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All letters should be addressed to
J. 11. BSTIU., Savannah, Oa.
A Soul hern W*r Secret KeveaML
As lias already been announced, Hon. A.
H. H. Htuart and J. N. Opie, of Angosta
county,Va ,are rivalcandidates for theLeg
ixlature of that State, and made speeches
at a political meeting held in Staunton
recently. A correspondent of. the Rich*
moud I>i*]*itrh says that, among some
personal reminiscences related by Mr.
Htuart in his speech, was one connected
with the peace negotiations of the late
Confederacy that has never lieen made
public. He read a note from 1 on. Judah
P. Benjamin, dated March 25 }864, ask
ing him to come to Itichmonßfor an in
terview with President l‘n"in fftinrinw.
the subject of which waa
to l>c committed to paper. Ho went,
and waa informed by Pn & cut Da
"-“Jfljfc/. ** %
a secret service fund of $.",000,000 is
gold, to be used in (treating a peace senti
ment at the North. After looking over
the whole oountry, the '‘President’’ had
selected Mr. Htuart as the man for the
misaion. He was to sail for Nassau, and
thence for Halifax, and there, from the
border of Canada, could operate cn prom
inent men. The fund of $3,000,000 was
to be at bia absolute disposal, and he was
not to bo required to furnish vouchers
for its disbursement. Mr. Htuart de
dined the tender, and C. C. Clay, of Ala
bama, and two other gentlemen were ap
pointed. The Greeley correspondence
aud the “To whom it may concern” of
President Lincoln followed this mission.
To illustrate how the government is
swindled iu the payment of pensions,
one instance is furnished by Judge Burn
ham, the Assistant Hecretary of the Treas
ury. It appears that in 1872, a merchant
doing business in Richmond, Ky., had
occasion to dig a cellar for the purpose of
enlarging his business premises. One
night a resident pf A neighboring village
fell into it. He alleges that he broke his
arm and was paraly/.ed in the right side,
as the result of the fall. Buit was entered
for SIO,OOO, and judgment given the suf
ferer iu the sum of $4,600. Hubsequent
ly tho merchant ascertained that the in
jured man was a pensioner upon the.gov
inent. Inquiry ut the Pension Office de
veloped tho fact that he was and had been
sinoe 1860. The strangest pnrt of tho
story is, that he was pensioned for the
identical injuries in 1860, which he claims
were sustained by him in 1870 by the fall
into the cellar. It is clear that either the
court was bamboozled or the government
was.
Tins Okntbnnial Bonanza. The
horse-car men, like nil other classes of
the citizens of Philadelphia, from tho
hotel keepers to the hoot-blacks,are anti
oipating a rich harvest from tho crowds
of sight seers who are expected to visit
their big Centennial jamboree next sum -
mer. The papers nro full of “notes of
busy preparation.” It is announced that
six lines of Philadelphia street cars —the
Gheanut aud Walnut, Market street,
Arch, Race and Vine, Fourth and Eighth,
Hpruoe aud Pine, Lombard and Houth—
whoso routes pass through the centro of
the city, will cross the Bohuylkill, and
run direct to the Centennial Exhibition
grounds. The capacity of these cars
will be hourly as follows: Seated, 8,800,
crowded Hi, ooo, aud paoked, as they
usually are on pleasure days, 24,000,
New and handsome cars will be built.
The fare to and from the larger part of
the city, twelve aud a half cents, and
from the more distnut sections twenty
live cents.
The people of South Carolina are de
manding the organization of the Demo
cratic party. The State committee aud
the county committees are at work, and
ou every hand Democratic clubs, com
posed of young men, are in process of
formation. Says the Columbia fier/inter:
“The culmination of outrage and wrong
in the judicial election, aud the terrible
prospect which it opens to tho view of
all, have intensified the public feeling.
At last men realize that tho State is both
ruined and disgraced, and that honeyed
words of conciliation and compromise are
no longer fit to be taken ou their lips. At
last they see that ail is lost unless they
bestir themselves and put down the cor
ruption which is gnawing at the vitals of
the State. Thauk heaven.”
Nv.n national. —The WaNliiugtou cor
respondent of the New York Herald says
that among the Democrats of the House
a determined effort is to be made to force
the passage of a bill thrusting both Sher
man and Sheridan, two of the three Ma
jor Generals -llaucock, Schofield and
McDowell and three of the Brigadier
Generals from tho army and consiguing
them to civil life, with perhaps, one
year’* salary to begin the business of
life upon.
Thecorrespondent of the Herald doubt
less knows whereof he is speaking, but
he foils to give the publio his authority
That such a politic movement, just at this
time, has beeu determined on by the
Democrats of the House will be news to
them as well as to the country.
The Ooukliug faction in New York have
chauged their tactics once more. They
started out with a plan for a pledged
delegation to tLe National Convention,
without mentioning any particular candi
date. That didn't work at all as they had
hoped. Then they boldly demanded a
delegation pledged to him. This propo
sition received more opposition than the
first. Now they have dropped both and
are begging for a delegation favorable to
the Senator, without being pledged to
him. Their anxiety to have a Conkltng
delegation of some sort givee weight to
the ifhspiciou th it such a delegation would
l>e only a third term move in disguise.
A Thought pob Our Centennial
Gushers.— Donu Piatt is in a retrospec
tive mood. He says: “In skipping the
parenthesis between to-day and a hun
dred years ago the mind naturally lakes
to contrasts, and the most striking one is
afforded by comparing Sumter and Moul
trie in the field and Moses and Whipper
on the bench. The Huguenots then set
tled secure from religious persecution in
South Carolina, and their descendants are
now oppressed by iguorance and corrup
tion. Let the whole country glorify the
hundredth year, whose progressiveness
presents such a picture. ”
'fmitnb ItteMi pens.
’ ' ”
.T. 11. EbTM’L,. PROPRIETOR,
The “No Gauge” Rallwaj-A Revolu
tion in Transportation.
Wo have received a pamphlet of
twenty-two pages, entitled “The Cost of
Railroad Construction and Railroad
Transportation. Broad Gange, Narrow
Gauge, and No Gauge, or Single Rail
Railway. A New Departure Proposed,
and the Reasons Why.” By John Weut
oott, Civil Engineer, Tocoi, Florida.
This pamphlet is upon a very impor
tant subject, and can but attract general
attention. The principal object of the
essay, it seems, is to show that the standard
railroads in the United States, on account
of their extraordinary cost, and the large
proportion of gross earnings absolutely
necessary to defray the annual expense
for maintenance of way, are now carry
ing freights as low, if not really lower,
than can be afforded, and provide for tbe
interest on bonds and pay dividends on
stock, on the large amount of money they
cot; *nd that for the benefit of agricul
ture and commerce some cheaper mode
of rapid transit is required— something
that will pay interest and dividends and
answer all the urgent <im#nJ a for
The author ably set* forth a seemingly
irresistible argument in favor of a single
rail, or no gauge railway, and seems to
fully sustain his established reputation,
not only as a civil engineer, but as an
industrious collector of facts, as well as a
fortified an<! forcible writer. _
With that class of producers and
mercial men who take a deep interest in
“cheaper transportation,” this new de
parture must of necessity be popular.
To the capitalist whose railroad bonds
are annually shrinking in value, the sue -
cess of this new departure can but be
pleasing. With railroad stockholders
whoso stock is only valuable for others to
control the management, and whose ex
penditure seemed irretrievably gone,
never to be recovered as a paying invest
ment, this pamphlet of facts and argu
ments, founded ou substantial evidence,
can but be highly prized.
The cry of despair which conies from
the overburdened West; the demand for
cheaper food from the working classes,
“the operatives,” of tho East,and cheaper
transportation from the cotton, sugar and
tobacco producers of tho South, and tbe
rapid falling off of our principal articles
of export, all indicate the imperative
necessity for a cheaper means of getting
our surplus agricultural productions to a
market.
If this new departure in railroad build
ing is half that is cAiined for it, it should
be immediately adopted, especially by
the non-paying railroads, whose name is
legion. If this new departure in rail
roads, should prove to be a success, and
there seems to be no reason why it will
not, it at once assures our im
perilled position in the markets of the
world for our surplus grain crops and
restores confidence in our railroad bonds
and stocks, thus stimulating our indus
tries to a further development of our un
equulled resources.
