The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-31
AFTER THE FLORIDA FREEZE.
Pen Picture I'm Jacksonville, As
sisted by 4 Cracker Artist.

From the New York Post.
Jacksonville. Fla. Jan. 1s.-''Heno.
cap'n Bill" says F., stopping short or
Bay street
Hello. yerself"
They shake hands, the countryman leis-
urely, the city man as II he was really
too busy to take time for such foolish
ness.
This is Cap'n Bm.' says F., intro
ducing him. HE is the original Florida
cracker. You needn't ask his other name;
I've forgotten 1t, and think ne has, too.
How's the freezer"
Fl, its lucky you wern't the next one
to ask me that. l said back yander I'd
answer it nine times more an kick the
tenth"
"All right. I'll watch for him. But Sc
riously, what is the prospect in South
Florida? We hear such conflicting sto-
ries we don't know what TO believe"
They're all true. however. The ice
king didn't treat every section alike.
He blowed his breath heavy here. lighter
there, an no man can judge his own
lot by his neighbours. Two connecting
groves, two lakes in a few miles of each
other woudn't always be hurt alike. But
we're coming out of the kinks. The dam
age amt more'n half, an Wen have
plenty oranges next winter with better
HAANtc- lIuLhtIS dIE ANIldAlAAh lpA
won't get your peas an strawberries so
early this year turning to me-"but
your own crop is apt to be late, too.
SO Wen get some yankee dollars after
all. The pineapples amt as bad affected
as people thought. But, dad, the coun-
try looks lonesome. As fur as you can
ride in the orange belt it's yeller and
yellerer, like burnt woods or the yeller
fever. It's leaves above an oranges be-
low. Yes sir" addressing me in a man
ner boastful, but not in tne slightest
degree offensive, there's a million Of dol
lars on the Florida sands to-day. Can
you match that in your staten
I say Il cannot" and thinking give-and-
take only fair play, get off a good one on
Florida weather. He takes me up as
quick as lightning.
"Oh, it's Florida weather, only it's got
northern principles this year,!
A commotion causing us to turn, we find
a policeman gathering in a disturber of
the peace.
whats the trouble, Fritz?" asks T.
20, fancy drunk. He viii argue the
case, when he hasn't got any; not a leg
left to stand on"
I'm done, gentlemen" says the pris-
oner, breaking into tears. I'm a oh
ject O. pity. Hear my tale N profit b
m sperience. Ten thousand dollars in
pineapples-three years in Florida-froZe
Up-jus money nough get { JaX-
drunk-take me t the station house"
Just what I'm trying to do; come
long"
THAT makes me feel bad" says Cap'n
Bill, as the others pass out of sight
That's a pretty good sample of affairs
in the fruit region. Lots of the growers
and truckers are furriners Cby which term
he may mean New as we'll as Old Eng
landers) who think they're ru.nt forever.
Z AL Mat Ig.fa
full of rebound; they don't believe it,
They sell out for what they can get or go
growing around the country, while the
native, who's seen this onct or twict
before. is replantin'. They don't under
stand Florida, an then they go back north
and give her a bad name"
Are many leaving the state?"
EVERY train is loadened down with
| discouraged growers. The woods are full
Of piekers an small truckers, trampin'
| to the towns in hopes of findin' some
/ thin to keep 'em till spring. Here's one
| Of 'em now. I give him a days keep. an
there's plenty more in the same fix"
The man referred to speaks to Cap'n
| Bill, and eyes us DULY. He is tall, gaunt
and colorless, and, were he disguised ever
so well. would still bear the mark of the
| mountaineer,
Found anything yet?" Cap'n Bill asks,
genially.
Found er wood pile down the lane,''
| pointing to Main street. II say, where
DO all the people come frum at lives in
| this many housens? 1 didn't know there
wuz ez many people in the WORT ez they
is in Jacksonville. I lighted right onto er
North Callinian. I'm err guineter stay
with him ter-night an start on the freight
fer home in the mornin' work my pas
sage
You're the right sort; no whinin' beg
gar"
f''I dunno ez I'm Untitled ter any credit
for it. he answers philosophically. Ell
I hadn't er found work ner friends, ]
! reckon I'd whined with the rest NV EN-
| Fifty more on us is scattered bout town
an err hundred err two on the road. Some
on ems got money 'noush ter pay Their
way home an some haint; sent it all ter
Their families; not expectin' this slam
But you kin bet thet them out en- pocket'l
count cross-ties faithful tell they reach
OF North calliRy."
What the dickunce brung you to sech a
| COMPOUNDED country, anyhow" asks Cap'u
Bill his wrath overcoming his sympathy
"Oh. hits er fine country in the lons
| run; pays us ez much wages in er week
ez we make home in er month. We lay by
| the crap an leave the women an chill
/ den ter gather II. while we come ter
| Flurdy ter yearn our cash-money fer
i the net year, piclSin' oranges an straw
| b'ries. This here's er slam: the master
kind NV er slam. But 1 amt err kickin' -
He shakes all hands around and goes
away.
Yes says Cap'n Bill. Il jest know
them Tarheels'n give Florida regular
! calamity nsme."
I cannot help remarking that this winter
has certainly proved a calamity to them.
80 it has" he assents, crestfallen.
Then, Frightening; but not to those who
| know how to look to a hereafter Yeller
Jack may have had US in his eye, only
for next summer. Now he's froze out; not
a sign nor a threat left in him. An or
anges' II bring splendid prices next winter.
! Oh, youn see. Besides, everything isn't
| killed. The southern counties escaped the
| freeze an are only frost-bitten. They're
| stin shipping, an there'l hardly be less
than 100000 boxes sold fore spring. Many
of the larger growers had their packin'
houses full, an they. of course, are
sound"
Il should hardly think it would pay to
market them, with California fruit forging
to the front"
''Californy oranges are good-for Cali
forny. But, I dad. sir, they can't com