The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-21
FLORIDA.


The jackson Gun Club will engage in the
monthly hunt Jan. Is and l6.
At last the people of Chaseyille are re-
Joicing in a good school house.
TheOdd Fellows of Waldo are preparing
for big ball and spread on Christmas
night
j. II. Foss, who has done so much to build
up the pretty village of Belleview, is nego-
tiating for all the lands on the west side of
South lake, on the island in which is located
Gen. Bullocks splendid grove, and a mile
west of the booming town of Gambler. He
is getting an option for a wealthy syndicate,
and depositlng $40 an acre on all lands
secured. So far Mr.. Foss controls 10000
acres.
At the meeting of the st. Augustine
Society OF Natural Science Wednesday, at
its rooms in the Alcazar. DR.. Dewitt Webb,
the president, read paper entitled, "Was
the San Sebastian River Once a Fresh
Water Marsh!n aud giving the evidence on
which such an idea was founded. The do
nations received for the museum were a
beautiful specimen OF an Indian pipe from
the Hon. Frank +. Genovar, and a large
collection of implements of shell by Presi-
dent Webb.
c. F. Winton. fruit and vegetable grower
of Mandarin, shipped his first quart of
Strawberries on Dec II, the earliest ever
shipped from that place, or perhaps from
Flo ida. They were grown by n. g. Lsek
of that place Mr.. Winton does not state
the price. A year or two ago the father of
Chicago bride who was married in Janu-
airy determined to surprise the guests with
0reat very rare for the season, and sent TO
one Of the strawberry kings of Lawtey for
ten quarts of the delicious berries, paying,
it has been said, $40 quart.
The first mattress for the jetty on the
South beach was successfully launched
Wednesday. The Ancient City not being
sufficiently powerful to pull the sixty tons
of brush that composes the mattress, the
steamer Mabey did the work in short order
The rock will be placed on the mattress, and
the 1s,ty built thereon. Four other mat
tresses are to be sunk before the full length
of the jetty ESQ feet reaches its limit sea-
ward. Quite large number of people saw
the operation, and many will recall their
visit to ST. Augustine as the time when the
first mattress was laid on the bed of the old
ocean.
The phosphate excitement in Marion
county continues without abatement, Dur
ing last week six gentlemen, whose assets
are rated at 100000 each, were in the
city a ID quietly taking turn over the
phosphate grounds, viii Tompkins of the
translucent Wekiva" sold his homestead
to Savannah fertilizer company for
$1,000. Saturday Jim Sanders disposed of
his Citrus county homestead for $4,000
Several months ago Mr.. Sanders went to
Tennessee to visit friends. While there
some one wrote him he would like to buy
his land to start a turpentine still Mr..
Sanders replied that he didn't think
1t would pay, as his pine was none of the
heaviest or best, and besides, he set great
store by his young orange trees. The man on
the stall hunt" waived the orange trees but
was "sot" on the naked sand. Considerable
correspondence followed, when Mr.. Sanders
said: What will you gives' The answer
came back $4,000, but Mr. Sanders asked
$4,000, and their negotiations hung on the
first deal; but about this time new par les
came TO the front. These persistent in
qnirles, aggravated by kilograms, aroused
Mr.. Sanders suspicious, and he came home
to hear that everybody had his
eye and pocket-book open for ''phos-
phate fat" aud Mr.. Sanders got
his to the tune of 1900. w. d.
Welleford has grove on Charlie Apopka
lake, and he went down last wee to gather
his fruit. While sauntering among the
trees he unearthed a phosphate bed that
Immediately brought cash option Of $l25
per acre for thirty days. The Sarasota,
Orlando and Gulf railroad has never been
overrun with passenger traffic. No placards
were ever needed that passengers must
secure tickets before taking possession of
their seats, but phosphate excitement has
changed all this, and 1t is now the best
patroniZed short line in the state. Every
train goes down to the phosphate deposits
loaded to the guards, and standing room
frequently demands premium. These lit
tie Incidents are only srraws on the mighty
| phosphate current which is now hurrying
hundreds to fortune and fame, and if some
| of these venturesome fellows amt careful
| they will fall into the phosphate fat and
lubricate the next republican canvass in this
state