The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-05-29

Of land to the Columbia Avenue Savings
Fund safe Deposit and Trust Company OF
p ielphia. for 3 100000. BY the way the
Atlantic, Gun Coast and Okeechobee Land
Company has lately paid the taxes on all
fhsir lands ia Lee county for the years OF 1872
and 1893. The company failed TO pay FOR 1892
last year
The orange crop around DeLand. though
considerably affected by the drought OF the
past three months is stil large, and promises
to be one Of the best ever harvested In that
locality. The irrigated trees were thoroughly
tested during the CRY season. and the orange
growers are waiting results. They Will com
pare the irrigated with the nonlrrlgated
groves both as TO size OF crops and quality OF
fruit AMI by so doing can readily determine
the mOmeutuus question. Does irrigation
pay:' During the hight Of the dry season.
=. x. Stetson, who has an irrigation plant
that cost ah0ut SO coo, applied to his orange
trees an average OF $4,000 gallons Of water
per day.
Oscar Branuau came near losing his life by
fire recently. He was living alone about one
and Oue-han miles from Haincs City. BY
some means IRE caught in the dead grass ln
the grove and burned up 10 and set IRE 20 the
house ne lived IN. Br. Braunan. in irving 10
save the things 10 the house, came near being
burned to death he was so badly burned
that he was not able TO get away. lie crawled
Of few yards to "a lemon tree, where he lay
about tWentF-eght hours without any assist
ance Fortunately Patrick Bannan came
along. he found him almost NteleSs, took
MIN up and brought him in whore he received
good attention, and Is now thought TO be out
of danger.
Ever since the opening Of the phosphate
mines in fernando and adjoining counties
there have cOngregated at Pemberlon
Ferry and Fitzgerald, on the Wlthlacoochee
river, on the line OF sumter and fernando
counties large numbers OF the most lawleSS
and desperate negroes who follow up the
phos phate hands. They live of the labor OF
the working class of that race by gambling
and other criminal work. More deeds OF
darkness are committed than perhaps any
where else ia the state Sheriff
Burns and his deputies are ever on
mails. ald for some time they have been
trying 10 break up this objectionable
gang and bring the worst criminals to JUS
tice. hoping by this means TO awe the others
into proper respect for the laws. The sher-
i'll has made a study Of the ways Of negro
criminals, and has things down TO fine
point. and it may be that eventually he will
succeed IN his undertaking. There are in the
state about $50 escaped conVicts who are
banded together IN strong organization.
with stations ana allies well distributed where
they can obtain food and shelter without any
fear Of being apprehended by authorities. so
strong has this organization become that II is
very difficult for the officers OF the law TO act
upon Information in time to prevent escape.
There are several phosphate camps within
few miles OF Fitzgerald, and large number
of hands are employed there. On payday
these hands come in TO Fitzgerald, where
they proceed to drink, gamble and fight, ana
few days before payday they flock in from all
directions A short time ago negro, a re
leased convict, struck camp. He was out Of
money. but through some means obtained
credit at Mr.. Dougalds store. His way Of
getting a living was not sufficiently apparent
in the camp, and they perhaps suspected him
Of being not exactly what he pretended to be,
a laborer. Then one Of the gam DleTs around
camp reported that he had stolen a watch, a
revolver ana some money. He was caught
and taken out into the woods and accused of
the crime. He protested his innocence,
They then put rope around his neck.
threw it over tree, and pulled him up two
or three times, almost strangling him. The
man saw that unless he did something they
would soon make short work Of him, and he
told them a story that he had the things hid
near the store and that If they would go with
him he would show them where.they were.
When he got near the store, he made a break
for liberty but his three Gssailants caught
him and took him out again and were string
ing him up, when the clerk in the store inter
fered. They made the negro confess that
he was there for purpose. With instructions
10 leave camp and not to come back again.
they let him loose, and he made a circle
around the place and went to Brooksville.
He swOre out warrants for the arrest OF his
assailants, and TOUR of them were arrested
Saturday by Deputy Marshal Cobb.