The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1886-01-07
WASHINGTON TO FLORIDA.
OBSERVA OF A NORTH CA II,
OLINA TRAVELLER.
Destruction of the Long. Leaved Pine--
The Southern States Forestry Congress
.-ArbOr Day..FIOrida Talk. Etc.

Destruction of the Long-Leaved Pine--
The Southern states Forestry Congress
--Arbor Day--Florida Talk. Etc.
To The CHRONICLE:-As the representa-
tive of the L s Department of Agrcul-
ture, | left this city Monday Dec. 14th, at
l l O'Clock a. m, via Atlantic Coast Line;
to attend the Southern States Forestry
Congress, at De Funak Springs, Fla.
By the ever increasing facilities and i'm
provements in railroad travel, the transit
from the cold and rigid atmosphere of
Washington 10 the mild and genial eli
mate of Florida-a distance of 1 100 miles
is made in the short space of 33 hours.
Pullman Buffet Sleeping Cars run
through from Washington to jacksonville
My objective point being in the northwes-
tern part of the State, | switched off at
Way Cross, Ga. and took passage on the
New Orleans line.
In my travels | have observed instances
where the porters in the Pullman Car ser
vice are a bigger man than Grant, i. e.,
you would imagine Judging from the airs
they put on-that the conductors are mere
figure heads. Not so, however, with that
gentiemanly and accommodating conduc
| tor, Capt. NJ A. McNair, of Robson Co.,
n. c., with whom / had the pleasure of
travelling on the return trip. If a porter
gets on the ''big head, and fails to attend
to his duties properly, Capt. McNair dis
charges him right there and then, turns
him over to the train conductor and tells
him to collect his fare or put him off. The
remedy is effective, said Capt. Mac, and Is
a sure cure for big head ism.
| Destruction of the Long Leaved Pines.
| AS the train glides along through the
Maritime Pine Belt of North Carolina
| uth-Carolna, Georgia and Florida, it is
| sad to behold the destruction of the once
| beautiful and valuable long leaved pine
| forests The turpentlne operators, the
| lumbermen, and the destructive agency
| Forest Fires" which are sure to follow,
have wrought a destruction to the long
| leaf pine that time nor money can never
| replace; and which Will be more seriously
| felt in the future because that timber must
! take the place III the lumber market of the
white pine of the North and Northwest,
which is almost exhausted. The large lum
berng mills located along the line of rail
| way, have exhausted all the available tim
| ber within their reach by the ordinary
| logging teams and logging trains, drawn
| by powerful locomotives, run far back INTO
the pineries to transport logs to the mills.
The Forestry Congress-.
| The facts above stated, and others that
| could be mentioned, showing how rapidly
this valuable timber is disappearing, in
duced the call for a Forestry Congress III the
/ South. Hence the meeting at De Funlak
| Springs, Fla, on December 16, II and 1S.
The Congress was largely attended by
! delegates, intelligent and representative
men from nearly all OF the southern, and
| several Northern and Western States. The
| American Forestry Congress was repre-
| sented by Judge Warren Higley, President;
Hon. B. E. Fernow, Secretary; and DR.. n
H. Egleston. he Congress convened in
the large Amphitheater, Of the Florida
| Chautauqua which has a seating capacity
of 2, 800 The hall was beautifully and
tastefully decorated
! Rev A. H. Gillet, D. D., Superinten-
| dent, called the meeting to order and
prayer was offered by Bishop W. F. Malta
| lieu, of the NJ E. church. Col. W. r.
| Pringle, of Georgia, was called to the
| chair, and Mr. G. G. Banfl was appointed
Secretary, with two assistants
Interesting and instructive addresses
were delivered during the three days of
congress. by Hon. B. q. Northrop, L. l..
! d. Clinton, Conn; Dr.. \. Ii. Egleston,
Washington, d. g.; Prof. E. Warren Clark,
| Tallahassa, Fla; Hon. r. p. Reppard, Sa
vannah, Ga; Judge Warren Higley and
Hon B. E. Fernow, New York city; DR..
Chas Mohr, Mobile, Ala. ; Prof. A. II. Cur
It's, Jacksonville, Fla. and by your CORES
pondent. his subject being: The Dlstfi-
button of the Forests; and the rapidity
with which they are disappearing, which
was illustrated by maps and charts.
One interesting feature Of the congress,
was the observance of
| ArbOr Day.
On Thursday, the day set apart for these
exercises, extra trains from Pensacola on
| the west, and Chathoochee on the east,
brought increased additions to the already
large concourse of people IN attendance.
The preliminary exercises-whlch were
very impressive consisting Of songs, re
sponsive readings, and short impromptn
addresses by representatives OF the local
| clubs being over; the large crowd proceed
ed by band of music, moved from circle to
circle dedcating the trees which had been
previously transplanted, only requiring a
few shovels full of earth The National
circle is composed of trees named for and
dedicated to each State and Territory IN
the Union The circle surrounds the beau
tiful and picturesque lake De Funiak;
which is one and a half miles in circum-
ference. The water is perfectly clear, and
in the centre it is 60 feet in depth
Resolutions
We're adopted, raising committee Of five
on foreS. fires; that measures be instituted
to secure protection from Congress for the
timber on United States lands, and to Sc
cure legislation in behalf OF systematic
forcStr ry: that the Governors of States and
Territories be memorialized to appoint ar
Dor days. and to send delegates to the
next session of the Southern States FOres-
try Congress; that the Commissioner OF
the L. 5. Department of Agriculture be
requested to prepare and distribute litho-
graphic copies or plates Of chart which
r. W. Best prepared, exhibited and ex-
planned to the congress.
Col. W. r. Pringle, Of Georgia, was
elected president for the ensuing year; DR..
A. H. Gillet, corresponding secretary; and
c. G. Banfil, recording secretary.
Peter E, Smith, Esq, Of Scotland Neck,
and Prof. William Beale, of Murphy, two
gentlemen we'll known in North Carolina
for their intelligence, untiring energy and
zeal in developing the various resources of
the State, were present as delegates.
Florida Talk.
One thing that struck me very forcibly
as being worthy of emulation by North
Caroinians, was this: Every adult Florl-
dian | conversed with, has good word to
say of Florida. They have their pockets
full of pamphlets showing the advantages
of Florida. The offices and sitting rooms
in the hotels are amply supplied with these
pamphlets; the newspaper stands in the
cities and towns have them; the news boys