The Morning News

FROM MIDDLE FLORIDA

MONTICELLO-LE CONTE PEARS
MORE PROFITABLE THAN THE
ORANGE.

Immigration Movement - Jefferson's
Proposition-Fine
Farming-Tallahassee-Leon Hotel-Manager Ogles-
by and the Proposed Annex of Forty
Rooms-Gas Plant-Cotton Compress
-Real Estate Movements-The Plant
Extension--A Flattering Future -The
Ramie Plant-The Press-Political.

Among the picturesque towns of Middle
Florida Monticello holds a conspicuous position. The business part of the place is
perfectly level, but outside of the public
square the surface is undulating and even
hilly, while everywhere magnificent shade
trees lift their umbrageous heads, and verdant orchards of graceful pear stock greet
the vision. The promise of a large yield
of pears next summer is unprecedented.
The trees are laden with thrice the amount
of fruit the limbs can uphold, and if they
do not cast much of it, the surplus must be
threshed off.

After diligent inquiry I
learn that the apprehensions of
BLIGHT
are groundless.
Where the trees have
"died back" or failed to thrive, it has been
owing to neglect, and slovenly cultivation.
Indeed, according to the testimony of Rev.
T. W. Moore, who is the owner of an extensive orange grove in South Florida, and
a pear orchard also in this vicinity, and
many others, pear culture is the more
profitable and certain source of revenue.
Peradventure, should the market be
gluted with green fruit which seldom happens, they can be evaporated, and in that
state sell readily at 20c. per pound. The
expense of raising and keeping up an
orange grove also is much heavier, and the
pear is exempt from the numerous insects
which play havoc with the former, nor is
it ever destroyed by frost.
Monticello has been visited by
CROWDS OF TOURISTS
this season. Mr. Partridge, the proprietor
of the most popular hotel in the town
(where I was very agreeably entertained)
says his house has been full ever since December. The Madison Hotel too has been
liberally patronized, as well as the private
boarding places. Among the latter, the
Scott House is particularly desirable from
its fine location and elegant accommodations.
Real estate here is appreciating rapidly
and sales are almost of daily occurrence.
But the great want of the country is the
capital of the opulent North, and an influx
of sturdy immigrants and skilled labor
from Europe. With this object in view
E. B. BAILEY.
a special Agent of the Emigration Association of Florida. was sent to confer with the
railway magnates and steamship lines of
the North and East and secure, if possible,
low passage on shipboard. and reduced rail.
road fares for all who can be induced to
come to Florida and build up homes for
themselves in this region. Unfortunately
the attempt was made too late in the season. but Mr. Bailey. who is a son of the late
Gen. Bailey, and himself a large land
owner, was assured that all that was asked
for would be granted next fall.
THE RAILROAD SITUATION.
It is now almost reduced to a certainty
that Monticello will soon be connected with
the Savannah, Florida and Western railroad.
Jefferson county has offered to donate in
cash or its equivalent in land over $18.000
also to guarantee the right of way from
the Georgia Line to Monticello, and furnish
a suitable depot site to the company. The
Savannah, Florida and Western to build,
equip, operate and own the branch line.
This proposition was submitted in due
form to the Board of Directors, by whom
it is understood, the whole matter was referred to President Plant for his decision.
At this writing, nothing definite is known
as to the result. That the connection will be
made in the near future, however, is the
general belief.
THE TOWN IMPROVING.
Several new stores have been opened recently in Monticello, and a handsome
Methodist church is about to be constructed at a cost of $6,000. A furniture factory
will also be in operation shortly, The recent cold snap, albeit ice was seen for three
successive mornings, did but little damage
to the early vegetables, owing to the prevalence of high winds which prevented the
formation of hoar frost with its blighting
touch.
GOOD FARMING.
Mr. T. B. Simkins, who resides here,
gathered 17 heavy bales of cotton from 15
acres, one of which of superior staple and
excellence, may be seen at the Sub-Tropical
Exposition. The same individual harvested
150 bales from a fifteen-mule plantation.
THE PARADISE OF SPORTSMEN
A regular sporting club has been organized in Monticello, and on one of their recent hunts 406 birds were bagged. A single member, Mr. Simkins, brought down as
many as 66, and then the next day in a
trial of skill at shooting clay pigeons his
hits were few and far between. This was
doubtless because the game was not good
to eat. After the hunt the whole party, including a number of amateur tourists, partook of a sumptuous dinner at the Partridge
House.
