condition but little,
! for year after laid they become uneven,
| broken and worn.
ON BAY STREET
many of the property holders are substituting
| flag stones for brick. A vessel laden with
these stones recently arrived here from Maine
| for Mr., A. NJ. Reed, who is having them laid
| in front of his two large business blocks.
| Others will follow.
THE NEW STEAMER.
! Thursday afternoon the new steamer City
| OF Jacksonville, of the DeBary line, made its
appearance in the st. Johns river. Its ap-
| proach to the city was first made known by the
! blowing Of the saw mill whistle, east OF the
| city, and when nearing the city salute
rerT Then 1 pa sre fSG fSo
| boat whistle in the harbOr. The wharves
! were soon filled with people, all anxious to see
the boat and catch glimpse Of Capt. W, A.
Shaw's genial face, which had been hid from
! them since last summer,
FIRST TRIP,
! Saturday afternoon the courteous manager
! of the DeBary line, Captain Watson, through
| Mayor Dzialynski, issued invitations for a free
| excursion on the steamer up the river as far as
| Green Cove Springs. Before the hour for
leaving about twice as many eXcursionists had
put in an appearance could get aboard.
Not one Of the four hundred that went re-
turned displeased; all were unanimous in
praise Of her good behavior, speed and steady
running, Mayor pro TEN. BancY (prQXy for
Dzialynski) and Captain Shaw were congratu-
lated upon the SUCCESS of this maiden trip of
the new one hundred thousand dollar steamer
City of Jacksonville" Long may she ride
the waves.
PASSENGERS AND FREIGHT
There are now more than dozen steamers
running from this city to the upper st. Johns
and strange as 1t may seem, nevertheless it is
fact, al have full passenger lists and full
cargoes Of freight. Looking back few years
when two or three small boats were sufficient
to accommodate all demands, il hardly seems
possible that it now REQUIRES four times as
many, and each one with twice the CARRYING
capacity of those of former days.
THE DEVELOPMENT
OF the country along the st. Johns river has
been rapid and constant since the State nassed
mo S M. she nan hanus OF honest and capable officials,
ana the best proof Of this is the immense busl-
ness being done by the boats on the river A
| year az TWO ago there were many ready to
assert that this boat business would fall off
when the railroad was finished from Palatxa
to Gainesville, connecting at the latter point
with the Transit Railroad, hut this calculation
mas mas ialled utterly and none now will deny
that it has steadily increased instead of de-
! creased, Passengers for the up river country
| could be transferred at Callahan from the
Waycross Railroad to the Transit, but all pas
the river. II"
TEMPERANCE.
The WOmen's Temperance Union and the
several temperance societies in this olty are
hard at work, and are waging q hard battle
against the demon rum. They were treated to
lecture by Miss Frances +. Willard, Of Chi
cago, last Friday night in the Ocean Street
I Presbyteri2n Church. Her lecture was much
| appreciated by the large audience.
ROLLER SKATING
is the popular amusement here this winter.
and the children appear crazed on the subject
The rival rinks are visited by hundreds daily
Some skate more with their heada than with
their heels. The colore6 people, to be in the
1ashlon, nave been throwing themselves around
promiscuodsly on their lodge and temperance
halls floors: Their heels are always in the air
and their mouths wide open.
MASONIC.
The Grand Lodge and Grand Chapter of
Florida we're in session in this CITY three days
the past week. The attendance was good and
the delegates were an intelligent body of I
men, representing in their number some of |
of the state. Their meetings were harIno-
nious and resulted in much good for the an
clent order. all Of which Wilt tend to cement |
them closer in one common brotherhood 1t |
must not he forgotten that this noble order |
did much to alleviate suffering humanity in |
PENSACOLA last summer while scOurged with |
yellow fever.
PASSED TO THE GRAND LODGE ABOVE
The absence from this meetina of Colonel 6. |
b. stephens, ex-Mayog I4uther McConfhe and |
Kew. john BePny were particularly notice.
able, The first had been a regular attendant |
for years (once Grand Master), the second a |
regular attendant since the war and the third I
ways present. The two fdFmeF dred during |
the past summer, and the latter while in at |
tendance upon the Florida NJ E. Conference
IN TINS city TWO weeks since was stricken tiown