The adoption of the single rail railway
as proposed, it is said, will make a saving
of freight in grain movement alone of at
least sixty thousand dollars to the produ
cers. A condition of things equally un
satisfactory in relation to freights exists
in regard to our chief article of export,
cotton. “Every cent unnecessarily added
to the cost of transportation, is to that
extent a protection to the cotton planter* of
India , against the cotton growers of the
South.”
It is said there are several patents for
single rail railways, but none of them save
any expense for maintenance of way, and
but little if any for construction. They are
radically different from that now pre
sented, which is highly recommended by
well-known and competent railroad men
and engineers, on accouut of its simplic
ity, great strength, safety and cheapness,
and when once constructed requiring but
a small sum per annum for maintenance of
way, a matter of great importance.
Without further comment, we make
the following extract from the pamphlet:
A single rail roadway, however, can bo
constructed and equipped for less than
one-quarter the amount for constructing
and equipping a standard road, and can
be operated as cheap, if not cheaper, and
nearly the whole amount that is now paid
for maintaiuance of way saved. The
maiutainauce of way, that is the keeping
the road up and in good runniug order at
all times, is a very important item of ex
pense on all roads, ranging all the way
from $2,500 to SSOO per mile per annum.
Taking the average for all the roads in
the United States, it would probably
reach not lessthau eight hundred dollars
per mile per annum. With a road two
hundred and fifty miles long, the main
tainauoe of way would not be less than
two hundred thousand dollars, and one
thousand miles long would be eight hum
dred thousand dollars; at a low estimate,
seven eighths of which is saved by own
ing a single rail roadway.
The actual annual expenses of a large
number of the standard roads in the
United States, about equal the gross
earnings, and as paying institutions are
worthless; there are others that earn
euough to pay interest only on their
bonded indebtedness, the stock getting
no dividends, it being worthless only for
management. On all such lines the
single rail railway would pay large divi
dends, aud it would be economy to recon
struct them immediately.
A single rail railway will pay largely on
an amount of business that would enable
a standard railroad to barely exist. The
single rail railroad is as competent to do
as much work as the standard road: and
a standard road that would cost twenty
thousand dollars per mile to construct,
can be constructed single rail for about
five thousand five hundred dollars; and
if it cost two hundred thousand dollars
to equip a standard road of one hundred
miles in length, the same road recon
structed to a single rail can be equipped
tor fifty thousand dollars to do the same
amount of passenger and tonage business.
The remedy for all the ills of the capi
talists in railroads, and for the producers
of freights away from the Atlantic sea
ports, lies in the single rail railway. By
its use commerce can secure low rates and
rapid transit, and capital safety, and be
remunerated equal to the best permanent
investments in the world.
The positive advantages of the single
rail railway are a decrease of capital at
least three-quarters, and decrease of
maintenance of way at least seven-eighths.
Tnis is brought about:
Ist. By doing away with a large amount
of expensive earth-work and grading.
2d. No ditches, culverts or expensive
bridges to construct or keep in repair.
3d. No cross-ties to purchase, and
therefore no expensive replacing decayed
ties, aud constantly surfacing up with
large gangs of section hands aud section
masters.
4th. The piles cannot be affected by
rams and floods: or by the winter freezes
and spriug thaws in Northern latitudes,
or the road by snows—entailing extraor
dinary expense to keep a proper and even
surface of the rails, as is now the case on
standard roads.
sth. The single rail railway, with but
little care, will always he smooth, and
therefore be much easier on the rolling
stock as well as the iron, and can stand a
much higher speed without injury either
to the roadway or rolling stock, with no
danger of derailment.
Oth. For heavy work, roads can be con
structed with muoh lighter iron and at
least two hundred per cent lighter cars,
and much lighter locomotives.
7th. The weight of rolling stock, com
pared with tonnage carried, is greatly
decreased.
Bth. Steep gradients can be worked
with much less expense.
9th. Double lines of railway can be
constructed for less than half the cost of
construction of the present standard road
with single track.
10th. The roadway can be kept up as
good as new, for about one-eighth of the
present cost of keeping up the standard
road, as at present constructed.
11th. A first-rate equipment of loco
motives and cars, competent to do equal
work with the present standard road, for
passengers and freights, will oost much
less than one half what it costs to equip
the present standard road.
1-th. A higher rate of speed can be
Bafely maintained, without any risk of
derailment, aDd much lees risk by other
accidents at all times, titan on the stan
dard road, as at present constructed.
13th. The single rail railway has no
use for Urge gangs of track men and sec
tion masters, and t&en, many of whom
to do their work Ipvj| the brains.
cannot find places for this cfiMß of drones.
A few practical men, with an intelligent
controlling central authority, to whom
economy is an object, because it is the
economies that reduce the cost of oper
ating and maintaining a road, is all
that is required.
The Reopening of the
We have no doubt that ninety-nine
one-hundredths of the readers of the
News have long since dismissed the
Beecher scandal from their minds in utter
disgust, and with the settled conviction
that the Plymouth oracle entirely failed
in his efforts to disprove the charges on
which ho was arraigned in the Brooklyn
court. It would be well for the interests
of society if the matter could be thus put
at rest, and that public decency should
not again be outraged by the details of
this most revolting scandal ; but
it seems that the case which
was left undecided by the court, is again
to be opened, and that efforts are being
made both in the church and the courts
f<? place the pastor of Plymouth Church
in his true character before the world.
The public will therefore have to bear
another infliction of the details' of ihe
evidence. This, it is to be hoped, will
not find the same publicity in the press
which was given to the first trial, but as
the public will feel more or less interest
in the progress of the case, a statement
of its present status and the attitude of
the parties to it would seem proper.
The issue in which the guilt or inno
cence of Beecher is involved is, it seems,
to be again revived, first by the suit
brought against Beecher by Moulton for
having set on foot the prosecution which
resulted in an indictment against the
latter, subsequently disposed of by the
District Attorney of Brooklyn entering a
nolle prosequi by consent of Mr. Beecher;
and secondly by an ecclesiastical mutual
council called for by Mrs. Moulton. This
application of Mrs. Moulton has caused
a good deal of agitation in Beecher’s
congregation. Beecher and his friends
were willing to have what they call an
advisory council, which is practically ex
parte council; that is, a council called by
one party to hear and decide upon ques
tions which that party submits to it. This
device, however, was not successful, as
leading Congregational authorities pro
tested against it, and it may be doubted
if Beecher could have obtained the
services of influential men in his denomi
nation on such a council, nor if he had,
would any weight have been attached
to the decision of an ex parte body. On
Monday evening of last week Beecher
undertook to say that Mrs. Moulton was
only used as an occasion by people who
stood behind her and who were de
termined to force the issue. The allusion
was to some of the most eminent aud
respected men in the Congregational de
nomination, whom the Plymouth pastor
had the presumption to call “un
scrupulous.” The question raised by
Mrs. Moulton is whether a member or
members proposed to be dropped by the
congregation have not a right to a trial
or examination if they demand it ;
whether they may not be “vindicated” in
the conduct for which they are dropped ?
On this point the weight of experience
and authority in Congregational churches
is probably against Plymouth Church.
The pastors who have advised Mrs
Moulton have clearly done nothing more
than their duty.
Beecher now consents to the mutual
council, to which shall be referred the
general questions of Mrs. Moulton, whe
ther the church had valid and sufficient
reasons for dropping her, or whether she
had valid reasons for staying away from
the ministrations of the pastor. These
questions, rightly pursued, will lead to
the investigation of the bottom facts of
the scandal; but Beecher’s carefully con
sidered address on Monday evening shows
that his tactics will be to keep the dis
cussions of the council far away from the
true issue, and confine them to questions
of congregational order and practice.
Efforts are being made by Beecher and
his adherents to injure the character of
Mrs. Moulton, whose testimony was so
damaging to Beecher in the late trial,
but their attempts can only recoil on
Beecher himself, who has been the most
emphatic of all men in testifying to her
rigid and exemplary morality. It is to
vindicate her character, which is assailed
by Beecher's denial ard by the failure of
the jury to pronounce a verdict,that Mrs.
Moulton now persists in a hearing before
the church council and her husband
brings his suit in the courts. The Moul
tons have able counsel and as their ve
racity is consistent only with Beecher’s
guilt they are certainly justified in their
efforts by a fair investigation and trial to
make both appear.
