The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-03-30
AWAY DOWN SOUTH. i.
WHAT A RAILROAD HAS DOM
For a Section Of Floiida-Ths Ea.sarpti.s 1, Of
Northern Newspaper Proprietor.
Flouri.hipg Towns Near sanford. !
Truck Gardonipg In FLORIDA.

Truck Gatdenipg In Florida.
orapoadeet Ofas Aatsutsasoer. li3fo *
SANFORD, fla, March sl.-The railroad
| I spoke Of in my last letter Is a "news-
paper road" 1t was builta owned by
the proprietors Of the Boston Henad, who
conceived the plan and built it withjour-
nalistic promptitude and yigor. 1t Is q mar
row gauge road three feet between the
rails, is wellconstructed and equipped and
is the pioneer Of what some consider a
great railroad system, You would be sur
prised and pleased withits exquisite par
llor coaches and the gentlemanly treat
ment OF the conductors. The directors
and president have Just made an excur-
sion on the road, among them were Mr..
| Fl. B. Plant, who has done so much
for Florida, and Mr.. Pulsiffer.
There are various settlements and pro.
gressive towns about Sanford and Tampa,
Orlando being the principal, o place of
some 5000 inhabitants. Land that could
have been bought at Orlando threelyears
ago at $40 an acre is now selling at 81 600.
ANY land within mile OF the town centre
is held at not le's than 81 900, while many
acres in town at many thousands. Among
the places are Winter Park, Manatee and
Kissfmme. You cannot realize the i'm
mense increase in price Of land.t met q
Mr.. Chase, who secured 160 acres as his
homestead, now Winter Park. It cost
him Sl4 for the 100 acres. 1t isnow laid
out as town cite, beautifully cultivated,
and the price Is now 81 cooper acre. f't,i
"A ".spEc" IN LAND. sf
Another place on the road was once the
homestead Of party who purchased the
land for 81 25 per acre and sold some for q
quarter Of a million Of dollars, and has
considerable land left. The road has only
been completed to Tampa for year and
Is doing q thriving business. Formerly It
was necessary to 60 TO Cedar Keys by rail
and thence by steamer to Tampa. An
other road is contemplated direct from
Jacksonville to Tampa, which will save
the long trip up the st. Johns and bring
Havana, Cuba, only IS hours from Jack,
sonville and so hours from Baltimore.
This road passes through Orange county,
one OF the most fertile in Florida, in the
very heart Of the peninsula Of Florida and
on the highlands Of the narrow portion Of
the peninsula. From this county flows
streams to the north, south, east and west,
showing at a glance that II Is the highest
region between the ocean and the gulf.
The recent census shows but thirty-one
deaths in a population Of come 1000 The
county contains sixty.one Congressional
townships. Its northern extremity touches
the beautiful Lake st. George, its south
ern reaches and includes lake Tahopeka-
ligo. 5lls.5 .3.f.i
Cotton, sugar and rice can be raised, and
oranges, vegetables and fruits In great
abundance. The farmers make good
living on winter gardening. l was told
by a party at Tampa that they had raised
two crops Of string beans this season, and
had planted the third, and ut the same
place they had been eating strawberries
since January.
TRUCK GARDENING.
II isnot claimed that larger yield per
acre can be secured in Florida than in the
fertile valleys Of the Mississippi and Mis-.
souri,, but good crops can be grown here
at q season Of The year when the farmers
Of the North are ice bound and can raise
nothing. A bushel OF potatoes or toma-
toes grownin the North will not produce
over one dollar. The crops are marketed
at o time when every farmer has produce
to sell, the markets are overdone and
prices get so low that It hardly pays for
picking and marketing. A bushel Of TO-
matoes grown in Florida and put into
New York, Boston and Baltimore markets
from December to February will net the
groweriro s. to $40, and Strawberries, SO
early raised here, bring 81 to 81 so per
quart. BY this climatic advantage the
| Florida truck farmer has an advantage
over bis Northern competitor, he being
able TO get his products into marketht q
ready sale at fancy prices. h L +
Tampa, in Hillsboro county, Is the
present terminus Of the Florida South-
ern railroad, is delightful, quaint
old city, settled nearly one hundred years
ago and reminding one OF Nantucket, in
Massachusetts. It has about 1000 inhab-
itants, pleasant homes, beautiful gardens
and number Of creditable mercantile
houses. It's people are pleasant and in
telligent and there is an air Of independ-
ence and idle repose about it that makes
rest luxurious.
/ met a Dr.. slsson, Of Massa-
chusetts, who went there for q day and
remained three months. The Doctor
was confirmed invalid and now hasrre-
stored health. We enjoyed the climate
and received greater benefit than from
any place in Florida. Its the extreme
southern point reached by railroad and
while the heatis not as intense as at Key
West, Is far warmer than points north and
certainly among the healthiest points in
the State, It's accessible to all points by
water, and steamers leave there twice Q
week for Key West New Orleans and
Havana.
DELldnTTpIT TRIP. 4.
4 A delightful excursion three timas a