The National tribune., 1910-08-04
FATHER COLvIN's LETTER.
True Statement of Facts-Te!ls Of the
South. Its People, Temperature and
PrOducfs-Is Well Pleased With All.
(F'rOm the Oberlin (kan.) Times


st. Cloud. Fla. July Is. 1910.
ITO the Oberlin Times:
Thinking that a few lines from this
part of the United States might interest
your readers, l will write you of my i'm
pressions and experiences here. We
think this the finest climate on earth
and like it fully as well here in Summer
time as we did in the Winter. The tenn
peraiure ranges from 90 degrees to 100
degrees here, mostly standing around
IS degrees in daytime. The warmest
time of the day is from to Q. o'clock
in the morning. There has been but
one or two days that nice breeze from
the ocean or gulf did not spring up
about 8 a. m. and blow for the remain
der of the day. and it is always cool
and pleasant in the shade. We have
not had an uncomfortably warm night
this Summer.
We have few mosketos and flies
but are not troublesome if one has
door and window screens. / do not
think one can find one-half dozen flies
in our house any day. In fact, we
have not been troubled any worse with
these pests. if as bad. as we were in
Oberlin. This is new land and not but
little developed as yet, but there are
plenty of small garden plots that are
producing great crops of potatoes,
beans, peas. radishes, cucumbers,
squaShes, beets, melons, etc. / planted
one row 140 feet long of watermelons,
and have had more than a wagon load
or as fine melons as were ever eaten
from that row. / do not wish to con-
vey the idea that this is or ever will be
a farming country like Kansas.
1t is more adapted for fruit and gar
den trucking. A 10-acre farm is as
much as one man can handle with
proiit- L know of 10-acre tract which
is planted to orange and grapefruit
trees, in bearing, that the owner sold
fruit from last Winter for $3.50 on the
trees.
Such groves are held ait from $500
10 $1,000 per acre, but hundreds of
acres of the same duality Of land can
be bought at from $40 to S25 per acre.
Of course, some corn fields promise a
yield of 80 to 40 bushels per acre, but
the acreage is very limited
st. Cloud is still growing Two or
three or more good dwellings are being
started every week. There is some
sickness here this Summer but not SO
much as 1 really expected, not more
than there is usually in a town of this
size.
The great majority of the citizens of
st. Cloud are satisfied, contented and
happy. l am doing fairly well in my
office, doing pension and notary work.
VI course. this is a quiet time of the
year. our rainy season is on, buf it is
not at all unpleasant yet Rains nearly
every afternoon a nice shower or two
OF from one-half to two hours' dura-
ton, but never gets muddy. This is the
only country / ever lived in where the
more 1t rains the better the roads are.
Our dry season is during April and
May, Dut we have some showers during
those months. My wife saws: No more
Kansas w Hrnt
cold for me; Pll just stay in Florida. >
our health is fine ever since coming
here; are comfortably housed, and
think We will spend the balance Of our
days in st. Cloud. I have seen but two
or three live snakes in Florida. They
were blacksnakes and are harmless,
and all the alligators 1 have yeen are
those captured and brought in.
L think st. Cloud is located in the
most favored region Of Florida, every
thing taken into consideration. / have
felt the heat less this Summer than for
20 years.
There are myriads of fish In the
lakes and canals, which lie in every di-
rection from here-catfish, bass, trout,
perch and other varieties. Hardly
DAY passes that fishermen do not bring
IN Tor sale fish weighing from two to 25
and 80 pounds each. For game there
are bear mot plentiful), deer, duck.
quail, snipe and other kinds in abund-
ance by going few miles from town.
Pohtlos are warming up some now,
mostly of the Democratic variety, for
the reason that not many of us are yot-
ers. Prospects are good for election of
RepubIcan member of the I.egisla-
ture, owing to split in Democratic
ranks. Florida election laws, like those
of most of the other Southern States
seem to be framed for the elimination
OF the colored vote, and are pretty sue
cessful along that line. The large ma
Jority of the native element are pleas
ant and hOspisable people, and seem
anxious to accommodate the Northern
ers
Il have neighbor few blocks away
that served in the Confederate army
-FOUR years. and was on the other side
OF the breastworks from me at Frank
lin, Tenn. Another just across the fence
served two years and over; was wound
ed at Gettysburg and was afterward
captured at Fishers Hill, Va, and en-
listed in the Union army "a galvanized
ankee), and did garrison duty, and
went West among the Indians, and was
finally mustered out at Leavenworth
Kan. We all get along fine.
With best wishes for the good health
and general prosperity of all the old
friends and neighbors of Oberlin, and
of the Times family. / am.
very truly yours,
"H. D. Colvin."
ABUSING THE PRESIDENT.
A good cfnrv iu rauiual nf tto