The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1886-09-23
New Orleans Times -Dsnecst sspk aj
Floeaaa.

New Orleans TimssDsnsoss sssk 81
Flor1aa.
After the war and "reconsirucfiou," the Rreat.
er Of the two evils. perhapA Florida vas the
hrst Stale uf the South to attroc4 ffieudlS tumi-
grafton from the Eastern and Northern States.
Beginning with It's advantages as q sauitarium
and 40 delightful place 10 which 70 escsps the
winter rigon Of higher ATTITUDES, This. .baie has
gone on steadily absorbing outaide population
until. st this date, 1t probably contains larger
proportion OF Inhabitants born OSitsids cf the
State than any other poliiical divisioo of the
section. Climatic advantages brought the orss
largely composed Of wealthy people the way to
appreciation Of material resources and cAgnbSH.
ties was easier opened Amous many results Of
these favorable circumstances, orange culture
has been enormously extended in the peninsula.
and Thousands Of Northern people have made
money-not q few Of them iossunes-in the e.
tablishment Of orange groves. The 6ea Island
cotton culture has received now impetus, ana
the major part of the % 600 bales Of that staple
raised on the coast last year 10 claimed by Florida
A large Interest has grown up m the
production Of tropical fruits and early
markets; and the live stock indossry has grown
rapidly during the past I'VE yean. In . fecsnt
letter from the Hon. E. A Perry, Govsrnm or
Florida, to the Times Dswscrak, his Excellsscy
,s mnsss InaI MS ei.se e wi.Asss any ssrs.a of
Immigration and that. therefore, he b unable to
furnish statistics of local immigration since 1880
There was an increase Of voting population, a.
shown by the votes for GovernUf Ia 1880 and
1884, amounting to S,263 In four yeas. The total
increase Of population In five years, a. Der the
Slate census of, 1885, was 73,056. Notwiih-
standing the severe weather of last winter
which operated disastrously to the fruit crops of
certain localities, but the general effects of which
were exaggerated in a portion of the Northern
press The inflow of settlers visitors aud pros
pectors appears from all accounts to have con-
siderably increased since the commencement OF
the year. There has been and still 10 a steady
demand for desirable property In ell parts Of the
State and this is true, particularly of the salu-
brious highland region Of Western Florida As
matter Of immigration history Il would be In.
terestIng to
REVIEW THE RECORD
oil one OF the most important settlements of ante.
bellum days In the South connected with this
region, More than sixty years ago party of
shrewd Scotch emigrants came TO the United
States to spy out homes for themselves and q
large contingent 1T friends and neighbors In the
old country. The pioneers of the movement
Travelled over many Northern and Southern
States in the Curse Of their quest but finally set
tied upon the highland district of Western Flor
ida, in locality now on the line of the Lous-
vile and Nashville systems's q Peusacolsnd At
'"hsiS AsUWoJ. AuCoC oCOtCu CDLODl8l8 ROOD
amassed considerable estate 10 lands. stock h.
bor, Cash and credit They took virgin county
OF forest hill, caBebrake, and transformed Il into
one Of the richest agricultural and pastoral re-
gons on the continent The war found these
hardy West Florida Scotchmen wealthy and
happy living like lords on the returns from their
fields and herds. During the last year and 4
half of its existence Western Florida furnished
the beef that kept the Southern Confederscv
alive The Scotch settlers early introduced the
cattle of their native land, and the district
was q grand stock ranch when hosiil,ies
commenced. Even after the war the shin
ments OF West Florida cattle to Cuba ssgRre-
gated $1,000 head per month for some time. But
the political and military struggles of the coun-
try had impoverished the Scotch colonists
debt, and later the Texans took the cattle out OF
the State, and the stock interest fell to nothing
until quite recently. 1t is now in fair wsy TO
become one OF the chief industries of the State.
The excellent results that have followed crossing
Jersey stock with native cattle have greatly en-
couraged the establishment of stock farms. and
there Is steady and paying demand for beef
cattle and mich cows from the West Indies via
Pensacola. The cutting up by RAILWAYS of The
Western and Northwestern ranees and the in
creasing length and severity of winters In Ne
braska. Kansas. Colorado and Manitoba are con-
siderations which are tending to the transfer of
large .ag snare OF the Western stock interest to
Western Florida. The Louisville and Nasbville
system affords means for reaching all interior
markets. and Pensacola, or the Atlantic terminus
OF the Pensacola and Atlantic Railroad. opens
convenient sea transportation all over the world
10 the ranchmen. Cattle feed ont and remain
lat and healthy the year round Grass and cane
lands are to be had from the Pensacola and Al
lantic Railway in any quantity and at low prices.
ana all the conditions seem to guarantee that
Western Florida will become the most important
stock section in the States within few years.
Recent reports indicate that Judge Albert Rus
SELL the "catile king of Nebraska" has con.
cluded his negotiation for 90 900 acres of grazing
land near Chipley, and that he will move his
Northwestern herds and business to his new To-
cation during the autumn and next vinter.
Others are endeavoring to follow bis example.
A combined immigration of capital and cattle IN
evidently
GOOD SORT TO ENCOURAGE.
Gov. Perry, writing of the material condition
Oh florioa, states: The development of this
State TOR the last five years has been wonderful
as SHOWN IN the increase Of her population and
resources in her healthy financial condition and
advancement in educational acilities In 1880
the population was 269, ,403 1T Is now 364l51 An
increase of about 80 per cent. Taxable propertv
was then $31 ,l57 .646; it Is now &70667. .45S an
increase OF $S9, 500 .612 The railway mileage in
1850 was 5286 miles 1t is now 1888 miles.
showing construction Of 1854 miles in i've
years. The number of public schools in 1850
was 11S1, with an attendance of 80815: now
there are 17A schools, with an attendance of
" S27 The bonded debt of the State n ef O67..
400, of which only $472 200 is held by outsiders
the remainder being invested In various State
funds and steadily diminishing State bonds are
in demand al 112 q 1876. State taxes are only