The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1906-03-01
LETTER FROM FLORIDA.
Correspondence of the Journal

PALM BEACH, FLA, Feb. 26, 1906. AS
some of our Belfast friends are at Mi
ami a word or two more concerning
that city will be in order. Miami has
one of the best public schools in the
State, embracing both the common and
high school courses. The buildings are
large and well ventilated, aud there is
a competent corps of teachers. A Cath
Ollie convent, second to none in the
State, is in full operation, giving in
struction to both sexes. There are
| also private schools, musical conser-
vatory and art school, SO that every
educational need may be supplied.
There are about thirty fourishing
schools in the county. Every religious
denomination is represented, and the
| following have handsome church build
ings Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Cath
Ole, NJ. E. Church, NJ. E. Church
South, and Baptist.
The fruits cultivated, which are chiefly
grapef fruit, oranges, pineapples, qua
vas, mangoes, avocado pears and lines,
are largely produced, and being indi-
genous to the country they thrive with
little or no cultivation. Citrus trees
will require from three to five years
after planting to produce fruit. Pine
apples which grow on a plant some
what resembling the cactus, and which
are propagated by setting slips or suck
erS, bear fruit III Is months after plant
! ing. In this section they are grown in
the open, there being 10 necessity for
protection from cold, and there is thus
a saving of about $500 an acre, which is
the cost of shedding farther north.
There are ten to twelve thousand
plants to the acre, and the fruit brings
in the neighborhood of from 80 cents a
dozen for Red Spanish to % cents a
piece for Porto Ricos. The percentage
of plants fruiting depends upon the
care and judgment exercised in their
culture, some growers having succeed
ed in securing fruit from 90 per cent. of
the plants in their pineries
On my way to lunch to-day | noticed
number of Seminole Indians, who are
frequent visitors to this city, and array
ed in their gay toggery are picturesque
objects. Only remnant of the great
Seminole Indian tribe is now to be
found in Florida. They are principally
located in Dade county, not far from
Lake Worth in the Everglades, and in
Big Cypress Swamp, and number about
1000. They are shy and suspicious of
the whites naturally, and but few per
sons have won their confidence.
For many years after Osceola's cap
ture the Indians regarded the white
man with bitter hatred, and their re-
fusal to leave this State for the West
ern reservation furnished by the United
States government augmented the
mutual i'll feeling between the two fac
tions. They have steadfastly refused
to leave Florida, and have kept their
home in the dismal Businesses of swamp
and creek, living on fish, game and
wild fruits, supplemented by pumpkins,
peas corn and potatoes raised 10y them
, however, they have somewhat over
come their bitter feelings, as shown by
frequent trading journeys of the young
er Indians to coast towns of both the
east and west parts of Florida. They
bring in game. including venison, ter
rapin, feathers, skins and gophers, for
| which they get clothing, cheap watches,
beads and cloth.
Efforts are being made to teach the
Seminoles useful arts, and in this the
agents have succeeded to certain ex-
tent. The women now sew on ma
chimes, and are beginning to use conven-
tional cooking utensils, while the men
are learning the use of ordinary farm
tools. But they oppose all efforts to
teach them English, or to instruct
them in the Christian religion. The
religion of the Seminoles has never
been known to the whites All that is
known is that the Great Spirit lives
above the clouds in the happy hunting
grounds, and that the evil spirit roams
the world to the undoing of all peoples.
The green corn dance of July is their
Thanksgiving Day, and they have a
ball game closely resembling our ma
tiOnal game.
The Seminole, as he exists in Flori-
da to-day,is by far the best specimen in
every respect of his race extant, the
best physically, morally, mentally and
socially. ORRIN j. DICKEY.