The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-07

ten or twelve thousand dollars clear every
year, after this stage of production has
been reached. These gentlemen, l was
told, have another grove of one thousand
three-elght hundred bearing, about fiji
teen acres IN the grove, making In all fif-
ty-five acres and about four thousand
trees. 1t these trees shall obtain an av-
erage OF three boxes to the tree, which
10 very reasonable. you see it means
twelve thousand boxes, and that can't
mean less than twenty thousand dollars a
year, or production of nearly four
hundred dollars per acre. If you ask me
about the health of this country, / can
only say it is fine. Artesian wells are
used, and the water is good and pure.
From Sarasota to Manatee and Braid
entown. These little twin cities only two
miles apart, both lie on the beautiful
Manatee river, one of the prettiest sheets
| of water to be found anywhere.
Almost Immediately on my arrival was
taken in charge by Mr.. A. e. Stebbins,
who proved himself the embodiment of
kindness and courtesy. Mr.. Stebbins is
one OF Manatees' leading citizens and takes
great pride in his beautiful little city.
He spares no time or pains in showing
you his community and telling its history
and great possibilities.
Thank you, brother, for your unbound
ed kindness.
Braidentown is the county seat of
Manatee county, and has all the push and
energy Of little city, intensely alive and
progressive.
Manatee has within its corporate limits
the Seaboard Air Line depot The com
ing OF this progressive road into her Dor
ders has awakened the town as nothing
else in all her history, and she is pushing
to the front in every enterprise.
This is undoubtedly one of the finest
countries in all of the South. On both
sides of the river there are thousands Of
acres of the finest lands in the world
the natural home Of the orange and all
tropical fruits. 1t is a sight that one
can never forget as he drives through
these beautiful orange groves that are to
be found IN every direction. One could
not attempt to make mention of all.
On the morning OF May the 10th, Mr..
Brown, OF the Atwood Grape Fruit Com
pany, took me on his little naptha launch
across the river. AS we stepped upop
the wharf of this company's large and
commodlous packing house and Offices
one could see at once that il was a Of
gantlc enterprise. Stretched out from the
rivers edge IN one vast plain of two hun
dred and twenty acres with twenty-five
thousand grape fruit trees, all kept like
flower garden, thing of beauty. yes.
indeed, indescEbably beautiful. These
trees are all comparatively young. It
means a mint of money to project and
carry out such an enterprise. The land
IN It's original state costs from seventy
five to one hundred donars per acre. and
from forty-hye to seventy-fiVe per acre to
clear the same; then comes the setting
and caring for the trees This NAV
look like burying money by the busheI
but when we look five or ten years in the
future, there is good hope of gathering
from these trees, from sixty to one hun
dred thousand boxes of grape fruit annu-
ally, worth from two to four hundred
thousand dollars, the picture is changed
l was told of another grove out some
miles from Manatee, even larger than this
IN acreage, having more than three hun
dred acres IN orange and grape fruit
trees OF course these are the large
groves, where immense capital has been
invested. There are scores of groves all
oye1 this country ranging from one to
five. ten acres and upwards We find
plenty OF orange trees all over this Mana
tee country from twenty to thirty years
old, and possibly much older, and they
are as fine. healthy trees as ever grew.
want to mention one grape fruit tree
which stands in the yard of the old
Manatee hotel property, recently bought
by Mr.. S. F. Perkins, OF Alabama. This
tree Is supposed to be more than sixty
years old, and is today as fine specimen
as one ever saw-perfectly healthy and
vigorous. Year before last this one tree
produced thirty-six boxes Of grape fruit,
and this was sold for one hundred and
sixty-two dollars. The tree paid that
year the interest on nor. Ian twenty
five hundred dollars at six per cent This
tree alone is worth more than one thou
sand dollars, and take the chances for
short crops. / had the pleasure of gath
ering one grape fruit from this historic
old tree, that possibly stands within fifty
feet of the first settlement made upon
the Manatee river, when the Indians
roamed through all this great country.
Just in front OF the hotel stands the
Oiu Ccudl, tHdI no uOuDI HAS long
since passed its century mile-post. 1t is
spoken of as an old Indian fort, for from
It's strong arms the hostile tribes watched
each other in any attempt to invade their
territory; this is a beautiful and historic
old place. Mr. Perkins says he is going
to make it one of the most famous winter
resorts In Florida. 1t is his purpose to
remodel the hotel and add some forty
rooms, so as to entertain those who are
loking for the land of perpetual spring"
One of the most interesting places is
the old "Braiden Castle now in ruins.
situated little east of Manatee at the
junction of Manatee river and Braiden
Greek. 1t was a substantial two-story
eight room house, with large halls run
ming through the centre, with a cupola
on lookout house on the top. In one
of the boards of this lookout house is to
be seen a small hole said to have been
shot there by the Indians in 1855 or 1856,
when they made an attack upon the place
After fierce battle the Indians We're
driven away, but carrying with them a
number of negroes and mules. They were
pursued and overtaken at Peace Creek,
tyhapa q Vn1trnho7- Of fhaTn were killnd -