Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1896 — A tetter From Florida. [ARTICLE]

A tetter From Florida.

Capt. <i. W. Pay ot», wliu-t' r* tent l journey to Florida was iu« ntUn c.t iu this p»|)er, wrtu s b vk about tits present location, De Fuutak sp» itgi, Ha., ns follows: This town is principally l uilt up by northern Bini e&ateru people. The people are all f:it-n<Hy and sociable with each plht-r The natives still hold to the old fashioned ways/ok doing things'. They will hitch tb.ir little ox with a set of rope lines to their cait and will go to town or church feeling as happy as any body. De Funiak Springs is a body of water one mile around. Its banks have a beautiful descent of fifteen feet, its depth itt the center i*> ninety feet. It has no outlet or inlet. “Its banks and coyntry around it have a bt-auli-of pioe forest with a few magnolia scattered here and there through 4. These pines will giow from 75 to 100 feet without a limb. Oh, how I enjoy a walk in the forest, looking at these Lf.y pines as they tower their tot* towards him who created them, as much as to say praise God forever more. The soil of this part of Florida is a white sand of a coarse nature. The natives tell me, by fertilizing it they cm get from five to ten_l>usbelß of com to the acre, planting their corn six feet apa-t and one grain in a hill. In fact this country is worthless for any kind -of grain. They raise some vegetables here, such as Irish aril sweet jHitatoes. There is no fruit here. They say the hard winter they had here killed the trees. This country is dotted all over with beautiful lakes, and the old timers tell tuc that tin re are a wonderful sight of .•dligatois in those likes and that now they have gone down into deep water and will stay there until the fitst of February, then make their uppeatanee again as summer b*gins hete about that time. There are a great many fish in these lakes hut this s a poor lime to catch them, for they also have gone to deep wat«r The old timers tell me there is plenty of wild game, such as deer, wild turkey, catamounts and other game about fifteen miles off and which I intend to go after next week. I must tell how they light the Streets of this town. They build platforms about 100 yards apart along the strec ts, and have on top a box about f«>ur feet square and eight inches deep ftded with sand. Then go to the wi ods, g t a big pine knot lay it upon the platform, apply the match, then they’ have a good light all over the town until midnight. Bro. I. V. Alter is not w ith us at this place. He is at Garden Beach, on the gulf about 30 miles from this place, and where we t xpect to spend next month. Capt. G. W. Payne.