The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-02
DE SOTO COUNTY.
Our Correspondent ..W.r visits wauchuIa-south
FIorida's Candidate.
[From Reoular Correspondence

fi0fica IS GahutdaIe.
From Regular Correspondent
WAUCHULA, FLA, January %.
This section of Florida, owing to one
cause and another, does not seem to
forge ahead just now, yet the prospects
are frightening and it is only a matter
of time as regards its coming to the
front, as it is it has done wonders in the
brief two years since the whistle of the
locomotive first resounded through its
woods.
The first step toward progress was Its
county sub-division-the old county hav-
ing been too large for comfortable hand
ling, and now that they have new
county their speculative wits are exer-
cised over the county seat problem. The
contention over it seems friendly enough.
this and that expectant site indulging in
reciprocal ticklings, the old lyon tickle
me this time and I'll tickle you the next
time" policy. that generally results in
nothing. The present site, Pine Level,
being in a manner inaccessible, will neces-
state new place, and doubtless some
point on the railroad will get it.
The new county, DeSoto, is destined
at no distant day to be a wealthy one.
Its fishery interests, though undevel-
oped, can be increased: it's orange groves
ers will be numbered by the thouzands;
southern position giving it greater
immunity from freezing, and its great
cattle stocks are sure to give the county
much prominence in the near future.
So far, DeSoto County has escaped the
crazy price boom for real estate-the
boom that has given the Idle back" to
over half the Florida peninsula, as is
evidenced by dozens of unfiedged towns
that now abound all over the peninsula,
looking as they do with closed stores and
tenements, sad memento of the boom
that was.
Unhealthy booms are followed gener-
ally by a reactionary decline, and the
great cause of so much of it IN Florida is
the paper towns that have their agencies
further North and are so heavily vaunt-
ed in the papers. Look at the st. An
drews Bay Colony, for instance, the
most fragrant instance because the most
exposed. There are other instances per-
haps just as bad, and they should be
subjects of special legislation by the next
Legislature.
Last year having been the off year in
Org l.
pected this coming fall, and it will be
month in advance of the more Northern
orange, which is no small item to be
considered.
The Florida Southern road has done
much for this section, and its steamship
connection with Key West and New
Orleans ought to be grand thing for
the merchants this way.
There's not much talk over our next
Gubernatorial hurrah, but South Florida
may be considered unit for his Honor
Judge I'll. L. Mitchell, of Tampa, whose
personal qualities are only equalled by
his abilities.
The new county went into prohibition
almost the first thing, but as might have
been foreseen prohibition doesn't pro-
hlbit worth a cent, as is evidenced by
the fact that at one of the most insig-
nificant express offices in the county
over 400 gallons of liquor were received
this winter. 1t is very doubtful whether
as much would have been sold here
openly in years time. OF course there's
no license money in the Treasury, there
fore subject to educational purposes.
This town, owing to fine back coun-
try, is destined to be quite an important
city, and may be the county seat yet, as
its citizens hope for it.
The educational interests of the new
county, and particularly of this place,
have been ably administered by the
Rev. T. J. Sparkman,
assisted by an able corps of teachers, and
no doubt they will continue to be so.
The public and private dollar has ever
been ready IN South Florida for educa-
tional purposes, as l am personally
aware OF, for the past thirty years
Some idea may be had of the popula- |
ton here, when | say that the public |
school numbered something over a hun
bred pupils, requiring the able services
Of Mr.. j. Switzerland, assisted by |
Misses Smith and Dye. More anon.