Grooming Thurman fob the Race. —
The Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Knquirer says: “There is
a strong but quiet movement on
foot here to push Senator Thurman for
the Presidential nomination. It is en
gineered mainly by leading ex-Confede
rate Senators and Representatives, promi
nent among whom are Cockrell, of Mis
souri, Gordon aud Lamar, together with
several of the most influential supporters
of Mr. Kerr in the contest for the Speak
ership who were not in the Tilden pro
gramme. This movement is rapidly
gaining ground and bids fair to result in
bringing up a nearly solid support for
Thurman from, the Southern States to
the National Convention of the Democ
racy, unless the influences at work here
are counteracted by the friends of Mr.
Pendleton and Mr. Hendricks elsewhere.
It is noteworthy that Tilden seems to be
losing ground Tapidly in the South and
among Southern n>en here."
SAVANNAH, SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1876.
Critical Illness of Mr. Stephens.
Americana of all shades of political
opinion will learn with regret this mom
ing of the serious illness of Mr. Alexan
der H. Stephens, of Georgia. Our tele
graphic report leaves but little reason to
hope that he will be able to leave his
home again. Mr. Stephens has long held
to life by a tenure so frail as to excite the
wonder of all who knew him, and it is
not surprising to learn that he himself
l°ots upon the approach of death with
calmness, if not with absolute satisfac
tion. It is an interesting circumstance
in the story now sent ns that the dy
ing statesman is reported to have ask
ed a friend who visited him yesterday
to sing a touching lyric which
half a century ago excited the
admiration of Lord Byron, and the
author of which was long a leading light
in the literary horizon of America. Yet
how many of the present generation
have read Mr. Richard Henry Wilde’s
charming “Love and Madness of Tasso ?”
How many who have heard or sung the
lyric with which the dying Georgian
uksd that his failing spirit might be
know that the author of “My
life is like a summer rose” was a Georgian
Attorney General, a member of Congress
and a professor of law in the University
of Louisiana ? Richard Henry Wilde did
civilization the precious service
covering on Bargello in
Florence that contemporaneous portrait
of Dante which has taught not Italy
alone, but all the world
“How stem of lineament, how grim
The father waa of Tuscan song.”
Georgia was very proud of him in his
life time ; and her pride will be revived
by this pathetic linking of his name with
the last hours of her most conspicuous
public man. But it may be worth while
to remind both Georgia and the whole
country that this gifted lawyer, poet and
man of letters was a son of Ireland aud
of the early Emigration which attended
the terrible events of 1798. — Neve York
World of Monday.
The Whisky Ring Frauds in Chicago.
In the course of interviews with Chi
cago distillers, rectifiers, and other parties
connected with the whisky iniquity, a
distiller has made a confession relative to
the manner in which the crooked whisky
fraud has been carried on by one distillery
—the BUbCkhawk. According to his
statements, the Blacfchawk began dealing
in crooked whisky in 187?, its products
being taken by two rectifying houf&ff,
Mason & Crosby, and Gholsen & East
man, up to May of last year. By collu
sion of the storekeeper and gauger, the
whisky was sent to the rectifier, who took
off the stamps and sent them back, the
storekeeper and gauger putting them on
anew lot again. In this manner they
did duty three or four times, the last lot
being reported as straight. Thus about
one-third, would be straight and the re
mainder would pay no tax at all. This
whisky the rectifier would take at so much
per barrel, and generally dispose of it in
New York, the stealings in the case of
this one distillery being about 70 cents a
gallon, or 120 barrels of 12 gallons each
per week, amounting to $3,528. Another
mode practiced by another distiller was
to gauge his barrels 42 gallons when they
would hold 46 gallons. These were put
into the bonded warehouse as 42, and
before shipment were filled up, the dis
tiller thereby gaining a difference of four
gallons per barrel. Still another method
was the shipment of a large amount of
distilled water from the distillery to the
rectifying house, a certain percentage of
the barrels being filled with whisky. In
ways that are dark and tricks that are
vain the Chicago distillers seem to be
fully up to their brethren in St. Louis
and other cities.
Injury to the Cotton Crop.
The New York World thinks there is
comparatively less good staple in the
country now than last year. In the last
seven or eight weeks heavy rains have
been followed by unseasonable cold; and
clear, pleasant days have occurred only
at intervals. Cotton has been beaten out
of the bolls, and the plants broken
down; the cold checked growth, and
many bolls rotted; and many fields
were early abandoned as not worth
going over. The cotton which has
latterly been received at the South
ern markets has therefore comprised
an unusual pioportion of low grades, and
the better grades are already scarce, not
withstanding the large aggregate supply.
The consequence has been, much irregu
larity has occurred in the course of prices;
the high grades have advanced and the
low grades have declined, while the me
dium grades show very little change.
While “ordinary” in New York has, in
two weeks, declined J cent, there has
been an advance in “fair” uplands of 3-16
cent, and in “fair” Gulfs of 5-16 cent.
The port receipts show an excess of
200,000 bales over last season, but that
this is due in part to the free marketing
of the crop is shown by the fact that on
Friday last the stocks at fifteen interior
towns of the South amounted to only
176,317 bales, against 221,580 bales at the
corresponding date last year. The specu
lation in this as in other staples is likely
to feel the recent decline in gold and the
higher rates for money, but prices of cot
ton are already low, and any increase in
the quantity grown is probably counter
balanced by the poorer condition aud de
ficient staple.
The Cuban Butchery.—The following
is one of the last orders issued by Valma
seda previous to his removal from the
Captain Generalship of Cuba :
“All countrymen bringing in one of
these bandits, called insurgents, dead or
alive, to headquarters, will receive ten
gold doubloons, and eleven if bringing
also his musket. A recompense of from
three to ten doubloons will be paid to all
countrymen bringing information ena
bling the troops to destroy or surprise
insurgent camps. Farmers killing a rebel
prefect or sub prefect, or giving informa
tion producing that result, will be paid
fifteen doubloons. ”
No rebellion was ever put down per
manently by such barbarous policy as
this. Butchery begets butchery, and we
have no doubt that the Cuban insurgents
are now doing quite as much throat
cutting as their enemies. It is literally
“war to the knife, and the knife to the
hilt.”
“ Here we are, within a quarter of a
mile of land,” was the joyful announce
ment made by the Captain of an ocean
steamer to his grumbling passengers.
“ Where ?” “ Which way is it ?” were
the eager exclamations which followed.
“Anywhere down below there,” said the
Captain, pointing towards the bottom of
the sea; “ the lead gives us just two
hundred and twenty fathoms of water,
and the land comes slap up against the
brine,”
Affairs in Georma.
The Christmas half-siheets are still com
ing in. I
The Lumpkin Independent is the only
Georgia weekly, as far;as heard from, that
didn’t get split in twaio by Christmas. This
statement may seem to be an exaggeration,
bat it is not.
An Atlanta man who had his head and
face badly scalded by a premature sky
rocket, is endeavoring" to fix the crime ou
his mother-in-law.
A citizen of M&cou, who kept up his New
Year's calls until after ciark, says that a dog
on the front stoop is a very poor substitute
for a door-mat. He doesn’t remember
whether ho sat down on the substitute or
not, bnt his pantaloons seem to be somewhat
worn behind.
A friend of Senator Norwood approached
him the other day, and said : “Colonel, I
would like very much t<£> have some soft po
sition in Washington.” “The softest place
I know of,” said the Senator, “is on the
roof of the ex-Attortiey-General’s head.
Would you like the iplace ?” The friend
didn’t think be would.
This is said to be leay-year, which ought
to be very comforting to frogs and circus
men. 1
The Augusta Chronic says that the store
of E£r. 8. Morriii, at Muhnerlyn, on the Cen
tral Bmlrcad, was destroyed by fire last Sun
day night, together witln its contents. Sup
posed to hare been incemdiary. Mr. Morris
was absent at tie time.'
The Maoon Telegrapfi understands that
the friends of Mr. Robjirt U. Hardeman, of
that city, wiH jlu sent him to the General
Assembly as for State Treas
urer. We doubt whetbjer a more honorable
or conjpetent gentlemari oould be found in
the State, or one wh(> would perforin the
duties of the office mort promptly and more
satisfactorily.
iQensx£-4iaa_. sh ippe4 this season 2,734
bates of cotton, ag4TffiaiS;f& 8j? {<3 the game
time last year.
