The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-14
FLORIDA NEGROES FA,IsHED.
Low Prices For Crops Causes Great
Distress Among Them


Gainesville. Fla. March 12.-Never be-
fore in the history Of this state have The
colored people been in such destitute cir
cumstances. The Savannah Morning
News correspondent has been at work
for nearly two weeks investigating the
condition of affairs among the colored
population. The result of the investiga-
ton is appalling. Hundreds and nearly
thousands of families are destitute, not
only of food. but of clothing, and while
they are endeavoring to plant corn and
cotton as heretofore, they do not know
what great suffering may oYertake them
between now and next fall, when their
crops will be ready for harvest
Inc conditions with which they have
mad to deal during the past year nave
been very adverse and discouraging. In
the hrSt place, cotton sold so cheap this
year that the grower hartIly received
enough money to buy his family food
while the crop was being picked and mar
keted. None of them succeeded in put
ting their customary mite away to help
them while making another crop. In
1896 cotton sold so well as to greatly
encourage the negro planter, and the
past year he planted more heavily of cot
ton and neglected his corn crop. The
not even any corn on hand.
Many colored men have been employed
every year on the large vegetable farms in
this vicinity. This year cabbage is not
paying for the fertilizer and the farmers
have been compelled to discharge over
two-thirds of their help to retreneh, This
has worked a great injury to many color
ed people, whose sole dependence was
what little money could be obtained from
the farmers during the spring and sum
mer.
The only means of sustenance the color
ed people as a whole will have during this
summer, is the Spanish moss industry and
many tons are being brought to Gaines
Vile. This is selling for IS to 50 cents per
hundred, and man can easily make 50
cents per day gathering it. The market
Tor moss, however, is not active, and it
is feared that the buyers here will have to
close down. For the past several days
Prof Carraway, the hypnotist and mind
reader, has been in the city, and has Gre
ated much of a sensation. One of his
feats was keeping a woman in his power
Tor Iorty-eight hours, during which time
she was fast asleep in one of the show
windows of Stringfellow & Cos. store
during that time thousands witnessed the
sleep. Yesterday letter was received here
from Mrs. Lyner of Barlow, inquiring for
her son, who though, but IA years of age.
Is Following Prof. Carraway. The woman
fears that there is foul play The bow
says that he is being paid
a salary for a weeks engagement. and
that he will return home in a few DAYS
He seems to bent upon following the
hypnotist but whether it is the result of
boys infatuation for travel or the pow
er the man has over him he will not say.
Prof. Carraway says that he will send him
nome from Palatka tonight If he fails
to do so there may be trouble.
The Chattanooga foundry and pipe
works has entered suit in the county
court in this county against the city of
Gainesville for debt Of $3S3.O1 contracted
about three years ago. The amount of
the damages mentioned in the declara-
ton is $500