Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-04-03
FLORIDA LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
BARLOW, FLA, March IS, '95.

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supersede the slow going mule and
also the Kerosene and gas lights. Such
mas been done. The electric cars com.
menced running March /, and are. or
were when | left, being well patron
ized by the residents as well as thous
ands OF strangers that are daily in the
CITY, The electric lights were turned
on the night of the Sth, when the city
was brilliantly lighted from center to
circumference. To get the lights all
over the the city fifty miles of wire
were used, and more than 1000 poles
were put up On the streets are ninety
five arc lights of 1000 candle power
each, and 292 incandescent lights of
thirty two candle power each, making
the best lighted city in the South. The
cost was little over $4,000. Work is
nearing completion on the Union Car
Sheds. Pickpockets got in good work
a few days ago by relieving couple of
Northern tourist of some five hum
dred dollars cash and other valuables.
Guess they haye concluded that Flor.
Ida is not such healthy country after
all, especially to one who carries his
cash in the side pocket of his coat. The
Knoxville Building Company have se-
cured another big job here in overhaul
ing the biggest brick house in the State.
The Board of Health would not permit
Its being opened last fall on account of
Its sanitary condition. 1t was recently
sold for two hundred thousand dollars
10 Northern parties who purpose hav-
ing 1t put in proper condition for open
ing during the coming season. The
travel from the North is far in excess
OF last season and is said to equal if not
exceed that of any previous year. There
Is forty one trains daily coming in and
going out of Jacksonville. The tide of
traveli is beginning to change, however,
and it is said the outgoing is as great
or greater than the incoming. In the
course of month the tourists will all
be gone, and the large hotels closed for
the season. | left Jacksonville for this
place on the night of 7th and had
very pleasant trip down. Passed thro'
Palatka, Sanford, Lakeland and other
places of Importance. DR.. VIM. Smith.
formerly of our county, but lately of
Messy Creek, is located at Lakeland
and is practicing his profession; be is
said to be doing well. He had planted
out fine, early garden for marketing,
but Old Boreas and Jack Frost seen the
Doctor and raised him one better, and
the result was the labor spent and the
seed used was thrown away. The Doc
tor has concluded that the antics of the
hoary king as displayed in December
and February is not very conducive or
remunerative to early vegetable grow
ing in Florida Coming down here
from Jacksonville | saw thousands of
bushels of the golden fruit lying on the
ground under trees, apparently from
the cars, in good condition, but of
course they were no good. Saw groves
OF hundreds of trees with not green
sprig upon them, and from all appear
ances there never will be; although the
papers hold out the idea that they will
come again bye and bye. have ex-
amined quite number here and think
they are as dead as Julius Caesar. But
of course am no expert and may be
deceived. A great many think there
will be plenty of oranges within two
years. One thing, however, there will
be none In Florida, except in isolated
spots this year. Barlow is nice, pleas
ant and pretty little place. 1t is one of
the incest laid off towns | ever saw.
The streets are nearly all paved with
phosphate, which makes a nice, hard
pavement. They have a good system
of water works, an ice factory and
other improvements. The citizensas
rule are wide awake, progressive kind
of people, but on account of the severe
freezes they report business very dull.
The business men had made advances
to orange and vegetable growers, and
now, that their crops are gone, tits i'm
possible to collect, and it leaves the
most of them in "hole" with very
slight prospects of extricating them
selves. The phosphate interests in this
and adjoining counties plays very
important part in keeping the wheels
of progress in motion. There are quite
number within radius of ten miles
of this place, and many more are in
process of erection. These plants give
employment in direct and indi-
rect way to many people at pretty fair
wages. The Knoxville Building Com
pany is building one two miles from
town, for some Pittsburg, Pennsylvania,
parties, This, Polk County, is dry
county, but like all other such places,
it abounds with bind tigers, and any
one who has the necessary wherewhith-
al concealed about him can very easily
secure. a vile stuff which passes for
whisky. This is what the knowing
ones inform us. Have not tested this
"critter" as yet, and if it is what it is
represented to be, don't think shall,
r.. 4. Ca l.
up a permanent location in Florida
just yet. Excursions are coming into
vogue again and one of these days we
shall run down to Tampa and Pun ia