Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-02-06
FLORIDA'S GLOOMY OUTLOOK.
1t Will Take a Generation to Restore
the Orange-Growing Industry.

We have now been in the state, the
month, and believe we know some
thing regarding the situation, and
must confess our surprise at the per-
sistent attempt of the press of the
state, real estate agents and some
others to misrepresent the actual con-
dition; and when Congressman Spook-
man (Whom the Times account says
towns orange groves and may be pre-
sumed to know as much about the
damage caused by last winters freezes
as any of the correspondents says
chat 'the full effects Of the disaster
will have disappeared in three years"
ne either does not know about the
damage caused or else wilfully misrep-
ITesents the facts.
In the first place, what were some OF
the effects? No person Of average in
telligence can pass down through the
state and fail in the discovery. The
evidence is too complete in totally dead
trees Of oranges, lemons, and various
other semitropical fruits. There can
be no installing this evidence which
exists in trees numbering into hun
dreds of thousands that are absolutely
dead. The fact also exists in some
limited and especially favored locali-
ties, such as the sub-peninsula Of the
gulf and in the vicinity of Manistee
river, there are groves that We're
|. either harmed but little or none at all,
but such as these are rare and seldom
found.
In coming down through the state
by way of Sanford, of all the groves
we saw, and they were many, there
was absolute death in most cases. al
though occasionally a tree would be
seen sending forth a few sickly-look-
ing shoots. Leaving Sanford to come
across the state, a similar condition
prevailed until we were we'll upon the
subj eninsula, when the indications OF
life were more marked, and continued
TO improve. There are probably sta
tistics showing approximately the
whole number of bearing trees in the
state one year ago, though we have
them not at hand; but we estimate
that at least IS per cent. of all these
I trees were absolutely killed.
/ Now if the cutting down and re-
moval of all these trees is to be taken
I as a disappearance of the effects of the
disaster, then the congressman may
! be correct, and they will all have
/ passed away so far as evidence to the
/ eye is concerned; but when it is con-
sidered that it takes about eight years
/ of persistent care and attention tc
! bring young orange tree into bear
! ing, and that many Of the groves de-
/ stroyed have been in bearing for %
I or more years, even with no further
/ disaster to the state, this congressman
need not hope to live long enough tc
/ see the orange industry of Florida re-
! stored to it's former importance.
/ But the effects of the disaster tc
orange and other trees were not con-
fined wholly to the trees; the orange
i and other fruit industry had attracted
many settlers to the state, and as &
/ consequence towns were built up and
/ general business was encouraged
prosperity seemed to prevail-little
homes were established where the
mild climate could be enjoyed.
/ How is it today? Outside of some OF
the more important business centers
places are comparatively dead; and
why? Because the chief industry upon
which these places had grown, and by
which they had been supported, is
practically destroyed.
! Sanford, which only a few years age
was a lively, thrifty place, is today
like house of mourning. We looked
the place over thoroughly, and should
judge that fully three-fourths of al
the places Of business were closed
Old-time residents acknowledged thai
the place is dead.
! Oakland, where business was brisk
n the better days, is upon the dead
list-a large hotel is closed; there were
even very few signs of life, and much
! less of business of every kind The
same is true of Orlando, Palatka, anf