The Osceola times., 1886-03-27

of exporting IuhiDeT ahu liiiIocr W
foreign markets. There are from 30
to 60 vessels anchored in the harbor
all the tinc,the majority Of them be-
ing loaded with timber for foreign
ports. About j of the timbers go
to South America. An ordinary ves-
sci can carry from 2O0,WW 10 OO,'
0W feet of lumber, and will require
from l6 to 22 feet of water to float
when ladened. The vessels are gem
orally in this port from I to 10 weeks,
and during that time the crews have
but little or nothing to do. They are
not allowed To load the vessels with
their own crews. The loading is let
by contract to Stcvcdores, who hire
their own men. 1t requires 10 OF II
hands to load a vessel, who receive
s3 to *S per day, on the s hour sys-
tenn. 1t requires a great deal of
courage and experience to perform
the duties required. The vessel is
anchored in about % feet of water,
aud the timber, in RATS, are towed
alongside. The vessels have two
port in the bow, the one above
the other, and some , l-2 to 3 feet
square, through which the squared
logs or timbcrs are loaded. lmag-
inc a man on twelve inch square
timber, ~ feet long, out over water
% feet deep, placing it in proper po-
sition to be- loa'led, the waves often
sweeping over and reaching halfway
up his body, tossing hl,n here and
there at pleasure. |, for one, would
prefer guiding mule from the rud-
der end OF plow.
About one third of Pensacola is
made land, formed by dumping the
ballast from TIE incoming vessels.
The wharfs project from two to five
hundred yards out IN the Bay, for
the purpose of carrying timber and
lumber out to deep water.
While | was in Pensacola, the del
rgates If the Associated Press met
i, that City, and being invite !, |
joined them in Il pleasure trip out
over the BAY and into the Gulf. The
ride, was my first over salt water,
and enjoyed it hugely. On our re-
turn to the city, we visited Fort
Pickens, u Fort built during the
years 1853 /, aud is still kept in
good order by Uncle Sam. The
Fort excited great interest, as many
of the party had never seen one be-
fore, Uhc writer for onc) The Fort
is built of bricks; the walls being
some II or ~ feet thick and - or
30 high, built almost round, and in
clnscs about three acres of ground.
The next point of interest visited was
the Navy Yard, which is also built
of brick, but the walls are only four
feet thick, and not over - feet high,
and embraces some 40 or 30 acres OF
ground. The delegates were pro-
fuse in their expressions of delight
at Pensacola, aud spoke in the high
est terms Of what they had seen OF
f'lorada.
The extremely cold weather of,hc
pas, winter did great damage to the
old, as well as the young Orange
groves; great many of the trees in
the northern aud middle portions OF
the State were killed and what are
lett are more or less damaged. In
the southern part of the state, the
damage was very slight. Lands III
Florida, rs in our own state, are
worth from n up to 500 per acre.
1t is "Capital" place for "Capi-
talists" to go to, but ! would advise
all "povrrty stricken SONS Of toll y
like mysrlf) +" remain in some 9TH
or land. am satisfied that Orange
culture is very profitable, but 1t re-.
quircs some u or =, years to reap any
benefit; and unless you have Van.
derbilt or Jay Gould pocket some.
where about your old clothes, you
are pretty sure to "croak before
your oranges would do you any good
This country, Arkansas, is noted
for its wet and rainy Spring seasons,
but Florida "do take the cake"
saw but one day while there that
WIS any way bright or that could be
called "tolerablc." Very little do.
! ing, when ! left, 10th. inst, toward
gardening. | returned To Memphis
by the way of the l.. 4 n. road, via
Decatur, where a transfer is made t.
the NJ. Il G. road. Evergreen, Ala,
is the prctticst town that ! saw on
this route. The country to Decatur
is very poor; from Decatur to Mem
phis, much better, and farming opc-
ratims we'll under way. Reached
Memphis Wednesday, the 18th. and
boarding the Steamer Dean Adams
arrived at t.lmot ON tlc 18th, max
ing the trip, Pensacola, Fla, to FL
mot, in less than three days. am
proud to say, III conclusion, that
found farmers farther advanced her,
+ at home, with their work, than an,
throughout. the country | traverse,
in the sunny South" The maiori
ty Of them getting ready f'r plant
ing, while many are entirely read,
aud waiting iui the season to hurr,
mp. ! am
Very respectfully,