The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-02-13
ARP TAKES A TRAMP.
HE MAKES ABOUT 4 MILE AN HOUR
AND FINDS IT HARD WORK.
Mountain Climbing, He Says, IL Fun Com
pared to Walking in Florida Sand-The
Exercise Goes Hard With Him.

ligerent' as Daniel Webster said but they
do not harmonize on public matters. They
lack unseltish, enterprisng leader in
whom everybody would have confidence.
They have been trying for three years to
build waterworks and can't do it. Towns
have character just like individuals Take
Cedartown, in Georgia, for instance. Half
a dozen of her best men determined to have
waterworlSs and electric lights, and within
twelve months they had both established
and everybody is proud These men sold
their town bonds at par in New York about
the same time that Atlanta sold hers for
95 cents Both plants cost less than 100000
Now Gainesville is a larger and richer town
and has three times the trade, but her peo-
pie do not pull together. Atlanta IS the
most remarkable city in the south for her
perfect harmony in public afIalrs. ier
newspapers quarrel, her preachers get s.to
bitter controversies, her society 1alls INTO
scandal, but her commercial people aie
unit for Atlanta. They spend money ike
water on public enterprise. Ihey nave
cheek enough to invite the world 10 come
to Atlanta and they dare to rival chicago
in an exposition In the office OF Inc Con
stitution there is every year cohcei'eu
some new venture that Will ora" tholSan,'o
of people there and straiGhtWay all the
newspapers and preachers and merchants
and manufacturers and railroads 1ali INTO
line and the movement is success.
Gainesville is the center of tloridas best
agricultural region. More long staple cot
ton is grown in this region than any olnel.
Larger areas are put in cappages, lettuce
and potatoes for early shipment TO northelh
markets. Strawberries are grown IN neldS
instead of patches. They were 7niPpiii6
while [ was there. These early berries
bring 50 cents a quart at home. II IS d
lovely surrounding country and is not at all
dependent on oranges for Il support. l was
the guest while there of an OLD 1rlcnd VINO
was with me in the last Whlte man iesl9-
lature in Niliedgeville during the dark re-
construction days of 1866. Ills locks are
white now, but there is the old repei IRE
in his eye. ] wonder how many GeorSlahs
are left who remember Major Ieuch-ie
member him as a contender of that BODY!
How we did talk and talk about those per-
ilous times and about those VINO are
6ead. Dead! We could hardly re-
call half a dozen who still I'VE.
Old Father Time seems to be cruei anu IT,
lentless.
I met another old friend at Archer-a
man of God who, for twenty years. preach-
ed at Gainesville and had to leave there
for his health. Rev. Theodore smith ana
his good wife are known from ohe7'e'' -
c.. to Cedar Keys, and they are loved Wher-
ever known Moving from CarterSVlile TO
Florida saved his life. There is no doubt
about that. The truth is, if man shou,a
live all his life in Florida one funG would
do him. and he might have been Dllltt mat
way especially if he lived near the Eult
coast | went from Archer to &c lar Keys,
which twelve years ego was ne proud EN-
porium and trade center OF western ana
middle Florida Ocean steamers come in
there and all roads pointed to Cedar kcys
from the Tampa and Leesburg aud ocaia
country. 1t is sad to hear the history or
ruined town--ruined by the mighty pro-
gressive power of railroads. 1t is the same
old story. "Ilium fuit." Cedar Keys Is
commercially dead, but there are still a
few good people holding the fort. Fish and
oysters still shipped in large quantities,
and the cedar pencil factories give employ
ment to a hundred hands. 1t is still quite
a resort for invalds who testify to its de-
lightful and curative climate.
/ visited some phosphate plants in this
region around Archer, and it looked like
a solid business. Great banks of the lump
phosphate are seen along the railroads,
waiting transportation. The lump phosphate
looks like stained chalk and is full Of the
remains of animal life. Mining 1T gives
employment to thousands of people, white
and black, but all the dirty work is done
by negroes. They get their dollar day
every Saturday night and gamble it away
Sunday. They are uncertain, unreliable and
take thought for the morrow. Ben Aker-
man, of Gainesville, is in charge OF large
plant and says that some Saturdays he
quits with fifty negro men and does not
know whether he will have fifty or five
when Monday comes. They go and cone
Ike tramps. He became Disguised with
them last week that he went up to CarterS-
vile after negro labor that he knew. He
came back with thirty and says he had
rather have north Georgia negro than
q dozen of these Florida tramps. This
phosphate business is just immense and is
on the increase in that region. Some i'm
prudent ventures have come to grief, but it
was not the fault of the phosphate. l was
told of one plant that cost $4,000 to get
started getting out $50 worth and then
the bottom fell out The phosphate was
only a small pocket ana no more could be
found the property. But most investors
are now very careful what they buy They
have many tests made and pits sunk. but
even then the pockets will sometimes I'M
eXpectedly give out.
Returning from Archer to Clearwater [
tried a new road known as the shortcut to
Tampa. 1t is a short cut and goes through
a lovely country along by Blue Springs and
Duneen--a loCg moss and lake country
with orange groves alternating. 1t crosses
the orange belt near LacoOchee, and / eX-
pected to get off at the CROSSING for the law
says that all trains must stop at crossings
When I told the conductor to put me off at
the crossing he respectfully declined and
said his train never stopped there that 1t
slowed up a little, but ! must get off at Ma
con, which was two miles from Lacoochee.
Well, I never fight railroad, of course,
and so | got off at Macon, which was no
town-no nothing, but a station, and so L
took my heavy valise III one hand ana my
cloak in the other and turned tramp my
self for Iacoochee.f you never walked
TWO miles in Florida sand you don't know
ANYTHING about an uphill business. 1t is on
q dead level of course, but 1T is worse than
climbing 81 mountain in north Georgia. My
yalise got heavier and heavier all the way.
T sat down or laid down every hundred
wards and looked behind me to see how Tar
had got. and ahead of me to the distant
spires of Lacoochee. I had two hours time
to make it in and it took nearly all OF It,
sank down in Mr. Johns hotel piazza and
family asked for water l tried to appear
calm and serene but I couldent. My legs
had grown shorter and my arms longer
than they had been in ten years, ana
trembled all over like whipped school boy.
R,,t old Father Time is good doctor, ana
nv the time I got good dinner l was ready
for the train that brought me to Clear
water again. My candid opinion IS that !
am foo old for this sort of business and If
Mr. Plant wants me to ride on his short
cut again he must issue special order TO
have me dropped at the crossing anu me
orange belt must have me carefully picked
nm when IT gets there. The railroads ought
r. he made to have good station house at
these crossings, with chairs and couches to
reclne on and ice water ana the morning