Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1914-03-20

4 Iand u America. when the


heads out of the sea, appeared here
and there on the present Florida pen
insular. These clusters of islands are
known as the phosphate belt. They
were composed of silica, sea shells and
carbonate Of lime There were but lit
tie vegetation on them, for the soil had
no power of production. In the full
ness of time, following the revolution
airy period, millions of quadrupeds ac-
formulated on these deserts isles
Where they came from nobody knows
They deposited large amounts of bone
and excreta, enriching the soil and
stimulating plant life Thousands of
years passed, new islands grew out Of
the sea, adjacent land became cement
ed, and through these processes the
peninsula of Florida was added to the
continent.
Mr.. John H. WEIGH, who wrote most
entertaininkly on Florida, had in his
possession some years ago an ancient
coin, found several feet under the
ground by a negro laborer doing some
Iexcavatiing not far from st, Angus.
tine. No student of ancient, or mod
ern, coins ever was able to trace this
coin to it's origin. The conclusion was
that it had lain where found $4,000
years. Visitors to the Smithsonian In
stitution have noticed the petrifed re-
mains of a prehistoric horse taken
about 25 years ago from the Manatee
river. Bones of beasts and human be-
ings have been found in one heap, far
under the ground at a number of places
il the state, leading to the conclusion
that thousands of years ago man an
beast inhabited the peninsula and
were destroyed b. some mighty cata-
clysm. Conditions of these remains
warrants reputable scientist to figure
their ages from $4,000 to 100000 years.
Down at Silver Springs, Fla, there
is "boneyard" from which hundreds
of bones have been dug. The vertebraa
Of whales, as much as ninteen inches
i'll diameter, have been found there. In
pond nearby the petrified remains of
a sea monster nearly a hundred feet
long, are plainly seen. Sometimes this
wonderful formation sparkles like al
diamond in the sunlight. Scientists
believe that the midshipmite of the
depths of the ocean and this sea mon
ster are of the same species.
Both ancient and modern Florida
are wonderful The gradual evolution,
through the works of nature, of a sea
waste into the garden spot of America
forms a most wonderful story in geol-
ogy and topography. The traveller OF
today looks out of car window on
fields and gardens, green with vegeta-
ton and sparkling with flowers, and
wonders how it was that combina-
ton between man and nature accom-
pushed the change. He beholds these
wonderful Florida cities and towns,
aliye with modern energy and enter
prise shipping fruits and vegetables
to all parts of the country, and
scream of gold flowing back in ex-
change. He sees railroads and steam
ships carrying an immense tonnage of
freight between the Florida producer
and the foreign consumer. Florida is
the great fruit and vegetable basket of
the nation.
A Confederate reunion held under
and among such attractive environ
ments is something new and attract
i've. To visit these points of historic
interest and enjoy the hospitality Of
the people of Jacksonville, will be d
privilege that the veterans and their
friends can enjoy but once. In view
Of this fact, Jacksonville, and all Of
Florida, expects all reunion attend
ance records to be broken.