Twenty-six estimates made by members
of the Augusta Exchange, in regard to the
cotton crop for 1875-76, average 4,155,769
bales. The lowest estimate is 4,000,000 and
the highest 4,350,000.
A correspondent of the Macon Telegraph
writing from Baker county, says that J. J.
Musgrove, a white scalawag of this county,
was murdered by Jim and Sam Tillman, col
ored, who lived on Colonel H. A. Tarver’s
Notchaway plantation. Musgrove had
caught them stealing sheep of Hon. James
George, and bad informed. J. J. Mus
grove went on Monday to borrow a foot adze
of the negroes, Jim and Sam, when they
bad some difficulty, and the negroes knocked
him ou tbs head and then cut his throat and
buried him in a manure pilo on the premi
ses. Jim tteil after the deed, but Sam was
arrested and is now in jail, and confesses
the murder.
Dick Pounds, of Lowndes county, was
killed iu a melee the other day.
The Mac' U Telegraph, says that another
man “which lives in Jones,” and a farmer
of moderate means, sold about two thou
sand pounds of pork this season, and raised
cotton also. What a commentary ou the
almost universal cry of “Can’t raise no
hogs; niggers steal ’em so bad!” As the
American German sajs, “Dot ish blayed
out.” With the proper care and attention
by the so-called farmers, hogs would be
plentiful, and an abundance of sound,
wholesome meat, homo raised, would be
found upon their tables. But upon tho
alterable and expensive plan of looking to
the Wes 7 for cur bacon—you have nobody to
blame but you?S6J?S§.
It is currently reported-that as many as
six hundred negroes will lesye Talbot and
Harris counties for Texas anil Mississippi
this month. Many have already gone.^
An Augusta negro killed anothertE'e om€ik
day. We chronicle this with no disrespect
to the dead nigger.
Jerome Tuttle, the acrobat, is teaching a
class in Athens. As we said before, this is
leap year.
The Hinesville Gazette says that a fatal ac
cident occurred at the residence of Mr. D.
W. Sikes, of Tatnall county, on the evening
of the I7th ult., by which Mr. Sikes’s little
daughter lost her life. The statement as
fiven by Mr. Sikes is that Marion Alexau
er and Jimmie Smith were walking up the
steps with their guns in their hands for the
purpose of arranging for a fox chase next
morning. A dog ran violently agaiust Mr.
Smith’s gun.^g,)using it to fall and discharge
its contents nico the head of the little girl,
who was standing only a few feet in front.
Death resulted in an hour. No blame is at
tached to Mr. Smith, as it was from no care
lessness on his part, but entirely accidental.
The Macon Telegraph says it has been
known for some time that there were some
deer near Black Lake, about three miles
from Macon, on the eastern side of the river.
Last Saturday Mr. Mit Massey took his pack
of hounds and went for a deer chase. He
had not been out long before the dogs jump
ed a fine buck, and an exciting chase began,
which lasted an hour and twenty minutes,
and ended with the capture of the buck,
which weighed one hundred and fifty
pounds. Mr. Massey now feels like flinging
the gSuntlet at the feet of Jones county.
He thinks his Florence Nightingale, which
led in this chase, a little the best dog in the
country, and her value has been raised sev
eral hundred per cent, since she ran down
that buck In so short a time.
The Atlanta Herald says that on last
Wednesday noon, a Mr. John W. Bramley,
living nine miles east of Carnesville, Ga.,
committed suicide by cutting his throat.
Mrs. Bramley, at dinner time, found him
sitting on the front door steps, and asked
him to come to dinner. He told her to go
on and eat, he did not want any; but on her
telling him she would not eat uuless he did,
he went in and sat down at the table,
but, after eating only a mouthful or
two, got up and went out. In a mo
ment or two Mrs. Bramley heard a noise
like water pouring out, and ran
to the door to see what was the maiter, aud
found him seated in his former position
with the blood gushing- from his throat!
She grasped it with her hand, trying to stop
the blood, but he put up both hands and
pushed her away ! She caught at him the
second time, but he died almost instantly,
having cut his throat clear to the back bone!
The act seems to have been caused by men
tal depression, though Mr. B. was in good
circumstances, is said to have b -en a sober,
industrious man, a member of the Methodist
Church, and esteemed by his neighbors.
He loaves a wife with four little children.
Thus the Macon Telegraph: Ex-Comptrol
ler General Peterson Thweatt begins his
annual campaign before the Legislature in
advance by the issue of a voluminous memo
rial, massing all the evidenco and argument
that can be brought to bear, and really
making out a very strong case. We think
the old gentleman’s claim is strictly just,
and a great and magnanimous Common
wealth should not continue to give a long
tried and faithful pubic servant the cold
shoulder. And we tell our Legislators there
is no use dodging this conclusion. As long
as the ex-Comptroller lives he will fight
the same battle over every year, and, if not
successful, bequeath the quarrel to hiß pos
terity after him. Our solons must always
expect to be in the predicament of old Tom
Bc-aton, who w so annoyed with Long
John Wentworth’s railroad bill, which he was
ever advocating, that he was wont to ex
claim, whenever John rose in his seat:
“Great heavens, now for the clatter of
Wentworth’s eternal railroad engine.” So,
not only for the sake of justice, but in self
defense, they will eventually be forced to al
low the claim of this sturdy and irrepressi
ble gentleman, and the sooner the better.
General William M. Browne ia Athens
Georgian : Knowing the interest you feel
in all that relates to the Georgia Agricul
tural Society, I ask the favor of sufficient
space in your valuable paper to announce to
the county agricultural societies and clubs
of the Ninth Congressional District that the
spring convention of the State Agricultural
Society will take place at Brunswick on
Tuesday, February Bth. The railroad com
panies, with commendable liberality, furnish
free transportation, going and returning, to
three uelegatcs from a county. Where there
are two or more societies or clubs in any
county, it will be necessary, therefore, for
those societies to arrange among themselves
as to the three delegates whom they will
elect to represen’ the county, and forward
their names to Mr. Malcolm Johnston, Sec
retary, AManta, on or before the 25th of Jan
uary. Life members who propose to attend
the convention will also notify the Secretary
by the 25 th of January.
Milledgeville Union : It is now ascertain
ed beyond all controversy that the people of
Georgia want a convention to frame anew
constitution for them, but there are a few
individuals who will still oppose the calling
of a convention from selfish motives. First,
the Atlanta ring of speculators, gamblers
and lobbyists will oppose it, of course. They
fear the capital will be carried back to Mil
ledgeville, where they will not have so good
a chance to ply their trades. Most of the
office-holders will oppoge it for fear their
term of office will be shortened. Those
members of the Legislature who go to At
lanta for a spree will oppose a convention
for fear if the number of the legislators
should be reduced they will not be re-elected.
The office-seekers will not dare to say
whether fhey favor a convention or not,
fear of the Atlanta ring. Some will pretend
to lavora convention, but will say not now;
vi.jt until after the Presidential election.
These men intend to deceive somebody;
trust them not. Now is the best time for
holding a convention. Let the people watch
thei representatives and note how they
void on that question.
A party of Milledgeville hunters recently
killed torty-six rabbits, two squirrels and
three partridges.
Mr. Lafayette Sanderfer was recently mar
ried to Miss Lizzie Rogers, of Monroe
county.
Mr. W. W. Jordan, of Forsyth, lost one
hundred and fifty dollars the other day.
The man that in these times carries one
hundred and fifty dollars regularly about
his person is entitled to get robbed. We
haven’t a particle of sympathy for Jordan,
though we feel for his money.
The city editor of the Augusta Constitu
tionalist, In a vein of sarcasm, asks us svhat
we mean by “pine-top” whisky. This is ab
surd. Tyndall might as well have asked
Farrady what he meant by electricity. This
sort of business won’t go round, so to speak.
Mr. Thomas H. Wynne, of Monroe coun
ty, is dead.
Two little boys were found drowned near
Columbus the other day.
We regret to learn that the Newnan Star
is to be suspended. This is owing partly to
pecuuiarv difficulties and partly to the con
tinued ill-health of Captain F. S. Fitch, the
editor and proprietor. Fitch promises to
tackle the quill again, should he get well,
and if he doesn’t get well, the only boon lie
asks is “a clean obituary.”
