Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-11
THE LAND OF FLEAs,
To which Presidsat Arthur HAS
Fled
An Unpleasant Season 10 Visit the liai
Of flowers-florida Trains
and River Steamen-xiIl-
Ing Aliigaton.
Spee;l b Ms Raoist1.

Cp<Ce01 " ~ n<8tSt1s
JAcxsoxvILLL fla, April o.-In coming
here the President has been srisvously d.
ceived. He sought rest and hoped 70 st
away from the intolsrabls annoyance of
ofios.seeksrs and Newspaper oosrssposA'
ents; but while be left the former behind,
q Gordon Of the latter boarded his train and
kept him company. The change OF climate
it was hoped would provo beneficial 70 The
rresidents health, but that was . mistake
also. The weather 10 opprsssivsly hot and
more enervatins than that Of the Capital In
the summer. It 10 too late for the fruit
the orange trees having been stripped of
their yield. The burning sand 70 full Of
aeas - big and psrsistsnt - the avsraes
hornet The fishing 10 poor. The Prssi-
dent gets moro bites from fsas than from
6sh. IL Is, therefore. highly probable the
executive vacation will not b pro,ongod,
st least in this region.
OthsR vists0ss.
Florida Is crowded with visitors Many
are here imbued With extrpyasant idess
about theorangc business and many to -
cape the risors Of q northern winter; the
former to be disappointed after learning
that means for support at least for seven or
eight years, will bs needed before returns
can bs had from an orchard grown from the
seed. Trees already bearing are for sale, but
at prices that require moro money than
maD$ersons have Who are looking for Q
home and fortune in the outrageous
branches Of an orange grove. But Florida
Is attracting the attention OF capital and
enterprise in other matters OF interest.
Railroads and discoveries OF hbrous and
other valuable plants. and uses for them,
some indigenous, are beginning TO 30 no
ticed. The palmetto, juts and eassava are
regarded - very valuable. The former
grows on the poorest soil In the greatest
abundance, and Is highly priced for making
paper OF superior quality, and 10 already IN
article OF commerce. Large Quantities are
gathered, baled and shipped to Philsdsi.
phis, where mills are engaged In manu-.
featuring Il. II half be true that 10
said Of its value II will prove ~
liable and permanent source Of wealth. A
growth without cost OF cultivation, hero.
iofois known a. o pest like the thistle In
the North, may become one OF its most
valuable products. II can b gathered In
winter BY Northern labor. and - the labor
problem is . question OF the greatest ina.
portance, In view Of developing the ~
sources OF Florida, that Of itself gives
special value to The plant, inasmuch -
Northern labor can a'ways b obtained 70
work in the winter. Cinnamon are sKclu.
ded by act Of congress, and the negross
cannot 10 relied upon 10 . country that
subsistence without the effort VI labor. and
doubt II the white man cen bs induced
TO work In the field here except in the
winter.
Travelling In Florida IL not unalloysd
enjoyment A Florida railway train 10
never in hurry. II seems 70 b quite sn
object 10 run 10 station and take long
wait Frequently trains meet, and tkers
Is apparently no reason TO stop except for
the conductors and engineers 70 gossip o.
borrow q chew. The boat, that ply the
waters OF the 81. Johns according 10 the
advertisements are all fast and elegant
but the passengers never complain of dirsi.
ness caused by looking at the objects on
shore tlitting by.
The ~. Jshs's.
The river is In reality . chain OF seven
large lakes, several Of which spread out 10
Q great width. For intance, whea ws
entered Lake George the early morning
fogs completely hid the distant banks, asd
one could scarcely believe that be ws sail.
ing on an inland river and not, In tsuth.
far out at sea A. the upper part Of the
river II approached the bankr gradually
come more and more into view, and In.
stead Of the dark blue line bounding the
water from Jacksonville 10 Paiatka you
can see distinctly the trees on
shore, each drsped In gray, funereal
moss, snd the gieen underground Of dwarf
palmsttoe snd matted canes and Woes.
The scenery is strangely monotooous. yet
not wearying, . slight bluff sst tR, orsnes
trees or an unusually tall and fscsful
clump OF pslmsttos being the only vsris-
ton. The water has peculiar kind a
chocolate tinge not particularly saticins
by day, but extremely beautiful by night.
huence OF moonlight; and leaning on tbs
rail OF the deck one can tell long distance
of an approaching orange grove from the
fragrance stealing over the moonlit waves.
AlIiGstSSs. ....
Every msn who goes up this river. ek.
poets to kill an alligator. In feet nothing
10 20 common o. 10 hear the newcomer
breathing out slaughter on shost squsin.
tsnce with the amphibious original ssttisv
Of this region. Bot, slss. for The hopss q
these would.be Nimrods. the gators sssa
10 be rapidly decreasing along the river,
ard have become % socastomsd 70 the
noise Of the steamboat and the most gen.
erally unsuccessful efforts Of the sports.
men that the few seen lis on the logs until
the boat 10 nearly abreast Of them, snd
then slowly shuttle into The wstsf amidst .
deal Of screaming snd exclsmation on deck.