The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1884-06-06

| styles political dudes. 1t says the resO-
luton introduced by Pierce to decrease
| the representation from the South here
after is an ungracious return for the help
received yesterday from the South.
The subcommittee on resolutions hav-
ing completed it's work, reported to the
full committee at 30'clOck this afternoon.
The resolutions as reported were read in
order for debate. The session lasted four
hours, and the committee adjourned with
out completing the platform, The prin-
cipal points of discussion are understood
to be the tariff plank, and it was finally
recOmmited to the subcommittee. with
instructions to report to the full commit
tee at $50 tomorrow morning. 1t is
said that the difference of opinion is not
serious and will be readily settled at a
meeting to be held later this evening.
The resolutions will contain a strong en-
dOrsement of President Arthurs admin
istratiOn, declare for civil service reform
favor an efficient navy and a vigorous
tariff plank.
RAPID PROGRESS IN FLORIDA.
Towns Developing Western Growth
Extensions of Railroads in the
State---Orange and Strawberry CuI-
ture.
New York Tribune
You have no idea up here" said a
returned New Yorker, recently, chow
rapidly Florida is being developed.
took a trip recently from PaIatka over to
the Halifax River, and saw many per-
sons living in tents near the river-sO un-
able are the saw-mills to furnish timber
fast enough for the incoming settlers.
Or take this fact: There's new railway
leading away from the st. Johns, about
thirty-six miles long, twelve miles of
which ran through a district too poor to
be settled; would you believe me when |
say that along the remaining twenty
four miles are scattered twelve saw
mills, and these cannot supply the de-
mand! The same railway. | am credi-
bly, informed, was offered for sale two
years ago at 1926, 900. 1t is now netting
between $50, 900 and $40, 900 a year. In
deed, the amount of railway cOnstruc-
ton going on under liberal encourage
ment from the State is striking Within
a few weeks the Jacksonville. Tampa
and Key West Railway Company has
opened between Jacksonville and Pa
latka a broad-guaged line, with steel
rails and first-class equipment.
The country through which 1t passes,
hitherto without good transportation fa-
cilities, even by water, is fast settling up.
Then there is the South Florida Railway
just opened between Orlando and San
ford, in Orange county, and controlling
the carrying trade from Tampa. By
November, | understand, the Palatka
and Indian River Railway will be COM
pleted between Palatka and Sanford.
This will run through the famous Fruit
land Peninsula and thence sOutheasterlv
along the high pine ridge which has been
termed the Orange Belt of Florida.
Town after town along the road is spring
ing up like magic, a great number of
orange groves are being started, and.
while three years ago a few hamlets
only could be seen in an otherwise wood
ed region, now you cannot get out of
sight of a clearing. To put it into fig
ures, land that was worth So to $40 en-
acre two years ago is now held at from
$40 to 800 an acre :"
HAS there been any specially rapid
growth in the case of the towns" was
asked.
THE tendency in Florida is not to-
ward large towns, the agricultural pur-
poses of settlers interfering. But there
are centres whose rapid growth reminds
one of Western velocity in town-mak-
ing. Take Sanford, for instance. The
census of 1880 gave it 200 Inhabitants: it
has 1,5O0 now, and is growing in the
same ratio. Palatka, too, though an old
resort, has lately become a railway CEN
tire for lines converging from the north
east, south and west, and is growing
rapidly. DeLand, on the P. 81. R. Rail
way, is of five years growth with a
present population of 200"
"What class of people are the settlers -
The greater part, take it, are from
the Northwest and the West-persons of
stamina, energy, intelligence, and a con-
siderable degree of culture. These find
in the delightful climate and good order
of the State a refreshing change from
billiards. and cowboys. But there is
also large number of Northern men.
who, attracted to the country first as
tourists, have either settled in the State
permanently or live on their orange
groves six or seven months of the wear.
These are generally persons of some
means, often of wealth. Thus. there are
a number of such persons living from
November to May in the se-called cot
tage cities just out of Sanford on the
line of the South Florida Railway.