The Opelousas courier., 1889-03-30

A Trip to Florida.

MEssRs. EDITeRs / have just returned from
q trip across the northern portion of the State
of Florida to Jacksonvi. and hence down the
eastern portion and along rfs Indian River
near the Atlantic Ocean, to look after some
of my children there. Perhaps some account
of what saw and heard might be somewhat
interesting to your readers.
A little incident may amusingly convey
some idea of the topography, resources,
ealth, etc OF the northern counties. In con.
ersation with clever looking gentleman, l
asked him:
50 What county do you live in 2: Santa
Rosa" he answered. Can you raise oranges
successfully that high up9" "No sir What
Ito you raise!" g Pine. trees." II presume
yom are saw-mill man" "fes sir. What
out Z" They are not going to give out y
How so!' I'VE go over and cut off the big
gest trees, and when we get back others have
grown large enough to cut "Where is your
market?" The world, out by the Gulf Of
Mexico II suppose your high, dry, piney
we had to kill q man to start grave yard"
Soon after that the wires were found to be
down and the train had to stop at Pensacola
junction about three hours to learn that all
was right ahead and safe to run on. About
midnight the Santa Rosa gentleman and
were standing talking, when rotund and ru-
bicund old man came walking up to us, un-
wrapping at the same time buck skin string
from around metallic plate about an lneh
aud a half in diameter, aHd asked "are either
Of you gentlemen troubled with liver COM
plant, dyspepsia, neuralgia, rheumatism or
any thing Ii 80 by simply wearing this bat.
terry you will soon be entirely relieved 'Will
it cu@e any and everything! e. | asked him.
"Yot see what it has doue for me- he said,
spreading himself out before US in the mean
time The Santa Rosa gentleman spoke up
and said "We don't need any remedy Tor
any kind of sickness in our country" sWhere
is that. pray I'd like to go there myself" )"
said the metalic-plate and buck-skin'string
man. Santa Rosa county" the gentleman
answered. Why. I'm just from there" said
the ruddy man. Then you've been laooring
under ii mistake remarked, in supposing
that it was your so called battery that had
brought you QUIT must have been the sslu-
brious climate of Santa Rosa" But only
stayed there month, he retorted. $50 much
the more iu favor of that healthful country
If it did so much for you in one month, how
long, sure enough, might not d man reasona-
bly, expect to live there before being called
upon TO go and help make up graveyard =
The discumftted old man walked away
wrapping the buckskin string around his me
talic humbuggery.
All across tue northern portion OF the State
of Florida | saw but little, ii anything else,
to live GU but health, The most Of the land
that | saw didn't even have pine trees-it
couldn't even produce black jack oaks. was
told there were better lands on either side OF
the ridge on which we were running. That
may possibly be SOL can't say.
When l saw the sanitary conditions in and
around Jacksonville didn't wonder they were
/ fever scourged there last year. But for the
purifying and health laden breezes fresh from
! the proximate Atlantic Ocean the inhabitants
! would have been deeiRlated long ago. And 4
there be not mighty clearing up Inside and
outside of that city they may be fever strick-
Ell any summer.
| left home for Indian River, which lies
along the Atlantic Ocean on the southeastern
coast of Florida, and thither l undeviatingly
Wended my way. But, when l got there, /
could hardly see the river for the Water-it
heiug three or four miles wide with uniformly
low banks But reckon there is no part OF
earth more healthful and pleasant than some
PARTS OF thft river; and there are some ell
chanting lGvalities along it, shores - beautl-
full beyoreS description. 1t would require
note SPACE and word-painting than you can
afford me at this advanced stage III the ac
count of my trip; | may attempt descrip'
tiop. if desired, in another article and also an
account of the orange business, &c. The
current price of land iii those charming local
lilies is $1,000. 90 per acre. There are cheaper
lands however, but not so fayorabiy situated
nor so desirable in every respect. .
have travelled great deal IN the laA&RA
States and out of them; but this was 10
visit to Florida. And the more see OF oshe'
States and countries, the more | think o.
Louisiana, which verify believe is the bes
of all for general purposes.
Plaissuce, March 20, 's9. d. w. FOSTER