The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1888-04-05
sTAUNTON. VIRGINIA. APRIL 5. 1888.
More Florida Facts.
.ial Cnrresnondenceo of the NIRGI

bled to so good a purpose as 10 lnteres'
some of the readers of the YIRG1NAN, ano
DO assure friend Thomas that hereafter
if he fails to find letter in the columns
of this paper from Rover that it will be
the fault Of some one other than Rover
that the failure occurs-and likewise as
sure my Sherando friends that their assem-
bling at the post Office shall not be in vain
so long as | can find anything to interest
them.
AT .5herando my scribbliDg career began
some sixteen years ago. ard | have kept it
up through all these years.
/ have received a great many letters
from all parts of the country asking for
information about Florida, and have con
eluded that it would be of interest to all
the VIRGINIAN readers to write series
Of letters giving such information about
that State as | am able to gather.
| begin by saying to all concerned-and
they are legion-that as far as am con-
cerned, | have no other object in view than
TO put such Information before the public
as may be of use in assisting those who
think of making change Of residence in
determining the direction to take. |
would advise no nan to pull up and go to
Florida or anywhere else until he finds
that change is desirable, nor then, until
he is satisfied by d comparison OF facts,
gathered from all points, that Florida Of
fa ialI than ut her
tons from which information is had.
While l may think Florida offers these
inducements, others may think differently
There has been great rush toward the
West of late, and while many are pleased
with that section. find others trying to
get back.
Now what say about Florida is simply
from personal observation or from infor-
nation gained from persons who have re-
sided in States north of there but who
have spent number Of yearsin that State.
Then to begn-until within some four
or five years, but little attention has been
paid to Florida by those whose tastes or
inclinations were of an agricultural turn.
1t has been less than half dozen years
since that State can be said to have been
open-to any extent-to the outside world.
It's growth within the time indicated, has
been almost without precedent in any sec
ton There are thriving towns now,
where two years ago the wild animal
roamed undisturbed through the thick
growth of native timber. Oakland, on
the edge of Lake Apopka, is one such
towns, and there where two years ago there
was no human habitation, there are
the princely residences of reilroad presi
dents and managers; hotels as fine as any
in the older States; post office as hand
somely fitted and as roomy as that in
Staunton magnificent and well patronized
stores in every line; fine club house, res
taurants, warehouses, ETC., all bran new
and Of the most approved modern patterns
And this is not the only town showing
such rapid growth. The towns OF Apapka
Orlando, Sanford, Ocoee, Barlow, Long
wood, and at least score of others on th
peninsula nave spI 4ng up !Iise mushroom
and are daily growing.
Lands are being settled up and planted
iii grange, lemon. guava, banana. cltrf
plum, and other trees and plants of trop-
zeal growth, while the vast stretches of
vegetable lands, show that there must be a
growing demand.for these products.
In travelling through this State, one is
struck with the thickness of the settle
ments. and the newness of the improve
ments.
You may find one house out of twenty
that looks old. All the rest are quite new,
roomy and handsomely built.
Such evidences as the above, point con
clusively to the fact that the State is rap
idly filling up. You need not find some
old resident to tell you. The facts force
themselves upon you. Then there are the
railroads. y GU know that for years and
years only a narrow strip Oh the north of
Florida contained about nineteen-twen-
tieths Of the population, and two thirds or
three -fourths Of this was On the western
end of this northern strip-there being
but few settlements along the eastern
GOdoG jlCdl d. touliiC' Oh cil WHO
strip, so familiar to all school children,
there were no railroads to speak of-only
the tip ends of one or two that pointed
into the State from Georgia and Alabama.
Well, now the railroad men are as busy as
beavers, constructing through lines run
ming the whole length of the peninsula.
Two or three years ago there was only
one road in construction from Sanford
southwark; now that road runs all the
way TO Tampa, and there are two others
nearly completed, running for the most
part-parallel with it, thus putting trans
portation at every man elbow.
The greatest cost Of building a railroad
in Florida is the rails There are no steep
grades to be cut through. No tunnelng
plenty Of cross ties along the lines, and
fuel so cheap that you may have it for
picking it up.
The train that took me TO Ocoee from
Longwood was stopped while the engineer,
fireman and conductor picked up pine
knots to fire her up with" This road
has not been finished up yet. When l was
there month ago the trains ran each way
once a day, but carried no mail. Now
they run twice, and carry daily mail.
Saw mills are located in nearly every
neighborhood. from Sanford south. and
lumber is about The same price as with us.
Everybody, as | said in a former letter,
is busy. The way things move, reminds
one iof nkeedom-everyeody seems to
have something to do and is doing it with
all his might.
A friend of mine said to me d day or so
ago, ''Oh! Florida is only having a b Dom.
Well, | am free to admit it. 1t is a boom
with the biggest kind of a B, that is going
to last until that country is chock full of
real live people They are focking there
from Canada, from New York. from
everywhere North and West and the time
now is when a man with energy and pluck
and industry can make for himself and
his family comfortable living in my
opinion, easier and more rapidly than any
where ] know Of
A letter from an Intelligent friend of
mine, who moved from North Carolina a
few years ago. and worked as farm hand
until he earned enough t9 take up a claim