The large hotel at Monticello still remains
unfinished and in statu quo. What a
bonanza the proprietors would have enjoyed the present season had it been opened
to the public.
I must beg the reader to hasten with me
now to Florida's ancient capital,
BEAUTIFUL TALLAHASSEE.
Here, if lucky enough to secure a room at
the Leon Hotel. he will be lodged, fed and
cared for fully as well as at the St. James,
Everett or Windsor in Jacksonville. The
only difference is in the size of the respective structures. So far as relates to the
cooking, bill of fare, beds and personal attention of the servants and waiters, the
Leon cannot be excelled.
Mr. L. Oglesby, the manager, is one of
the most courteous and popular hotel men
in the South, and is ably assisted in the office by D. W. Sweetland, of Chicago, the
polite cashier and room clerk.
The public will be pleased to learn that
that Mr. Oglesby will continue at the helm
next fall, and extensive and elegant additions to his hotel have been decided upon.
These in part, will embrace an annex of
FORTY BEDROOMS
with clothes press in each, and fifteen of
them provided with baths.
The dining room too will be enlarged to
110 feet by 50. and the kitchen 74 feet by
47, outside of store room and other appurtenances. The halls, parlors, reading room
and all the new bed chambers are to be
heated by steam. This will place the Leon
in the front rank among Southern hotels.
The rush of Northern visitors and invalids this season to Tallahassee is without
precedent Hundreds have been turned
away from the Leon and St. James hotel,
and the numerous private boarding houses
too have been well patronized. Among the
latter the Brokaw House is the most fashionable, and is first-class in every respect.
Here the
COUNTESS DE VEAUX
from France, and her two daughters are
stopping, and are said to be charming people.The Countess was a Miss Dillon of St.
Louis.
In this connection it is but proper to say
that the well-known St. James Hotel, kept
by Mr. Lamb. is also to be materially enlarged.
But the citizens realize that with the future outlook, even the above increased hotel
accommodations will be utterly inadequate
to entertain the crowd that may with certainty be expected here next winter.
Arrangements are being made accordingly for
the erection of another and much larger hotel to meet the wants of visitors from
abroad during the next season.
It is said that a
CHICAGO SYNDICATE
of capitalists composed of Messrs. Merriam,
Thompson, Fielding and Henry, wholesale
merchants and manufacturers, are negotiating for the construction of a new hotel to
cost $100,000. The site sought for is a portion of the "Long addition" to the city,
formerly the property of Gen. Call, and
now occupied by his daughter, Mrs. Ella
Call Long.
In other respects also, old Tallahassee is
fast emerging from the syncope of long
years, and is
FAIRLY BOOMING
A gas plant will soon be completed costing
$50,000, and measures have been taken and
the machinery already ordered for a cotton
compress to be put up in June. and $30,000
raised for that purpose.
Another healthy indication is the steady
increase in the value of real estate, and the
numerous transfers that are reported from
day to day at satisfactory figures. Several
wealthy Northern gentlemen have made investments and will improve them handsomely. The unsightly old jail in rear of
the Leon Hotel has been sold for $3,700. and
will be taken down immediately and
CONSERVATORIES AND GREENHOUSES
erected upon the site to raise flowers and
plants for market. This will be a very
pleasant improvement to that part of the
city.
RAILROADS,
At present the projected extension of the
Savannah, Florida and Western railroad
from Thomasville to Tallahassee appears
to be at a standstill. and some of the citizens are becoming disheartened at the dull
prospects of its completion. But the writer
is quite certain that their apprehensions in
the premises are premature and groundless.
I have good reason for saying that Mr.
Plant has not abandoned the Tallahassee and
Monticello connections, and that if the people of Middle Florida who are directly interested will continue to exert themselves
and do all in their power to promote the
work, Mr. Plant will meet them more than
half way. Indeed, it is not too much to assert
that there is every reasonable prospect that
both branches will be completed and in
successful operation ere a twelve month
elapses.
The Carrabelle, Tallahassee and
THOMASVILLE RAILROAD
From a source which does not admit of the
smallest doubt, I am prepared to say
that this enterprise is rapidly crystallizing
with every
assurance of being crowned
with success.
Mr. Henry A. Blake, a lawyer and capitalist of New York, with ample means at
his back has the work in charge. Under
terms of the charter the road must be completed in one year from this date. But
there is the most positive assurance that it