The body of an escaped lunatic named
Ravens was found in Baldwin county the
other day.
The statement in the Atlanta Herald to
the effect that Rev. W. A. Dodge is dead
turns out to be untnjj, *nd the unfortunate
reporter has been discharged. • -
Allan Pinkertor Jr., a vrell-known detec
tive, i# ltv AugOa. Augusta la's nice p’a m
for detective#.
The At. _ vn ta Common wealth says that the
oldest lady in Campbell county died on the
20th it the residence of her son, Dr. Jas.
Hofesby. She was one hundred years old
Jacking one month. She,had been a mem
ber of the Baptist Church seventy-five
years. She had a remarkable memory and
recollected many things connected with re
gard to the revolutionary war. Her health
was remarkable good up to the very last,
except that she could not get about much.
Peace to her ashes and respect to her vene
rated memory.
Messrs. Davies & Hansell, of the Thomas
ville Enterprise , start the new year with a
very neat salutatory. May success attend
their efforts.
Japonica thieves are worrying the
Augusta people.
The Fort Valley Mirror says that Mr. W.
A. H. Royal, of Cedar Creek district, in
Taylor coiiuty, had last year a cotton patch
which made two thousand pounds of seed
cotton to the acre. He used Boyd’s im
proved prolific seed From a half acre in
sugar cane he made ninety-eight gallons of
syrup, and put up four thousand stalks for
seed. He challenges any farmer in that
section to beat it.
The Forsyth Advertiser says that on
Thursday, tho 23d ult., Mr. Stephen D.
Jackson, living near Cabaniss, in Monroe
county, came to a tragic death in tne fol
lowing manner : He was riding in a buggy
along the Brown’s ferry road en route to
Jasper county. Mr. Wesley Hathorn was
driving along tho same road, in company
with two ladies, about a mile behind Mr.
Jackson. One side of the shaft of the buggy
of Mr. Hathorn became detached and
dropped upon the feet of the horse, and
caused him to become frightened and
run. Mr. Hathorn and the ladies
were thrown out, but were not
hurt. Mr. Jackson saw the frightened
horse coming at full speed, and
fearing that he would run against his buggy
(in which was a little child) got out for the
purpose of stopping the horse, or at least
to prevent being run over. It is thought
that the axle of the buggy struck him. He
insensible, with his skull fractur
ed and-.a leg broken. He was brought to
Forsyth nd given comfortable quarters at
the Greer attention im
mediately from DrTliullisill. Dr. R. attend
ed him faithfully, and did all that human
skill could accomplish, but without avail.
He lingered in an unconscious condition
until Sunday night, when he died. Mr.
Jackson was near sixty years of age, and
was a man highly respected by his neigh
bors and acquaintances, who will deeply la
ment his sudden and tragic death.
The Augusta Constitutionalist states that
very painful rumors have reached it, from
time to time, that the State University, at
Athens, is very far from being what tbe peo
ple of Georgia would like to see it. Lack of
discipline is said to be one predominant de
ficiency. Ati institution of this kind should
be second to none in the United States, and
every well-wisher of it would rejoice if meas
ures were taken to so elevate and improve it
that the young men of Georgia could, within
their own commonwealth,bo instructed iu th
most competent manner. Reform, it is de
clared by tho wise man, needs agitation. Is
there no capable person who will start tho
ball, and, by public discussion, bring the
whole matter to the attention of jilt whom it
most concerns ? We shall welcome any con
tributions to this end, and trust that the
issue of such a discussion will be tho thor
ough reorganization of the University,
thereby making it the peer of any rival in
stitution and the pride and glory of the
State.
Griffin News: There is no doubt that thou
sands could be saved the tax-payers of
Georgia by tlie consolidation of many of tho
small counties, and the abolition or consoli
dation of many of the small offices, which
could lie done without iujury to anybody
except office seekers. While penning the
above an old citizen came into our office and
said something will have to be done to re
duce tho taxes of tho people. He said be
fore the war he paid tax on one hundred
and twenty thousand dollars worth of pro
perty, and his tax was from thirty to forty
dollars, and since the war he only pays tax
on twenty thousand dollars, and his tax is
now two hundred dollars. Quite a differ
ence.
The Covington Star says that on Monday
night, December 27th, the large and elegant
residence of Mr. John M. Allen, about ten
miles south of Covington, was entirely de
stroyed by fire. The house contained nine
large rooms, besides a number of closets,
and originally cost about $5,000. It was in
sured for $2,500. The house was entirely
destroyed, together with a large amount of
the household goods. Mr. Allen is sure it
was the work of an incendiary. When the
fire was first discovered he ran to his truuk,
in which he had $1,960 in currency, and
found the trunk had been opened and the
money gone. He thinks he was robbed and
his house fired to cover the robbery. His
loss, over and above the insurance, will
probably reach $3,000 or $3,500.
The same paper says that the recent warm
spell, which has been the most remarkable
we have ever known in this climate, has
been a serious calamity to the country.
Most ot the meat which was killed immedi
ately before Christmas has nearly all spoilt.
From every section of the country comes
this unfortunate tale of woe. Some persons
have lost their entire killing, while almost
every .one has lost some. This is a seri
ous matter wim the country, and our people
should take lesson of this misfor
tune, and rely more upon their own
resources, and raise their own
supplies. Pork was already too high for
our people to buy, and now that many of
them have lost their scanty supply, we fear
that absolute suffering must be the result.
While the loss of meat in this section may
not affect the market, still it must affect
the country, as many persons had invested
all the money they had for that purpose in
meat, and now they must buy more. Seri
ously, we i annot but regard the late warm
weather as a sad misfortune to the country.
Thomasville Enterprise: The account of
the beginning of the trouble between Mr.
Foster and Prince McCauley has been pub
lished so generally that it is useless to
rehearse it. The evidence given on the trial
of Henry Butler disclosed the fact that after
the rencontre between Foster and Prince
was virtually ended by Foster retiring to
the store of I. Levy to have his wounds
dressed, Butler and many others, proba
bly two hundred colored men, assem
bled together, a surging, roaring
mass of men, with many oaths and
imprecations, demanding that Foster be
given up, or they would come in and take
him out, tear down the house or burn it
and the whole town down. A few white
men took their stand in the store to prevent
their entrance, and finding the crowd grow
ing worse and worse, closed the door and
prepared themselves to prevent the rush
which seemed imminent. The Sheriff, D.
F. Luke, appeared on the scene, and com
manded them to keep quiet and disperse.
His order had no effect whatever, and
seemed only to enrage the crowd, and only
when a few members of the Guards
appeared on the street with loaded guns
did they begin to scatter. Owing to the
darkness and the confusion, only a few of
those engaged in the row could be identi
fied. These have been arrested and tried,
except one or two who gave leg bail, and
sentenced as follows : Henry Butler (Coro
ner of the county), to SI,OOO fine or twelve
months on the chain-gang and six months
imprisonment; Felix Carter, SIOO fine
or eight months on the chain-gang; John
Williams, SIOO or eight months on the
chain-gang. George Royal and Charles
Carter were arrested but proved they had
done nothing to urge on the row and had
assisted the Sheriff in trying to quiet mat
ters. We hope the punishment of these
parties will teach the colored men that it is
dangerous for them to engage in a riot
simply because a fight has taken p’ace be
tween a white man and one of their color,
as the law of Georgia specially provides for
the punishment of such riotons proceed
ings.
The local editor of the Augusta Constitu
tionalist announces with some degree of
bitterness that he is not only able but will
ing to defend his jokes. ’ This shows the
right sort of spirit. A man who won’t
stand by a pet joke ought to be taken out
and tickle.d witn a currycomb.
The Masonic ball in Darien recently was
quite a success—so Grubb says.
The Fort Valley Mirror says that Tom
Butner has a negro on his place' who refuses
to take her pay at the end of the year. She
has money which she made year before
last.
Thomson is gloating over the presence of
several successful burglars.
The offioe of the Chronicle <fc Sentinel has
been removed.
They have already begun with leap year
parties in Houston county. What the re
sult will be time can only tell.
Rev. James D. Anthony has associated
himself with Mr. Medlock in the publication
of the Sandersville Georgian. The Geor
gian was already a good paper, and now we
suppose it will be better.
The recent spell of hot weather has been
a marvel to Middle Georgia editors, as well
as disastrous to pork.
