Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-26
FL0RIDA'S WANT OF RAIN.
THE DUST MAKING LIFE VEXA.
TIOUS AT TALLAHASSEE.
Summer Tourists Returning and Winter
visitors Also Arriving-Lake Jackson's
Promising Future-LeOn County Never
More Prosperous-An Unjust Reflection
Convincingly Denied.


promising Future-LeOn County Never
More PrOsperOus-AnU Unjust Reflection
Convincingly Denied.
Correspondence Of the Morning Neaos.
TALLAHASSEE, October 23.-NearIv all
OF the excursionists who left a week ago
TO attend the Louisville Exposition ON
Florida day have returned, well pleased
with their trip.
For nearly five weeks we have been
misunderstanding showers, and still there
seems to beno immediate prospect of the
cessation of this long continued. almost
lnsupportable drought. The trucker, the
merchant, and the careful housewife. all
alike complain of the dust. The wells are
getting low and the cisterns are falling
in their supply, and the united wish of
the entire community is, sSOh that it
would rain" Our Israelitish fellow-citi-
zens who were wont to display on the
sidewalk, the nice, new variegated pat
terms of recent importation, to be sold
'cheap," can no longer exhibit them so
cOnspicuOusly without the bright cOlors
being marred by clouds of dust, and in
consequence, are almost in despair
eatherWlse prophets say that we Will
have no rain until the first of
next month, when the moon
changes. In the meantime, we
nope ana pray for rain. At present it is
cloudy, but as the wind is from the north
east there seems to be but little imme-
diate prospect of refreshing showers.
Nearly all of our summer absentees have
returned, though some regretted that they
ala not remain away a little longer, on
account of the warm weather they expe-
rlenced on their return. Strangers, too,
are more frequently seen on our streets.
and IN the course of a few weeks our
former quiet city will be quite crowded.
In some of the private boarding houses
every room has been engaged for the Win
ter by parties from the North. The City
and Leon Hotels, which have been closed
since last May, will reopen next week.
THE ARRANGEMENT RECENTLY MADE
by which passengers with through tickets
to Jacksonville and points on the St.
johns over the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad could lie over in Tallahassee,
VIII bring many to our Piedmont Florida
who would otherwise know nothing of its
beauties. Few tourists or pleasure
seekers visit our section without
desiring to repeat the visit.
The picturesque scenery and
the almost endless variety in the flora
world possess an indescribable charm
that few can resist. Last winter a gen.
tleman of means from the Northwest cas-
ually visited this city. He rode out to
that beautiful sheet of water, Lake Jack
son. and was perfectly entranced with the
scenery. The location, soil, climate and
scenery pleased him, and he showed his
appreciation by purchasing for himself
and others real estate to the amount of
$4,000. One of the parties owning a
place on Lake jackson, has recently made
arrangements to erect ten cottages with
lake front, and also build a large hotel
there. Indeed, quite little town has al
ready been laid off. The wOrkmen that
he has engaged for the erection of these
new buildings are now on their way here
with their tools. These contemplated i'm
provements have given a fresh impetus to
real estate in that neighbOrhOod, and
OF Such Importance is it deemed to
be for a future pleasure resort, that sub
scriptiOns are already beng taken to
build graded road of about six miles in
length to the projected new settlement.
The time is not far distant when the
shores of Lake jackson Will become
popular pleasure resort. With a good
hotel and fleet of steam and sailing
yachts it will of necessity present great
attractions, and this the capitalists who
have recently invested there know very
well. Already, as 1 have formerly
noticed, q staunch and snug steam
launch glideS over its smooth waters, and
not unfrequently parties spend pleasant
day in steaming up and down this magni-
icent sheet of water.
Leon county has never been in a more
prosperous condition, ''since the late un-
pleasantness," than it is now. Improved
stock, improved implements of husbandry
and superior methods of cultivation,
are gradually and rapidly being
introduced. Lands are rated 30
per cent. more than they were
ten years ago, and the Tax
Assessors books would doubtless show a
large per cent. of valuation over and
above that of former years. This gratify-
ing improvement is not confined to the
whites, for many of the negroes own
cattle, hogs and horses, and more than
one can boast of ''forty acres and a mule''
IN his own right. One industrious cOlored
man owns place of 800 acres, a large
herd of cattle, horses and mules, all of
which are paid for.
STATEMENT
has been going the rounds of some OF the
Georgia papers headed "Florida Heart
lessness,' to the effect that Mr.. l. B.
Briefly, of Thomas county, Ga, was taken
suddenly sick some twenty miles north of
Tallahassee, and that none of the phys-
clans in the vicinity would attend him,
thinking his sickness was yellow fever,
anu IndC DeIOfe Il physician 1rOm IaIIa-
hassee-whO was afterwards sent for
could reach him, the man died. From
Hon. S. l.. Crawford, Secretary of
State, who is citizen of
Wakulla county, l learn that
there was no such heartlessness. Mr.
Briefly was an invalid, and had been to
one of the fisheries on the coast for his
health. On his return, and when within
some twelve miles of Tallahassee. he was
taken suddenly i'll and stopped at Mr..
May Ferrell's, where every attention was
paid the sufferer. Mr.. Ferrell promptly
dispatched messenger to Crawfordville
for; DR.. Laird: the only physician In the
county. DIR. Laird came and stayed with
his patient until short time before
his death, in the meantime sending to
Tallahassee for DR.. Leonard as consult
ing physician. There was no apDrehen-
sion that it was case of yellow fever, and
everything was done for the sufferer that
could be done. This information was OBJ
tanned from a member of NJ. FerrelPs
family, and is reliable. AS the statement
telegraphed from ThOmasville, and copied
into many papers, does hOspitable COM
munity an injustice, deem this counter
statement due to those who have been