The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-05-27
sUWANNEE COUNTY, FLA.
Population, Soil. Climate, Towns, &C.
LIVE OAK, May Is, 1886.

Population, Soil. Climate, Towns, sc.
LIVE OAK, May l5, 1886.
Mr.. EDITOR: When writing my letter
| for the INrELI1GENcER few days ago,
1 scarcely thought that it would be of
any interest to your two thousand SUBJ
scribers, but have since received letters
from several different States, propound-
ing various questions. My first impulse
was to answer each letter in detail pri-
vately, but having the same questions
from different enquirers l will seek your
columns. Many thanks to the lady in
Georgia who requested me to write again.
1 will refer to the subjects in which am
posted briefly.
AS to the propriety of moving to Flor
ida, 1 think that before disposing OF
property elsewhere in view of buying
here, that should first come and see the
country, its productions. advantages and
disadvantages, and be sure to bring
money enough to 60 back home, provided
one does not like the country. 1t is best
10 come after the first of November, the
water is not Ito tell the truth) good here
in the Summer. There seems to be peo'
pie here from nearly every State that l
can think Of. They are especially glad
to see each other, even where they have
never met before, when they find that
they are from the same State.
Suwannee County occupies very nearly
central position, and lies nearly at the
north of the Peninsula. 1t is bounded
on the northwest and partly on the south
by the Suwannee River, by which it is
separated from the counties Of Hamilton
on the north, Madison on the northwest,
Lafayette on the south. On the south it
is partly bound by the Santa Fee River,
which separates it from Alachua County,
and on the east by Columbia County.
The Suwannee River is navigable for
steamboats, the most of the year as far up
as Ellaville, astation in Madison County,
on the F. R. & N. R. R.
Suwannee County has $50 square miles,
and population of eight to nine thous.
and, with about 1000 voters. There are
several thousand acres Of "high pine"
Government lands that is not offered for
sale here, also considerable railroad
lands. The soil is generally fertile and
sandy, with subsoil of clay, easy to
cultivate and we'll adapted to the reten-
tion of fertilizers. Some poor lands can
be bought for one dollar per acre. Good
farming lands at from s. to $40 per acre.
The climate is very pleasant both Winter
and Summer, the mean temperature in
the Winter months about $500 Farenheit
and during the Summer, say from June
to September, the average-is about SO' 10
$50. The mercury seldom rises above 9O'
in the shade. In the Summer the nights
are cool and pleasant"
The Hammock lands bordering on
Suwannee River, and near the lines of
railroad, contain hard wood of several
varieties, such as hickory, red oak, live
oak, white oak, ash, cherry, red bay,
beach, maple and magnolia. The large
pine forests are densely covered with the
best of yellow pine for lumber, and
"pitch pines" for the production of tur-
pentine. This large supply seems almost
inexhaustable. 1t is very easy of access
by reason of the Suwannee River and
the railroads.
Mr.. Charles X. Dutton, 155 Maiden
Lane, New York, has ten turpentine
stills in this County. He works here
over two hundred conyicts. He also has
in one.fourth mile of depot LeConte
pear grove, covering thirty-eight acres
with trees four years old. The trees will
bear pears when five years old. There
are several steam saw mills running in
this County. There are two mineral
springs near here. At the White Sui
phur Springs, in Hamilton County, (P.
O., White Springs, Fla.,) there is good
hotel. A hack runs from Welborn Sta.
tion to the Springs, distance eight miles.
The hotel at the Suwannee Springs has
been burned. Mr.. l.. w. Scoville has
recently become the sole owner, and will
Immediately erect steam saw mill, q
hotel and forty cottages there. These
Springs are seven miles north of Live
Oak, on the Savannah, Florida and
Western Railroads.
Live Oak is the County seat of this
County. A dead oak stump, about thirty
feet long, bent over westward, containing
one broken limb, stands in a pond on the
west side of the town, and the remainder
of it is q live oak tree. This is the origin
of the name of the town. This is the
junction of the. Florida Central and
Western, and the Savannah, Florida and
Western Railroads. Fourteen trains
arrive here per day. Freight is carried
from New York to this place for thirty
cents per hundred. At Lake City, few
miles east of here, it costs five times as
much. The streets of Live Oak are
sparsely shaded by oak and China trees,
also few pine and magnolia trees. All
of the streets, except the roads and side
walks, are covered with wire-grass and
weeds. The streets are blocked up with
litter, lumber, old cross.ties and logs.
IL.