Mr. Joe Bridges, a popular young citizen
of Atlanta, died in Texas the other day.
We regret to hear that Col. Hancock, of
the Sumter Republican, was taken suddenly
ill the other day.
Judge Stephen 8. Boone, of Sumter coun
ty, is dead.
Potash Farrow has seat out an absurd cir
cular to his supposed party friends, asking
feua bis reappoint-
Sandersville Georgian: The Greenville
Vindicator says W. B. Low, a merchant of
Atlanta, is a candidate for State Treasurer.
It says he lived many years in New York,
made a good soldier in the Confederate
army, and is worth a fortune of one hun
dred thousand dollars. Now, it may be very
nice to live in Now York, and must' make a
man feel very comfortable to have a hun
dred thousand dollars, and is certainly com
mendable to be a good Boldier, but how
these things qualify a man for State Treas
urer we are uuablo to see. The present in
cumbent, Capt. J. W. Renfroe, has never
lived in New York, neither is he worth a
hundred thousand dollars, but as a soldier
there was not a braver one, nor better
commander than he. The battle scars
that he wears from wounds
received in Virginia and Pennsylvania while
following the beloved R. E. Lee, are suffi
cient evidences of that fact. But we do not
offer this as a reason why ho should be
elected State Treasurer—we have something
better. He is a gomlemau of strict integ
rity, of untarnished character and of the
very finest business capacity. He has
often hold positions of public trust, and has
always discharged the duties thereof to the
entire satisfaction of all. Whilo he had
charge of the tax department of the Comp
troller General’s office (the books of which
are but a reflex of the books
of the Treasury, or of what they ought
to be,) he displayed such efficiency that
the legislative committee who examined
his books pay him a very high compliment.
We supppose that it was while occupying
this position that his qualification for Treas
urer became generally known, and pointed
him out as the man for the place. He has
scarcely been in the office a month, yet he
has organized such a thorough system in
its management that one cannot but be
struck with it the moment he enters. Gov
ernor Smith displayed great wisdom in
making this selection, and has given general
satisfaction throughout the entire State.
Captain Renfroe is certainly the “right man
in the right place,” and in our opinion the
Legislature will so declare by a voto that
will be almost unanimous.
Fort Valley Mirror : Last Wednesday,
Gadson Davis, colored, went to the resi
dence of Rev. S. E. Bassett, and finding
none of the family at home but Miss Ellen
.Abbott, who was sitting in the front portico
"doing- some crochet work. As soon as he
discovered tii£t the youDg lady was unpro
tected, he went to her pnd tapped her on the
head with a stick, ordering her, with oaths
and threats of taking her life, to prepare
him dinner. She went to the dining room
and placed some cold victuals on the table.
He then informed her in an impudent
manner that he didn’t eat on a naked
table, and must have a cloth, which she
spread for him, he telling her during all
this lapse of time that he intended to kill
her after finishing his meal. There were no
biscuits on the table, and ho ordered her to
go and get him some. She left the room
and ran liurriediy towards the house of Mr.
Smith, screaming for help and protection.
The black scoundrel heard the noise and
left the house in short order. He was iden
tified by the young lady, and forthwith ar
rested by the officer. He was tried Friday
before Justice Maddox, and sent to jail in
default of a S2OO bond. We wonder if the
people in this section will be forced to teach
these black devils another lesson?
Atlanta Constitution: It is impossible to
express our gratification at the success of
the administration of the city during the
first year of the new charter. The year
closed one week ago, and the balance sheet
was published on yesterday. It showed
thal there had been a saving of ninety-nine
thousand dollars in tho expenses of the
year. It showed that not one dollar had
boen added to the debt of the city, but that
over fifty thousand dollars had been paid
on the floating debt, and that the city
owes that much less now than she did one
year ago. We doubt if there is another
city in Georgia that can show like results.
Atlanta wisely saw the trouble ahead,
and reefed her sails. She determined
first, that tho debt should not be increased
one dollar; second, that it should bo reduced
every year. This schedule agreed upon,
she was sound. The first blow has been
struck at the mountain of debt. And, bet
ter than this, we shall have no resting in tho
good work. Next year must repeat, and im
prove upon, what this year has been—and
the next must do still better. The experi
ment of the year is especially valuable in
this : we have shown that without any fur
ther growth in the value of our property we
can, by a tax of one and a half per cent.,effi
ciently carry on the city administration,
pay its bills upon presentation, keep up our
public schools and pay at least $50,000 per
annum upon our debt. It is next to impos
sible, under the strict regulations of the
charter, to increase the debt by the issue of
bonds; and indeed there is no probable
necessity for the issue of our bonds. We
have a capital railroad system, a fine system
of water works, our schools all built, our
public buildings in good shape, and
there is no necessity for doing more.
It is impossible to increase the floating
debt. The charter makes the Oouncilmen
personally liable for any balance they may
find against the city on expense account
at the end of the year. It appears to us,
then, that no city can offer better induce
ments to those wanting city homes than At
lanta. Already a metropolis in size and
importance—teeming with industry, and
alive with energy—with all needed public
improvements already built—with a tax rate
fixed at one and a half per cent, or less—
with a debt that, not inordinately large is
decreasing every year—with a climate that
is unsurpassed—we do not well see what
more anyone could want in a home.
Beecher and his Accusers.
General Pryor has withdrawn from his
position as Mrs. Moulton's counsel m the
case of the mutual council to be called
by Plymouth Church and Mrs. Moulton.
He said Wednesday that the reasons for
doing so were that he was not a member
of any Congregational church; that he
thought it better for Mrs. Moulton to be
represented by a lawyer who could gain
admission or be a delegate to the council,
if necessary; and that he was counsel for
Mr. Moulton in an entirely different
cause. Joshua M. Van Cott, who is a
member of Dr. Storr’s church, has been
selected as Mrs. Moulton’s counsel in
place of General Pryor. He said that he
had accepted the position and given
notice to Mr. Shearman that he would
make the preparations on Mrs. Moul
ton’s part for the mutual council.
No action was taken Wednesday by Mr.
Beecher’s counsel in the suit against him
by Mr. Moulton. Friends of Mr. Beecher
said that Mr. Shearman and Gen. Tracy
had been retained for him, and that no
other lawyers had yet been engaged.
Gen. Tracy said that evening that he had
not been asked to act as counsel for Mr.
Beecher, and he knew nothing about the
suit except what he had seen in the news
papers. It is denied that Gen. Butler
will be Mr. Moulton’s senior counsel.
Gen. Pryor has acted as Mr. Moulton’s
legal adviser ever since the scandal trial,
and the new suit will be entirely under
his management. Gen. Butler may be
associated with him, Gen. Pryor says,
but he had not been retained up to
Wednesday. Gen. Pryor was still averse
to speaking about the suit, and said he
could give no information.— New York
Tribune, December 30.
Leaves of the pineapple, now being ex
tensively cultivated in the East Indies,
are turned to account by being converted
into a kind of wadding, which is used for
upholstering instead of hair. A sort of
flannel is also manufactured from them,
irom which substantial waistcoats and
hirts can be made.
ESTABLISHED 1850.
THE LAND OF FLOWERS-No. 11.
Fernaudina and its Railroad and Steam
boat Facilities—From "tarke to Gaines
ville—The Towns of Starke and Waldo
—Gainesville and Alnchua Comity—
Operations of the United States Land
Office —iH icanopy, Arredondo and
Archer.
[Special Correspondence of the Morning News.]
Gainesville, December 6,1875.
I reached this city by the way of Fer
nandina, which is uinety-eiglit miles dis
tant, and which is the Atlantic coast ter
minus of the Atlantic, Gulf and West India
Transit Company’s Railroad—the only
thing that keeps any sign of life in the de
cayed looking town. The New York steam
ships also have their headquarters there,
in connection with the railroad, and carry
on a very heavy freighting business. There
is but little activity on the streets of the
place, as many of the stores are closed to
legitimate trade. There are, however, some
fine store j and several handsome residences
to be seen, but everywhere the visitor is
reminded that the hand of timo, bringing
misfortunes with it, has been laid upon ihe
prosperity of that onoe flourishing and
beautiful seaport city. Except tho shell
road to tho beach, where oau bo found a
splendid drive of nearly thirty miles, Fer
uandina affords no attractions to winter
visitors. I greatly otijoyed a visit to the
home *-*J and could sdiuon;
adopt as my own the poetic Tines of Mrs.