will be finished sooner, say in eight months.
The road was incorporated under the general law, then recognized by a special act
of the Legislature and a donation of 15,000
acres of land per mile voted under certain
conditions to the corporators and owners.
TEN MILES
have already been completed from Carrabelle to Ocklockonee river, and laid with
heavy steel rails. This embraces the most
expensive portion of the whole route
About 300 hands are kept constantly at
work upon it. There will be no difficulty
as to the right of way, much of the line
running through the lands of the company,
and the right of way for the remainder
having been virtually secured the entire
distance from Carabelle to Thomasville.
The company has two sawmills in operation near the Gulf, which cut an average of
7,500 feet of lumber per diem. Thus they
can furnish their own material for bridges,
trestles, depot buildings, etc. Vessels drawing 20 feet of water can load at Dog Island
Harbor not far from Carabelle. The very land
donated to the company when sold will much
more than defray the entire cost of the
road. Mr. D. L. Walker, Jr., a son of the
ex-Governor. is the attorney of the company.
It will thus be seen that the railroad prospects of Tallahassee are far from discouraging, and that ere long Florida's lovely capital will become not only a favorite resort of
the invalid and tourist, but a busy commercial center. She has always been the
home of a refined and cultivated society
which cannot be surpassed in the Union.
ANOTHER PROMISING INDUSTRY
is the raising of the ramie plant. This is
no longer an experiment.
Five thousand
plants are already in cultivation and thriving finely, and the soil seems peculiarly
adapted to its successful and abundant production. It may not be amiss to state, that
arrangements are on foot for the purchase
of the necessary machinery to utilize and
manufacture the raw material into the fabrics of commerce. If all that is expected
of this new addition to the staple products
of Middle Florida comes to pass, this will
prove to be one of the best agricultural sections in the South.
With tobacco, sugar cane, rice, both long
and short staple cotton, the cereals, ramie.
and last but not least the Le Conte pear, all
growing luxuriantly side by side (to say
nothing of its delightful climate), what
more favored region can be found in the
broad expanse of the Union!
THE PRESS.
The sterling and time-honored Floridian,
and its younger contemporary, the Tallahasseean, seem both to be holding their own.
It is a matter of regret, however, that they
continue to pour hot shot into each other.
SABBATH EXERCISES.
I passed a Sabbath in Tallahassee and enjoyed the privilege of listening to two
deeply interesting discourses in the Presbyterian pulpit by Rev. N. M. Long, of Memphis, Ten. His word painting was magnificent, while at the same time the popular
vices of the times were denounced in scathing terms.
I noticed among those present Gov. Perry
and many of the leading citizens.
POLITICAL.
There is every indication of an animated
contest for Governor in Florida this year
with quite a number of aspirants in the
field, though not formally announced. It is
generally conceded, however, that if Gov.
Bloxham will allow the use of his name, he
will have a "walkover." But it is not
known that he will consent to run. It is
extremely doubtful whether Mr. Call will
be his own successor in the United States
Senate. Several other names are mentioned in connection with that high office,
but all will abide the action of the State
Democratic Convention.
On the Presidential question there is entire and enthusiastic unanimity in behalf of
Cleveland and tariff reform. Finis.
H. H. J.
The Viceroy of India's Salary.
From the London Truth.
The papers, in announcing Lord Lansdowne's appointment as Viceroy of India,
state that the salary of that post is £20.
000 a year. This is the nominal amount,
but as the Viceroy is paid in silver, and the
value of the rupee is considerably depreciated, the salary is now really not more
than £13,000-a sum which does not cover
the expenses, if the entertaining be well
done and the household properly maintained. An effort was made in very high
quarters to obtain the appointment for
Lord Lorne, but Lord Salisbury firmly
resisted the sinister suggestion, and probably it was not very eagerly pressed when
full particulars of the emolument were
forthcoming.
Lost.—"I don't know where, I can't tell
when, I don't see how—something of great
value to me, and for the return of which I
shall be truly thankful, viz.: a good appetite."
Found.-"Health and strength, pure
blood, an appetite like that of a wolf, regular digestion-all by taking that popular
and peculiar medicine, Hood's Sarsaparilla.
I want everybody to try it this season." It
is sold by all druggists. One hundred doses
one dollar.