Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-03-20
SOMETHING MORE THAN ASHES
AND osTRIcHEs IN FLORIDA

ANU 70 INVITES IiN GONAh1fN
Aweary of Atlanta activities. what could
be more natural or delightful than to pack
my grip. repair to the "car-shed" and fol-
low the crowd?
For the superficial observer Jacksonville
seems to possess but two attractions OF
unusual interest, viz; Ashes and ostrich
es The burned district is still pointed OUT
to visitors. The crumbled walls, and griT-
chimneys standing lone and sullen, are
the tombstones for narratives OF the
fear and folly, the strife and strain, the
bravery and benefactions, occasioned by
the confederation last May, which in rev
hours consumed some 200 buildings IN
the very heart of the city, and involved
loss of about $15,0O0,00O
A new city is being rapidly constructed.
The people seem to be large of purpose
and purse. of plan and endeavor. on the
streets made desolate by the tre hend the
number of buildings already completed,
and in. process of erection reaches z,VOO
and their value and attractiveness surpass
those that went out in flame and smoke;
So cometh to pass Beauty from ashes.
=
AS for the ostrich farm, 1t is a good
place at which to make call. II mas
more novelty than our Grant Park ZOO
and better financial results.
You can't get away from the farm ana
its nearly one hundred giant birds with
out having a great deal of information
thrust upon YOU. Facts about Ostriches
are printed in leaflets and on cards, paint
ed on the fence boards, about the build
ings, and come like a tide from the lips
of the guide who shows you about
You learn that the ostrich is first pluck
ed at nine months, and thereafter every
nine months as long as they live; that the
age of an ostrich is so, 90 ana even ~
years; that the value of his feathers IS
at each plucking, from $50 to $50; that the
eggs weigh about four pounds each, sell
for one dollar piece, and are GOOD 10 eat
IF YOU like them; that ostrfches do not
hide their heads in the sand when being
pursued, nor lay their eggs to be hatched
out by the sun while they loiter around In
idIeness; that it takes six weeks to hatch
out a brood of young ones, and both par
ents are interested in the process, the fe-
male covering the nest by day, ana the
male by night; that one incubator is worth
more for Matching purposes than nan
dozen natural mothers and fathers, ana
is used for the most part; and last put
not least that an ostrich never falls IN
love hut once, and when he does he is
faithful unto death to his chosen mate
avoiding all others, and never under any
circumstances sdoes he seek the divorce
court
One thing I learned CD against which
the careful ostrich student should De
warned. namely. that this ostrich farm
at Jacksonville is the only one IN the
United States
Further travel into the heart of this
state of flowers brought the information
from a fr end who had been there that
the "only'' ostrich farm in the country
is at Palm Beach Later fellow traveller
was heard to remark that he enjoyed
call at an ostrich farm last week at HOT
Springs, Ark, the only one in America.
He was at once corrected by listener,
who informed him that long estaDlisheo
ostrich plantation existed in California
and was said by the people there to be
the only one of the Kind in the world
where those priced feather producers are
artihcially cultivated .
y Thus'iit appears that ostrich establish
ments are as often met with as were the
skulls of Daniel o. Cornell in the museum
visited by Mark Twain.
It all illustrates the provincialism OF
many mans religion-I spell 1t with
small ''r" One says Salvation Is Dy
faith only and l possess it.. Another.
salvation is by service only and 1 serve.
Another, Salvation is for the elect only
and 1 belong to that party. Another
Salvation comes by baptismal regenera-
ton only, and I've had the experience.
Beware of only" Omit it from the
above statements and they may all be
true With it they are all false. There
is more than one ostrich farm In the coun-
try which is supplying feathers for the
market.
A recent Jacksonville paper shows that
that growing city is noted for thirty-two
important features which I have not men
toned. One is that Jacksonville is cooler
in summer than most northern cities.
Probably the man who wrote that famil-
lar fiction is saving up money with which
TO defray his expenses to the north TOT
July and August.
WILLIAM H. McGBAUFLIN.
St. Augustine, Fla.