Woolson:
The tide comes in—the birds tly low,
As if to catch onr speech.
Ah, Destiny! Why mist we ever go
Away from the Florida beach ?
RAILROAD AND STEAMBOAT FACILITIES.
The Charleston steamers “City Point” and
“Dictator” touch at Fernandina on their
way to and from Jacksonville. It is also
proposed to run a small steamer to St.
Mary’s and Brunswick, Ga., making eonuoc
tiou with the Macou aud Brunswick Rail
road at the latter place. Tho New York
steamships, at this season of the year, are
very unreliable. I mot persons at
Fernandina who had been waiting nearly a
week for the incoming steamship, which
was detained by fogs between Port Royal
and Fernandiiia. That was ratbor ex
pensive waiting, as hotel rates in that city
are first class, whatever tho accommodation
may bo. Many passengers for Cedar Keys
and tho Gulf coast prefer to take the cars at
Fernandina, reaching that point by steamer,
while others choose the “all-rail route,” and
take the trains of the A., G. & W. I. T.
Company’s Railroad at Baldwin, forty-sevou
miles from Fernandina, where it crosses the
track of tho Jacksonville, Pensacola aud
Mobile Railroad. New passenger cars are
soon to be put upon this route, which will
then be much more comfortable for its
patrons. Capt. D. E. Maxwell, the efficient
and liard-horking General Manager, is a
pleasant aud agreeable public official, and
in his conductors I found most excellent
aud accommodating gentlemen. To Con
ductor Eugene Allen I was specially in
debted for kind attentions during the trip
to this city. Although we left Eeruandiiia
before daybreak, lam sure I lost nothing,
as thero is but littie to attract attention be
tween that city and Starke.
FROM STARKE TO GAINESVILLE.
I was not unprepared to find in this sec
tion an excellent agricultural country, as a
prominent citizen of Fernandiua had writ
ten me that the lands along the line of this
road, “especially around Starke, Waldo,
Gainesville, Arredondo, Archer and Rose
wood, were well adapted to tho production
of all kinds of vegetables aud semi-tropical
fruits.” The country lying south of Wal
do,” he added, “I consider the most attrac
tive section of the State, being perfectly
healthy, having good water, rich and rolling
pine lands, with hundreds of beautiful clear
water lakes, which abound in fish and
game.” Until we reached Starke I saw
nothing along the line of the road but pine
forests and swamp lauds. These
however, seem to have been found valuable
for naval stores,as I counted about ten flour
ishing turpentine distilleries botwoen Fer
nandina and GainjgfciUe. Of logging camps
thero were near!/-- and all
of them carry on <
One or two log trains to Fer
nandiua, while several large steam rniiis
near some of the camps Baw up a great num
ber of logs aud ship the lumber to such
•points as offer a ready sale for it. The
shipments of turpentine and rosin must be
very large, as the facilities here for obtain
ing the raw material for the manufacture of
these articles are unsurpassed, and ship
ments can be made directly from tho distil
leries to Fernandina, where they can be
readily transferred to the Now York steam
ships.
THE TOWNS OF STARKE AND WALDO.
I was very much pleased with tho pros
perous appearance of Starke and Waldo,
the former (which is in Bradford county)
seventy-three miles from Fernandina, and
tho latter, (which is in Alachua county)
nine miles this side. Starke is the smaller
town, having less than five hundred inhabi
tants, aud is not remarkable for the beauty
of its surroundings. Still, to a man looking
for fertile farming lands, it has some good
points that are readily seen aud appreciated,
oranges, bananas, pineapples, sea island
oottou, sugar cane and corn are successfully
cultivated in tnat section. “The finest
flavored oranges we have ever tried,” says
the experienced editor .of the Jacksonville
Tress, “not excepting those from Indian
river, we recently plucked from a tree in
tho yard of Mr. Limbo, who resides some
fifteen miles south of Starke.” Game
and fish are abundant, as a number of
lakes are within easy reach of tho town.
Bradford county has a population of about
five thousand, aud the deaths for list year
only numbered seventeen. Alexander Wil
lis, one hundred and four years old, runs his
farm on New river, goes to market and to
mill, and never thinks about dying in the
poor house. Such men always have some
thing better to occupy their busy thoughts.
I do not mention these facts to lead people
to believe that they will “live forever” if
they settle about Starke, but to show that
all unhealthy looking places “are not what
they seem.”
Waldo, being a much larger town, pre
sents a more attractive appearance, and
seem i to have a rather better location. From
this point a railroad has been graded to
Ocala, and the cross-ties are laid tor a mile
or so near the town. It is doubtful, how
ever, if the work is resumed on the road for
several years, although it runs through a fine
section of country and taps the groat orange
grove region about Orange Lake. Santa
Fee Lake is but two miles from Waldo, and
of the desirability of that section the editor
of the Jacksonville Press says: “ The region
contiguous to this lake, which is upon the
highest land in East Florida, is excellent
orange land, as is proved by the many flour
ishing trees to be found at Waldo and south
ward. The inhabitants in this section are
mostly white, and verypoaceable, industri
ous and honest. Rev. William Johnson, re
siding near Morrison’s Mills, has a grove
not inferior to any one of the same age
which we have seen on the St. John’s river.”
There are also natural “land sinks,” subter
ranean rivers and “'ch like” about Waldo,
and yet it would not seem a natural land
sink to me for a good farmer to sink money
cultivating land in that section. This may
appear to some like a “goak,” but it is
meant in “dead earnest,” although I own
no land in that section and have not spoken
to a man who has any for sale there. For
general farming purposes and fruit culture,
if persons desire to be on the line of a rail
road, I should advise immigrants to look at
the lands from Starke on to Arredondo.
There is plenty of government land in
Bradford and Alachua counties that can he
homesteaded, or land can he bought cheap
from parties having it for sale, or from per
sons who may wish to “try their luck” in
some other section of the country.
GAINESVILLE AND ALACHUA COUNTY.
This city is widely known, not only as the
county seat of one of the most important
and prosperous counties in Florida, but as
having located in its midst the United
States Land office for this State, an institu
tion which has of late become of great im
portance to immigrants and settlers. The
present population of the place is about fif
teen hundred, with prospects of a steady in
crease in the future. Mr. W. F. Rice, the
stirring and genial railroad and express
agent, tells me that the business in his office
has increased one hundred per cent, this
year. The first shipment of sea island cot
ton was made on the 2d of August, and the
crop is now nearly all marketed. About
three thousand bales have been shipped up
to this date.JThere a large amount of freight
received here by rail from the New York
steamers at Fernandina, and the New Or
leans steamers at Cedar Keys, a considerable
portion of which goes into the interior of
the country. I noticed a quantity of fruit
trees—pears, apples, plums, peaches and
grape vines—-at tne depot, and was told that
fruit culture was rapidly increasing, and
that the negroes were [going into it exten
si\ ely.
It is admitted that for general farming
purposes, and moderate fruit culture, the
lands in Alachua county are equal to those
of any other part of the State. “In our
opinion,” says a recent experienced writer,
“the time is not far distant when farming in
this belt will be more profitable than any
where else in the Union. Through this
section lie most Of the large plantations of
East Florida, where the culture of our great
staple (sea island cotton) was *o profitable
before the war. Under the pres int system,
these plantations cannot be successfully cul
tivated on a large scale, and many, there
fore, are now lying waste. These afford
the best opportunities for colonies. The
lands are already cleared, and in many in
stances fenced, and can be bought for less
than it would cost, to dear and fence it.
* * * In our opinion, those who come
to Florida to engage in general farming,
will do well to visit this section.” This is
tho opinion and advice of a well informed
gentleman of Jacksonville, who had no
selfish motive to govern him in forming or
expressing his views. From what I have
seen hereabouts I am free to confess that I
feel like endorsing his opinion of the
country.
Gainesville is built on a square, in the
centro of which stands the wooden Court
House. But few of the stores present an
attractive appearance, and everywhere old
and dilapidated buildings are to be seen.
