The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-12-06
Young Men in. Florida.
Editor PALATKA NEWS:

DEAR SIR: To you, as a representative
of PaIatka and conversant with the com
mercial aspect of the state, wish the
privilege of addressing the following:
Several years ago / was in Florida for
few months / should like to come
again and locate. am % years of age
and without capital. q am not an inva-
lid. have neither profession nor trade
but have been in the publishing business.
I should like to gradually work into ag
riculture. Now, if 1 should come to Pa
Iatka, could I probably find some kind
of employment by which 1 could cancel
my board bill?
Your country is large and its resources
fast developing, and certainly it seems
there should be employment for those
who desire to come-even If they have
not cash capital. Now that the crops
are maturing perhaps there would be an
opportunity to assist in gathering it.
A reply with any further statements,
viii be thankfully received by
Yours truly. E. L. G.
Albany, n. Y, Dec. !, 1885.
We are continually receiving letters
like the above, and the Florida BOOM
has turned toward us the eyes of young
men all over the country. 4 few years
ago and this exuberant strength of brain
and muscle was flowing westward in an
uubrcken tide; just now it is filing our
waste places With the most valuable cle-
ments of an Industrious population
soon il will food the south and feFtilize
it by supplying what has been sine the
war our most depiorable need. Muscle
alone-nnw is at q discount everywhere;
egen in agricu1ruro where it was long
considered the detideratum, it must he
supplemented by experience and thought
since it has been demonstrated that one
man with the proper machinery can do
as much work as ten men who know
only how to use their hands.
Whether our correspondent could
grow rich in Florida must depend in q
great measure on himself; if he has no
special work he must have special adap
liability for any work; we can only say
that in our state one like himself has
broader room for development, is less
cramped by traditional grooves and is
more needed than in older states. Flor
ida is yet new to all intents and pur-
poses change is continual aud what
capital we have is in need, daily, C
brain, integrity, the earnest purpose aGd
willing hand.
It is useless to predict what one man
can do by citing what others have done,
and there are failures in Florida as else
where among young and old. But we
can point to many instances Of wonder
full success achieved by young men in
oar state whose circumstances on ar
rival were exactly similar to those Of the
correspondent whose inquiring mind we
are trying to satisfy. One We know
who, ten years ago, came to Putnam
county without dollar, with feet blis-
tered from his long walk on the railroad
aud since then has received no help eZ-
cept from his strong hands and active
brain Like our correspondent, he had
m special trade; he began splitting
rails for fifty cents per day, lived on
hominy and bacon and denied himself
all the luxuries to which he lad been
accustomed at home. To-day he is the
oane Of fine bearing grove, is honor
cd by all his fellow citizens and on the
streets few hours ago was speaking Of
buying silk hat that he might fancy
himself again in Kentucky. He would
not sell out for fifteen thousand dollars,
aud thinks Florida the finest state in the
union.
We can not say come TO our CORE.
spondent, because we do not know how
he could adapt himself to altered circum
stances and changed conditions; but
our state needs thousands of young men
without cash capital, and there is
room for all willing hands and hearts
that can come to us fer the next ten
years. We have factories to build, towns
70 found, forests to fell, groves to plant,
trades to establish, commerce to build
up, railroads to construct, canals to jig
and thousands of acres now non pro
ductiye awaiting change into fruitful
farms and rich gardens. Can our cor
respondent lend helping hand 10 any
Of these. or can he make himself usefu
in any direction amidst the busy life in
c;deutal 10 these conditions? If SO le
him come, assured Of q hearty welcome
"a pleasant climate and abundant room
in which ito grow up with the coUn
try