The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-03-13
GROWTH OF JACKSONVILLE.
THE CITY IS BOOMING IN 4 MOST
 RElI.4 4RKABLE MANNER.


 Found-A Number of Tasteful and Ele.
 gant Residences Being Added.
 Jacksonville, March 5.-Jacksonyille
 now the thrifty metropolis of Florida,
 possesses a history which is at once
 brief and not agreeably interesting.
 During the few years that the Bng-
 lish held possession of the province they
 built highway from St. Augustine to
 Fernandina and so on to Savannah.
 known then and even now as ''the
 Kings road" Where this road crossed
 the St. Johns the locality was called
 by the euphonious Indian title Wacca
 Pilatka, which rendered into English
 reads, "Cow's Crossing" and that is the
 site of Jacksonville. In the early days
 when the peninsula was bought from
 the Spanish-back in 1822-and for long
 years afterwards, even though Cows
 Crossing grew into a considerable vil-
 lage, it retained its primitive cogno-
 men until the name of the hero of New | Orleans, General Jackson, was chosen.
 The village grew, not rapidly, but con
 tinually, and from the earliest time en- | joyed the reputation of healthful and
 salubrious climate, which has always
 attracted many to become residents, When the war of the rebellion came it
 may be truly said that there was not a
 city that suffered more from 1t, so ter
 rife was the destruction brought upon | it by the invading army that the most | important buildings were destroyed to-
 gether with the many dwellings. For
 the most part the inhabitants scattered I into western and central Florida, some returning after the war to begin life anew From this time, it may be said, that Jacksonville began life, and for years, by force of adverse circumstan- ces, progress was slow. Gradually the
 climatic advantages of Florida and it's
 wonderful productiveness became more
 and more appreciated, and from the north everywhere and even from be- yond seas, the tide of immigration set
 hitherward; then it was that the ad-
 vantageous location of Jacksonville was appreciated. for it is indeed truth fully, as it is aptly, named the Gate
 City.
 A total population of nearly forty
 thousand is made up about equally of whites and blacks. To casual obser- yer. however, it would appear that there were surely five "coloreds' to one white; Sambo Is so much en evidence about the busy streets, stations and water fronts; while the business people and active men of the town ory down anything that has tendency towards a "boom," it Is surely apparent to one who visited the city three years ago that Jacksonville is marching on strongly. with quick and steady step towards very great success, The Hbe- ral policy presently in force in the line of public improvements bespeaks pros perity Two of the principal tram ways (of which I believe there are five) have very recently swapped off mule power for electricity, and the other lines are putting in the plants for the new power. Apropns of this change this story goes the rounds The other day when the new tnelley cars made | their first trips through Bay street | there were clustered here and there on the corners little knots of wondering darkies watching the new invention l One old uncle whose appearance was grotesquely impressive expressed his respect for his white brothers doings 1 something like this:
 See dat yer cayr go: whar de mule? Don't have to hab no mule. White | man allus doin' some'en; thirty years ago he free de nigger; now he done | free de mule"
 The commerce of Jacksonville is quite important in extent, reaching 1 somewhere about eighteen million | dollars annually, lumber, tobacco | fruits and vegetables being the princi- | pal articles of export. The entire crop | of oranges this season is estimated to l have been five million boxes, but be- cause of the freeze" but two and three-fourth millions were shipped | The crop shows each year a steady in crease of ten to twelve per cent. One prime factor which makes for the sue cess of Jacksonville is the Clyde line with it's noble fleet of steamships one week two ships, the next three, arriv ing and departing, offer the very best facilities for shippers. These excellent ships are not only speedy, but are fur nished with the most modern appli- ances of ventilation and cool storage, SO that fruit or vegetables are landed in New York or Philadelphia in the same perfect condition that they leave the grove or truck garden. The excellent passenger service Is evidently apprecia- ed, for it is estimated that the ships of his line carry annually upwards of thousand passengers.
 Jacksonville is just now in the throes If street upheaval, but order is fast coming out of chaos, and where lately blank road, shifting sand or humpity- lump cypress stump roadways were, Ire already or soon will be found, ex- smooth and enduring vitrified prick pavings. Already the principal business streets enjoy this luxury of raveG and the work goes bravely on.
 have not fully possessed myself of the rue inwardness of this striking and ,ffective new policy, but associate it with the fact that the younger element n the community are in command. Byl he bye speaking of young men to the ore, reminds me that Connecticut fur lishes the town with an excellent 'oung entative-Cromwell Gib- ,ons, formerly of Middletown. Judge 4ibbons presides over the municipal ourt; his duties correspond with those f the criminal side of the city court in UT northern cities, with largely addi- 14 NJ1., m, I