This shows that before tho war the town was
an important business centre ; and that it
is destined to regain its former prosperity,
thero is ample evidence. I see new build
ings and residences going up, old buildings
being repaired, and other signs of renewed
activity. Thero are a great many negroes
here, but the same is the case in Jackson
ville aud Tallahassee. Brother Drake, of the
Alachua Citizen, has an extensive steam
planing and grist mill, aud there are one or
two other similar establishments in town,
and also a moss factory. There are four
churches for white people aud three for no
groes, and several good schools for both
classes. Of hotels there are three, but a
large, first-class establishment is greatly
needed. Dr. Ashmead, a young physi
cian of Brooklyn, New York, is now
agitating the project of erecting here
a “Sanitarium” for invalids, as this
is considered one of tho very best lo
cations in the State for consumptives. As
the weather has been cold and rainy since I
have been here, and I have been unable to
secure a room with a fire in it, I have not
been favorably impressed on the subject.
Others, more fortunate than I, are positive
in regard to tho oxtromo heaithiuoss of the
place for Northern and Western invalids, a
number of whom aro already here for the
winter.
A little more public spririt on tho part of
prominent citizens, aud a largo number of
now settlors might bo drawn to this place.
The fearful tornado which passed over a
portion of tho town tho first of last month,
doing considerable damage, dispirited some
persons, but tho effects of this misfortune
are rapidly vanishing, aud in a little time it
will b 8 forgotten. Gainesville oocupies too
important a central position not to grow un
der the present favorable surroundings.
canopy, Wetumpkft, Ocala, BrooksviUe, Fort
Taylor and other important interior towns.
Stages also run to Newnansville and Orange
Springs, located in the midst of the richest
lands in this section of the State. This is,
and will remain, an agricultural region, and
with returning prosperity to the South
Alachua county must share in the success
which will then attend agricultural labor.
Although this town has recently had three
newspapers, one is now deemed sufficient to
do its business and advocate its claims. The
Alachua Citizen and New Era, of which I!.
C. Drake, Esq., is editor and proprietor, has
for its motto,-'No party, no color, no creed,”
which forbids me to classify it politically. It
is a very neat paper, and many of your read
ers will be surprised to know that all tho
typo setting and press work is done by two
negro bovs, who are excellent workmen and
who conduct themselves in a very creditable
manner. Brother Drake is a stirring fellow,
and finds time to run a grist mill, a saw and
planing mill, a furuituro store, a nows and
variety store and a newspaper. Ue is a
shrewd and hard working man, so that ho
koops his many “irons in the fire” from
burning. Much of his success, I take it, is
owing to the energy, good sense, and raro
ability of his accomplished wife, who knows
lull well how to give a worthy husband a
helping hand. She is one of the most gifted
vocalists and pianists in tho South, as well
as a very successful music toacher, and has
frequently appeared on the stage with noted
opera singers. In company with a few
friends, mot socially at her attractive homo
last night, I enjoyed a rich musical treat.
She thoroughly understands tho use of a
fine piano, and her raro vocal powers can
master the most difficult Italian opera, or
joyfully rondur tho most amusing negro mel
ody of the day, with all tho intermediate
stylos of vocal performances. For a very
delightful social and musical feast, as well
as for numorous kind favors during my stay
hero, I am most siucoroly grateful to this
hospitablo and pleasant family. My thanks
are also duo Messrs. Dawkins, Brown, Aeon
and Papy for favors shown mo, and which I
have not space to more fully acknowledge in
this already too oxteuded epistle.
OPERATIONS OF THE UNITED STATES LAND
OFFICE.
I paid a visit this morning to the United
States Land Office, which occupies a neat
little cottage on tho corner of a street back
one block from tho public square. Messrs.
J. A. Loo, the Rogister, and S. F. Halliday,
the Receiver, were absent wliou I called-but
I was most courteously and kindly trdfVd
by their subordinate officials. Two colb/ed
American citizons wero busy with the maps
trying to locato homesteads for themsol os,
and I waß informed that a largo number of
i^teui- American citizens have already se
-0 tM homesteads in somo of the mostde
sirpfflc sections of the State. Others have
JPro on goveiTUnout buds, ignoiantr
the law requiring a propoi ontr\ ui t
all their labor by being ejected by , ... s
who subsequently entered tho same lauds as
required by law. This has caused
able hard feeling ou the part of tho ue-d
groes, who cannot be made to understand
how it is about “dat ar mule and forty acres
ob land.” In answer to my inquiry as to
how many entries had beou runic during
tho month of November, I was re-*
ferred to a colored clerk in thol
corner, who informed mo that the'
first entry in November was numbered 2,000
and tbe last ono of the same month was
numbered 2,301. From this it will be seen,
that the whole number of entries for tbfl
month was 298, or over ten for each wor 1 ■
ing day. As these entries varied from foM§|
to one hundred and twenty acres each, i '
total amount of land taken up was e|
something over thirty thousand pores.
On tho desks I saw hundreds \
tions yet to bo acted upon, and if any of’
your readers are mad because of delays in
this office, let mo assure them that “Rome
was not built in a day,” nor can an entry of
land bo mado in a hour. Maps aud records
and survoys have to be very carefully ex
amined and compared, which is a slow job,
especially when tho persons engaged in it
are constantly interrupted by parties who
prefer to make verbal applications and
“a thousand and one' 1 usoless questions,
which a public official of good maimers
always feels bound to answer in full. There <
are millions of acres of State and goverrr*J
ment lands in Florida, in all except tbe
old counties in Middle Florida,-for sale or
open to entry for homesteads. In a previous
letter I gave the prices of (State lands, and 1
need only mention in this connection t
expense of entering a homestead on govern
ment land. For ono hundred and twenty
acres tho cost is $lB, of which sl3 is to bo
paid when tho entry is mado, and the re
maining $5 when "the final papers are de
livered; for eighty acres the cost is $7 at
time of entry, and S2 when final papers aro
taken out; for forty acres the cost is $0 when
entered, and a foe of $2 to “prove out” at _
the expiration of five years. Lottors ad
dressed to “United States Land Office,
Gainesville, Fla.,” enclosing a stamp for re
ply, will secure any further desired informa
tion on this subject. I would here state, as
a matter of importance, that some of tho
very best lands in Florida are to-day being
taken up under the homestead law by men
of means and influence, as well as by tho
poorer classes, in Orange county and other
desirable localities.
AIICANOPY, ARREDONDO AND ARCHER.
While the town of Gainesville is not just
at present growing to any marked extent,
the country about it is constantly receiving
new settlers. Some are from tbe North and
West, but the most of them f. om Louisiana,
Alabama, Georgia aud other portions of the
South. Micauopy, about fifteen
the interior, is a very delight! ui
been settled up with a good class of poople,
and much attention is being given by them
to fruit culture. The soil is prolific, the
healthiness of the locality undoubted, and
everything indicates that the present tide of
immigration to that point will steadily in
crease. The same can be said of the new
and growing town of Arredondo, six miles
beyond Gaiuesville, ou tho railroad. It bias
fair. I think, to become one of the most im
portant railroad towns in the country, as
immigrants are generally pleased with its
location, and its inducements to settlers.
Archer, nine miles nearer the Gulf, is also a
growing railroad town, and is worthy the
attention of parties seeking homes in
Central Florid i. This whole section has one
important advantage, that of railroad and
steamship communication with the outside
world, which affords cheap transportation to
and from Southern aud Northern markets.
There are daily trains each way over the
railroad, one train going to Cedar yj
where connection is made with a line of
steam-ihips to New Orleans, and tho other
train going to Fernandina, where a similar
connection is made with a line of steam
ships to New York. Connections are also
made at each point with smaller steamers
that run along the coast. Gainesville and
its suburbs are about one hundred miles
from the Atlantic coast and nearly sixty
miles from the Gulf coast, with an altitude
of about five hundred feet. Of the Gulf
coast country I shall have something to say
in my next epistle. Sidney Herbert.
Murder at Fort Meade, Florida.
Borrow, Polk Cos., Fla., Dec. 10.
Editor Morning News:
On the Gth a sad occurrence took plas*.
at Fort Meade, twelve miles south of this
place. There had been some misunder
standing between the parties for some
time, and on the day above mentioned
both became a little overjoyful, and with
out demonstrations of any kind on the
part of Mr. Jones Mr. J. C. Kockner
placed his pistol near the former’s face
and fired. Mr. Jones’s face was horribly
burned. The ball taking an upward direc
tion caused his death in a few moments.
Mr. Kockner is yet at large, and reports
say the sheriff will not arrest him.
FOBT Mi'APEy.