West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-03-30
THE sunny SOUTH



my old Democratic friends, and Republican
as well. readers OF The ARGUS. might be in.
teresied In few lines from me while in the
Sunny South
Very few people have any adequate idea
oil Florida either as to its resources or its
healthfulness. have spent the winter
months principally in Marion. Orange and
Alachua counties. I find the people hospi.
table. kind. sociable. industrious aud eco.
nomicai. Orange county built a SIS oeo
court house. is out OF debt and never issued
a bond. Alachua county has one OF the
finest court houses to be found anywhere.
and the county out of debt. The tax levy
Tor county aud State purposes. including
schools and roads. is 40 mills. school term
eight months. assessed valuation OF prom.
erty is one-third OF its real value.
Located near the center OF the peninsula.
IN The latitude Of the best climate TO be
found is Alachua county. The land Is fer.
iiie' the county rich in resources. free from
snow and severe cold. devoid OF chilling
blasts. and offering every inducement TO
those who seek health and happiness The
county is about ago feet above sea level.
There are extensive yellow pine f,fests.
IL
tine farms and productive sandy soil
Many clear water lakes are to be found. in
winch very fine fish can be easily caught.
This county lies in the center OF the sea
Islands cotton belt. and more OF that vaIua-
BILE commodity is raised in this county than
In any other section Of the South. the mum.
Der OF bales being about 5000 and valued
at $4,000. The county seat is Gainesville
located on the Atlantic Coast Line. the
Seaboard Air Line aud Gainesville and
Ouli Railroads. and near to Alachua lake.
a large body OF fresh water The popula.
ton is about 5000. aud the city is beauti
fully located and well laid out, shaded
with magnificent large water oaks. There
are many lovely homes, with lawns shrub.
oefy and flowers beyond description. The
streets are lighted up with electricity by an
up'to'date plant The city owns its water
works, and is justly proud of her pure
wafer IL comes gushing out from under
large rock at the base OF hill about two
miles from the city. and is gathered Into
large well protected reservoir. from winch
the city is supplied There is no large
town In the United States that can furnish
superior drinking water than is found in
Gainesville-it is soft. pleasant and pure.
When we remember how important good
water Is TO the health Of a community. we
feel that Gainesville has much in this re.
spect to be proud Of
Orlando is the capital Of Orange county
and has population OF between 1000 TO
5000. This is a most delightful town. lust
two miles square aud has In aud around il
dozen beautiful lakes. surrounded by
magnificent homes. They have about one
hundred miles OF improved railroads, and
Orlando capnot be surpassed by any city in
the Union for driving. Orange county gives
special attention 10 oranges. grape fruit.
pine apples and trucking. Orlando has two
large packing houses that packed and
shipped eight cars of oranges and grape
trnlt daily. Orlando and Gainesville can.
not be surpassed anywhere for churches
and schools.
Gainesville possesses large and commo.
dious tabernacle for the use OF the National
Bible Conference and the Florida Chautau.
qua This building is very large with a
seating capacity OF 2.eoo or more. Here
assemblies each winter some OF the best
people OF the country to be edited by a
number Of the most prominent teachers and
preachers OF all denominations .from all
parts OF the United States. The Florida
Chautauqua also ,holds its annual sessions
in this building
spoke OF the economy Of the Southern
people. They don't believe in much hard
work. Tor the niger does the work in this
country. The colored people have their
places OF business-so have the whites
The whites deal with the colored and Tho
colored with the whites. and the colored
WORK Tor the whites. Other than that they
do not mix They do not stop at the same
notes nor sit in the same waiting rooms.
nor ride in the same railroad coach When
got to Richmond. Va. | saw they had
waiting rooms for the colored people and a
separate coach for them to ride in.
will give you a pointer on economy.
Gainesville has among her many industries
a chemical factory. This factory produces
or extracts from the yellow pine wood fl.
teen different articles. namely. turpentine
extract oil dryer for paint. liniment a
huid for spraying fruit trees. a disinfectant.
pure tar milk OF pine Tor washing and
Cleaning purposes crude oil. harness oil
iron black paint and roof paint. Also manu-.
facture gas that runs an air compressor
that does all their pumping from a well 400
feet deep aud sells the charcoal after II
has all the substance taken out for ten
cents bushel' which pays for the cord.
wood they use They have sixteen large
boilers that hold'one cord each and are
just like station boiler with FIRE box under
it. The boiler is closed up air light. then
hred Tor 50 hours. when the charcoal is re-.
moved Each Of these boilers produce from
s75 10 f73 worth Of marketable goods every
80 hours. They run day and night How is
this for economy think il just wonder.
iul, taking everything INTO consideration
being Democratic State This is not all
Down in Harrison county there arc FIVE
wells being bored for OIL
The farmers and truckers are doing
very profitable business Farming is car.
fied on 10 a scientific manner. and the re-
suit is large profits from the investments
The returns from one or two acres are fre.
qncntly so large as 20 appear almost fabu
lous. The climate Is such that man can
raise any number Of crops ia a year. The
cold weather does not stop his work or
profits. They raise oranges grape fruit
beaches, pears pIums. grapes. strawber.
rics lettuce, celery. cucumbers. egg plant.
cabbage beans. peppers. watermeions can.
ieloupes Irish potatoes. sweet potatoes
oats. corn and such like on colossal scale
Think Of it. we have down here a Preston
county boy w. r. Bishop. son Of Geo. W.
Bishop Of Albrights who has out 500 acres
Of canieloupes. besides watcrmelons. pea.
nuts beans onions and turnips 10 is con.
mon 20 see 100 20 $50 acres Of lettuce raised
under cover. goo TO 80 acres Of cabbage
&C. Ynl anrL nnnrna ntn 90 ,-.......--... L. IL