The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-05-06
COLUMBIA COUNTY, FLA.
It's Population, Towns, Advantages, soil'
&C., &c.
LAKE CRY, April 27, 1886.


LAKE CRY, April 81, 1886.
Mr.. Editor: You have doubtless seen
and heard much about Florida, but being
from Anderson County myself, I will
send you a few facts, and hope to find
space in your valuable paper for them.
Columbia County is partly washed on
the west by the seewannee River, and on
the south by the Santa Fe River. 1t has
an area of $50 square miles-55l, 400
acres, and population of ten to twelve
thousand, with about $500 voters. 1t is
traversed by numerous streams, while
beautiful lakes dot its surface and abound
with the finest of fish. The County is
sufficiently undulatipg to admit of sue
cessful agricultural, vegetable and fruit
products. Its land consist of poor "bigh
pine" land and hammock and "fat
woods" The latter is lower and less un-
dulating than the "high pine" land.
There is diversity of soil, which is un-
derlaid in some localities with clay, others
with soft sand stone, and others with a
subsoil of yellow cast. There are also
deposits in different places, which it is
thought contain important fertilizing
properties. Until within the past few
years but little attention has been paid
to the production of fruits, vegetables,
&C., sea island cotton being the money
crop. Year after year grain, grass, veg
etables and fruits are receiving more
attention, and success in other produc-
tiors than cotton has brought about a
diversity of farming and fruit growing,
and has brought into existence orange
groves, peach and pear orchards, nurse
ries, &c.
The peach does we'll and is extensively
raised. The LeConte pear bears in a
few years excellent fruit, and is very
prolific. I think that it will become the
leading fruit, and in some cases take the
place of the now killed orange trees.
Nearly all of the sour orange trees
will live and produce again, but no crop
is expected in this country from them
this year. However, there are a few
scattering trees that will bear few
oranges, if they do not all fall off before
maturing. The sweet orange trees are
certainly killed, and only a few, where
they were best protected, have survived
the freeze. Looking from the hotel win
dow, I can break the limbs of sweet
orange trees twenty years old and thirty
feet high that will have to be cut off
withio foot of the ground. Small
quantities of oranges still come in from
the country. I noticed load selling
from country farm wagon to-day to q
fruit store proprietor at one cent each.
They were sound, and had their full
weight. I filled my pockets and ate of
them. They were juicy and sweet.
The streets of Lake City are shaded by
oak and China trees. The store and
dwelling houses are mostly built of wood
and are uninsured, insurance having
been refused on account of their wooden
structure. Lake City is the County seat,
and is situated ffty-nine miles west of
Jacksonville, with FIVE fresh water lakes
in its midst, and surrounded by many
more, which are fed by springs of water.
These lakes afford The finest of fish, and
are splendid fishing grounds for the
angler. There are no vegetable deposits
exposed about these lakes at any season
of the year, but they are free from all
noxious efluria. The water surface be-
ing so great, the health of the place is
remarkably good during the dryest or
hottest weather.
Lake City dates from 1920, when it
was settled by Georgians, and was named
Alligator, in honor of an Indian Chief.
In 1887 there was military post located
here. In 1859 its name was changed to
Lake City. 1t is the commercial centre
for the sea island cotton, and is supplied
from large territory. In it is situated
the large sea island cotton ginning, stor-
age and shipping house of ]. & P. Goats,
who are represented by agents. They
buy cotton in the seed and prepare it for
the thread manufacture.
The State Agricultural College is
located here, and students receive every
attention that can be given to facilitate
their studies. All students from a dis
tance live in the College building, about
100 yards from the College, under the
immediate eye of the President and
Professors. The students are required to
be at their quarters at dark. The Col.
lege is presided over by President A. @.
Holiday. The College receives into the
preparatory department any student who
can read and write. The science of ag-
riculture, horticulture and kindred sub
jects are taught and reduced to practice.
Agricultural chemistry is an important
feature of this College.
The Peabody School is one of the best
conducted schools in the State, as com.
mon and preparatory school, and is an
important adjunct here to the State Ag-
ricultural College. Its pupils from the
County pay no tuition, while those from
beyond pay nominal tuition fee. There
are in addition private schools, both
white and colored.
There are six churches here-Baptist
Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal.
Catholic and Christian. Also the col.
ored Baptist and Methodist churches.
Corn, rice, oats, peas, Irish and sweet
potatoes and pindar crops are raised. The
pindar crop is valuable one, and makes
abundantly with little outlay for labor
1t is great meat producing crop, and
upon them hogs can be raised very cheap
ly. The Johnson and Guinea grasses