The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-03-14
BILL ARP'S LETTER.
Bill Suspects that the Drummers Put Up
Job on Him.
atlanta Constitution.

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Job on Him.
atlanta Constitution.
I am still perusing the inland towns
of Florida and find content and pros
perity and good people wherever [ so.
Now there is Inverness that is only
two years old thatis the county seat
Of Citrus county and has only three or
four hundred people, and is yet in
the woods, but it has good trade and
look of prosperity. The lakes near
by are lovely, and the phosphate
plants give everything lively appear
ance. There is one right close up to
the village-the Covebend-that be-
longs to Mr.. Jackson, that is, per-
haps, making more money for its cost
than any in Florida. The outlay for
the plant and the land is onlycs4, 900,
and its products are fifteen tons of
rock per day at a cost of $3.50 a ton
loaded on the cars. He gets $3.50
per ton f. O. b.-that is business.
Sixty dollars day net profit He has
no salaried officials, no bosses, and has
built no houses for laborers, but seems
to boss everything himself. If the
pockets give out, he can pick up and
move with little loss or delay. The
Hamburg plant, a mile or two away,
is an immense concern with unlimited
capital. All of their products 60
across the water, and are made into
fertilizers and sold in Germany at SIS
ton. They have now on hand 5000
tons ready for shipment. The plant
with all its machinery and outbuild-
ings cost $3.50, 900, and yet they can
not tell how soon the deposit will give
out. In fact, it did give out on one
side the day I was there, and left a
clean wall of sticky sand that was
worthless. Nevertheless there are
several extensive pits near by that
still hold out, and the company has no
fears Of exhausting the deposits for
years. The overseer told me that
their greatest provocation was the
uncertainty of negro labor. All along
the line Of this road from Pemberton
to Archer are to be seen phosphate
plants or turnout that lead to them
and the wages of the laborers are
freely spent and give life and activity
to the. little towns. Most Of the
plants are foreign or northern capital
and whether they make money or not,
the wages are spent. The magnitude
of this business grows on you as you
travel. England, Germany, France
and Scotland are heavy purchasers,
and are feeding their millions from
crops fertilized with Florida phos-
pilates.
To my great pleasure I found Mr..
and Mrs. Vance on the train going
from Tampa to Suwance sulphur
springs. The Senator was lapguish-
ing in the sleeper upon pillows where
with to rest his rheumatic limbs, for
he had been great sufferer of late
and said he had found no relief from
the doctors. Then he quoted scrip
ture with sad smile, "And Asa was
diseased in his feet and sought not
the Lord but physicians and he slept
with his fathers" We recalled the
pleasant evening spent some years ago
at Judge Ashes house in Wadesboro,
and when I remarked that I had many
a time repeated the good stories he
and Judge Ashe told that night,
smiled and said: ''Major, Ihope you
treated me better than Senator Vest
does. WhenI tell him good story
he tells it again and if the crowd
enjoys it heartily he gives no quota
ton marks, but if it falls fiat he is
sure to say I got that from Vance. y
His good wife is merry hearted wo-
man and is yet beautiful in feature
and bright in conversation. 1t seems
like her very presence would cure
rheumatism-at least man ought to
be willing to have it with such COM
forter around. 1t was with great re-
luctance that bade them goodby at
Duhellen.
From there I departed for Crystal
river. When about FIVE miles away
our car became uncoupled and the
train with eight freight cars went on
and we felt as helpless as painted
ship upon painted ocean. At the
next station the engineer missed us
and came back, and so it was quite
late when we reached the little town
that had invited me to come and talk.
After a hurried supper on the best
oysters I have found in Florida, |
went to the church and found it quite
full of good people awaiting me.
Taking side seat in front I was intro
duced to number Of pleasant gentle
men-some Of them from Georgia, Of
course. I felt fattered that SO many
people had turned" out to hear me, for
it is a little hamlet. Directly an old
gentleman, who seemed to be master
of ceremonies, came to me and with
great dignity and kindliness Of man
ner said. "Major, would it be at all
imnroDer for us to take up q little