Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-08-06
From Tampa, Florida.

1 LEAR hEhALDs MY uncle wrote some
time since that you most kindly ex-
pressed desire to hear from me, and
1t was then my intention to comply i'm
mediately, but somehow the days sped
one after another in way that Mrs.
HERALD will quite understand. if she is
housekeeper and does her own sew
ing besides, to say nothing about ones
own studies and the instruction of the
younger ones. Some one says: There
IS always time for everything that needs
10 be done; that all time is ours and our
delays and excuses are only weak make
shifts. l expect it is so, but the auth
or OF that sentiment never lived in the
South; if he had. he would have learned
TO procrastinate and do as little MS pos
slble at the present moment, like all
the rest of us. He couldn't haye helped
IT; 1t is indigenous to the climate.
However. there is u little ripple of air
from the North te-day, bringing. with it
revival of what little Northern energy
still lies dormant in my system, and
will endeavor to catch the fleeting mo.
meut before it is gone forever.
First. let me tell you. you are no
stranger to me; for two years, or more,
you have been most welcome weekly
visitor TO our home, and although | am
personally unknown to you, | am an
old resident of your town, or rather, in
days gone by, was very young resi-
dent, and if the memory of the child has
passed away, tender thoughts of that
child's mother, who was the only sister
OF one of your oldest inhabitants. and
whose father and mother found their
last resting place in your midst, still
live in many hearts and homes. Alas!
that mother wandered far, to '.iall in
sleep on old Paciiic's wave-washed
shores. And now /, her last represen-
tative, am away down here at the other
extremity of our country and, it seems
to me, the jumping of place of creation.
But it isn't such bad place to live in.
after all 1t is capable of being made
a very nice place. All that is needed
Is the introduction of little more
Northern capital and energy into our
midst. We have got start in the right
direction and mean to pursue it right
on To victory. The few years of my
residence hero have seen wonderful
change in the condition of the country
and the improvement will be still more
rapid from this time on. Seven or eight
years ago, Tampa looked like some old
deserted town, with low, dingy houses;
vacant. weed covered lots; wide, sandy
streets, where cattle and pigs wandered
at will, and where the people, what few
had the courage to venture out, were
Obliged to wade ankle-deep in sand,
there being no sidewalks. The only
attractions were the beautiful bay, and
the grand old Garrison grounds with
their grove of noble, moss-draped oaks,
centuries old. The inhabitants were
kept alive-no, that doesn't express it,
they were kept in existence by the year
IS influx of Northern invalids and pleas
ure-seekorS, drawn hither by the mild
and notwithstanding climate of the win
ter months. They had not even thought
of marketing oranges as means of
subsistence, and had only few old
trees about their houses. to furnish
shade and fruit for their own use. Oys-
tiers and fish were at their very doors,
but the bivalves dwelt and multiplied
in peace and the iinny tribes sported in
safety. The "Trip Van Wrinkle sleep"
of years was just beginning to be dis
turbed.
Now. the awakening is complete and
Progress Is the watch word Good side
walks border our streets in every direc-
ton. and every day they are put 10 good
use by business men going to and fro
in the pursuance of their daily avoca-
tions, and in the lensthening shadows
of the declining day, gay promenaders
stroll forth. Vacant lots are fast dis
appearing, fine stores with glass fronts.
large and commodious hotels, churches,
halls, elegant private residences ,depots,
wharves, and warehouses. have been
and are still being erected. The loco
motive screeches his warning and brings
us daily mail; boats of all sizes and
shapes constantly ripple the blue waters
Of oar bay. Oysters and fish are kept
on ice in our markets and shipped to
distant consumers. Every winter ware
houses are devoted TO the use of pack
ing and shipping oranges. strawberries
and other fruits and vegetables. A
well organized board of trade has reg
ular sittings. Two newspapers shed
their weekly effulgence over the CON-
munity-one from Democratic point
of view, the other, Republican. The
Holly water works. will soon supply
the town. An engine, together with
the iron for three miles of track, are on
the way, for Il street railway. 1t will
run in town and out Nebraska avenue
five miles to the crossing of Hillsboro
river, where there is also a sulphur
spring, a popular resort at present, just
as it came from dame Natures hand.
The subject of a free bridge across the
river, at town, il being agitated. An
efficient force is at work with dredge,
improving our harbor. So, you see, the
good work goes on.
OF Tampa's suburbs and the avenues,
of which there are several | have said
nothing and will reserve them for anoth-
er occasion, unless, indeed, have
proven so voluminous and wearying at
this writing that you will not desire
another.
! | can not refrain from speaking Of
the event that is filling all hearts with
sadness. the death of the nations here,
U. ). Grant. Though we have been
long expecting it and were in a meas
ure prepared; though we have been
/ locking hourly for the swapping of the
slender thread that held h,lh; still, the