The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-24
a Visit to South Florida.
Bronson, FLA, June s, 1886

A f1Slt 10 SOutu FlOFluas
BRONSON, FLA, June 5, 1886.
Editor Intelzigencer I left Live Oas
on the srd inst, at $50 a. NJ, in Company
with B. B. Blackwell, Esq, State Solicit
or for the Third Circuit. We took pass
age on the south bound passenger trair
of the Savannah, Florida and Western
Railroad. The coach in which we were
comfortably seated contained Mexicans
Cubans, Jews, Georgians, North and
South Carolinians, Floridians, &c. The
greatest attractions were the country and
its productions.
About thirty miles travel brought us
TO New Branford, small town and
steamboat landing on the Suwannee
River. Ex.GoY. Geo. F. Drew owns and
operates large steam saw mill at New
Branford. The pine trees looked rather
small there. The Solicitor said the tim
bered lands here were worth Sl.25 per
acre.
The Solicitor very soon called my at
tention to the Ichatucnee River. He
said that it was principally made up from
Limestone Springs. The water OF the
river looked perfectly clear. The surface
under the water has rich blue appear
ance, and looked like it had had a great
quantity of dissolved bluestone poured
on it. This is its general appearance,
and is caused by the effect of the. water.
We now come to Fort White, 8 new
town one year old. Fort White has
about one hundred buildings, but no
hotel. Mr.. R. A. Bast, ofLake City,
offers to give lot of land in a suitable
location to any one that will build a hotel
on it at Fort White. A railroad con-
meets Fort White with Lake City. The
land around Fort White is heavily tim
ibered, and the growing crops look we'll.
At the Santa Fee River the engine
stopped on the south side to take in water
from tank. The water is pumped from
the river into the tank. I looked from
the car window and found that I was i'm.
mediately over the river. The long
Spanish moss and the huge live oaks
towering above dense undergrowth
presented in ils nature picture to my
eyes that was particularly charming.
Alachua County makes quitea change
in the appearance Of the country. The
soil in some places is dark red clay,
with hickory and variety Of oak timber.
The harvesters in the field we're reaping
oats. Large fields Of vegetables of every
name and kind that can be produced in
this climate were visible. Nearly all of
the tropical and semi-tropical fruits,
except pineapples, are grown in Alachua
County.
At Hayne Station, twelve miles north
of Gainesville, Mr.. John B. Dell has 12C
acres planted in vegetables. 60 acres Of
his crop are planted in tomatoes. A lot
of his tomatoes, in crates, we're delivered
to the express agent at Hayne Station
this morning. This was his first ship.
ment for this year. South and west Of
this station is noted for its natural wells,
some of them from 40 TO rs feet deep.
Some of them are perfectly straight, and
have limerick walling from the bottom
to the top Of the we'll. In many of them
&c would be impossible to detect that the
we'll had not been dug out and walled
up. The water from them is very warm,
and has strong lime taste. The water
is cooler and has better taste after being
exposed to the air for several hours.
On the Santa Fee River at Leno there
is water sink. All of the water from
the river sinks into the ground and rises
again in about two and one.half miles
from where it sinks. There are several
public roads that cross the river where it
runs under. the ground.
Gainesville is the, county seat of Ala.
chua County. The population Of the
city is variously estimated at from $500
to 5000. / think 5000 is fair estimate.
5Alachua- County has 1850 square miles,
and: the census of 1885 gives it popula-
ton Of over $4,000. Gainesville has a
good railroad concentration. It is the
junction of the Savannah, Florida and
Western Railroad, the Florida Southern
Railroad and the Florida Railroad and
Navigation Company. 1st class freight
is carried from New York to Gainesville
for 81 cents per hundred; End class, IS
cents; 3rd class, rs cents; 4th class, GO
cents; 5th class, At cents; 9th class, 40
cents, except -four, which costs At cents
per barrel. Corn is worth 65 cents per
bushel here; hay, sl.l5 per hundred ;
bacon, 8 cents; beef, 10 cents. Mr.. J.
A. Carlisle, formerly of Union County,
S. O., is the Clerk of the Circuit Court
I find from the Clerks Office that there
are 300 crop mortgages recorded for sup
plies for this year. The new Court
House here is said to be the finest in the
State. A short distance north of the
Court House stands the East Florida
Seminary. The house is splendid
brick building, and is we'll furnished
with all of the improved appliances fol
educational facilities. Col. Carter is its
Principal. He says there are from 20 tc
80 young girls under the charge of a lady
assistant teacher in the Seminary this
year. Lieutenant Herman has charge O.
the military department. In the music
department there are more boys thar
girls taking regular lessons on the piano
The colored public school has upwards o
four hundred pupils. This school is in
prosperous condition. Professor Mad
dox, the colored Principal, has collie
giate education.