Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 54, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 December 1908 — WRITES ABOUT FLORIDA. [ARTICLE]

WRITES ABOUT FLORIDA.

Levi Reitcker Tells About the Land of Oranges and Pineapples. Boynton, Fla., Dec. 4, 1908. Editor Democrat: As we are now located and thought probably you and some of our friends would like to hear from us, and it would be impossible to write all of them, we write you and trust you will see fir to publish same. We will try to give you something our trip to Boynton: We left Rensselaer Friday morning at 1:10 o’clock, and arrived in Cincinnati at 9 a. m., some 30 minutes too late for our train to Jacksonville. We staid in Cincinnati until Saturday morning at 8 o’clock when we left for Jacksonville and arrived there at 10 o’clock Sunday. We took id some of the sights of that city, then went to the boat landing of the St. John River, where we surely saw some sights. Oarages and pineapples by the train loads, though possibly it being Sunday we did npt see as much as on a week day, but we could not see much difference as work was going on just the same

as any other day. But talk about colored people! It seemed to me there is more of them here than white people. We left Jacksonville Sunday at 3:30 on boat to Sanford, up the St. John River. Sanford is about 200 miles from Jacksonville, and this was the best part of our trip. Landed in Sanford at 10 o’clock Monday. Sanford is a nice little town. I might write for a week of the sights we saw coming up the river. Our boat was a large one and the river is bo crooked that it was almost impossible at times to make the turns, and at some places the boat took up nearly the whole river. I did not see any “gators,” but will try and tell some fish stories before closing. Leaving Sanford at 12 o’clock we went by rail to Boynton, arriving there Monday night at 9:30 o’clock, and going to the hotel for the night. Next morning when we went out we saw the flowers and roses all in bloom, and it made us think we had landed in a nice, warm and beautiful country. After breakfast we looked around and found a house to move in, but will say that we don’t stay much of the time in the house—we live out on the porch. Had good luck finding a house, for there was not another house empty in the town. We pay $6 per month for a three room house, and plenty of porch room. Next thing was to see the ocean, which was my first view of it. We are about % mile from the ocean, and can hear it roar and see a great many large boats going south, where to I don’t know. It seems so strange to me to see the farmers getting ready to farm. I was out west of town the other day and saw something like 400 acres of pineapples, and don’t forget that they looked fine. I helped a man pick 12 crates of grape fruit from three trees. They are cheap. Oranges, all you want to eat, for nothing; pineapples 3c each; large grape fruit, sc; oranges, 15 to 25c per dozen. You perhaps wonder how the price of labor is here. Well it is cheap and dear—for the kind. Boynton has probably 300 population, half colored people, and Jhere are whole towns of the latter. You can hire a “coon” for $1.50 per day, but they tell me one has to stay right with him to keep him at work and to see that the work is done right. So you ’ can see that labor is not so cheap after all. Now as for health, we are all well; Mrs. Renicker had a bad cough when we left for two weeks. Her cough has left her and she is feeling well. We can eat anything we get here but butter, and I have found where B. S. Fendig ships his “butter.” I am not saying, though, that it all comes down here. They sell it here at 30c per pound. Nearly all goods are canned, so are very high in price and not much good. Now I said I might tell some fish story. The people down here eat so many fish that the bones stick out on them so they can’t keep their clothes on. Probably the next time I write I can tell you a better one, and I am sure I will be able to tell you something about the aiigators. Was up to Palm Behch and came down to Boynton on a gas launch, saw some fine sights. Talk about fish and ducks! If Nat Scott and Jay Zimmerman don’t believe me, Just come down and I will “show them.” Well, I have written enough for this time, and if this letter escapes the wastebasket I will try it again. This leaves us all well and eating three meals a day. Hoping all who read this may find them as well, as remain, L. S. RENICKER AND FAMILY.