River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-03-27
Florida Letter.

GAINESVILLE, FLA, Mar. Is, 1884
Spring has been later than usual in its
approach as well as in the snowy north,
but at this writing we are in the full pro
fusion of sfoses and fruit blossoms, and
gardeners are gathering the fruits of theil
labor in q generous yield of luscious
strawberries for which they last week
received cash at the rate of $3.50 pei
quart, after deducting freight and com
missions on the same. Nearly all are
sent to New York as the great distribut.
ing centre. Prices received this week
for the fruit are somewhat less and soon
will be quite low. The plants are said to
have fruited nearly month later than
last wear, or than most previous years
People will ship snapbeans next week
and new potatoes will be in market two
weeks hence. Green peas can now be
had grown in this vicinity. Orange
trees blossom sparing,y IA ere, indicating q
light crop, but the reverse is true at a
distance Of fifty or hundred miles south
Of this place. A slight frost left indica-
tions of its presence on the early vines
last week, but did no serious damage ex-
cept father north.
We were entire strangers to the cy-
clones of Georgia and the Carolinas, and
to the Billiards of the north which oc-
cured the first of this month and again
the first of this week except what we saw
in the papers.
The thermometer at midday usually
registers eighty degrees or more in the
shade.
Lovers of flowers have ample scope fol
their favorite pastime in this climate and
Mrs. Sand, our hostess, has more than
forty varieties of roses in a little plat OF
,s,.g,,,,l bofnra tho bDi1cQ anJ in n corn OF
of the plat she has an oleander fifteen
feet high.
Our little city of Gainesville which
claims about five thousand people has
been waking to a new activity in the past
year or two and prosperity in real estate
is said to be booming. The CHATTER OF
hammer and saw is quite lively, and sun
dry comfortable dwellings are showing
fair proportions and substantial brick
walls are in place for some mercantile
houses. A newspaper item says more
than hundred thousand dollars, worth
of property in town has changed hands
within the last two weeks, and third
railroad is just entering the corporation
which will connect this town more dl-
rectly with northern lines of travel than
by way of Jack sonville.
The East. Florida Seminary, a seminal.
utes much to the educational advan-
tages of the place, females receiving Its
benefits as well as males tho the latter
are subjected to vigorous military drill
and dress in uniform, guns, and equip
ments being furnished by the govern
ment. Tuition in the Institution is free
| to persons of requisite age and attain
ments who purpose teaching in the state
which furnishes a large proportion OF the
funds necessary to the support of the
school. A new brick structure has been
recently erected and appropriated to the
use of the school The military drill is
an interesting feature of the every day
| lie of the place and contributes much to
precision Of action and manliness OF
! bearing among the cadets. Families
| from other towns in the state, especially
| from those not reputed healthy come
| here to educate their children. There If
also in town a free public school fol
whites and Union Academy for the
blacks, also free and sustained by the
state; and several private schools o.
| creditable reputation and well patronlzed
Churches in town are Presbyterian
| Methodist, Baptist and Episcopal for the
whites, and Methodist and Baptist, color
ed.
Another railroad from point on the
Suwanee River is projected to intersect
this place, so its inhabitants hope it may
| become something of a railroad centre
and as its geographical position in the
state is comparatively central they cher
ish the idea of its becoming the capital OF
the state, Tallahassee being too near
corner. Respectfully, l.. 7. w.