The weekly Floridian. [volume], September 24, 1892, Image 1

About The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??

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VOL. LXIV.
FLORIDA HAPPENINGS.
yrt ISA.VD COMMENT IX BRIEF PARA
GRAPHS.
STATE press clippings
XHEBCSY HUM OF PROGRESS WAFTED
fBOM ALL QUARTERS OF FAIR FLORIDA
-notes about thrifty towns.
There are a number of forty acre
tracts of wi’d land in Hernando
county that cannot be bought for
(10 000 per tract. Two hundred
and fifty dollars looks like a big
price per acre but it’s no inducement
to the owners to sell.
There is some talk of organizing a
stock company in Gainesville tor the
purpose of manufacturing cigars.
The move is a good one, and the en
terprise if engaged in will prove
successful. More factories is on of
Gainesville’s greatest needs.
The Key West Advertiser pub
lishes a list of the tishes which inhabit
the Florida waters, prepared by Fish
Commissioner J. A. Weatherford.
The list comprises 107 different van
ties. Specimens will be sent to the
Chicatro World’s Fair.
Robert Murrell, the orange buyer,
savs the Ocala Banner, has disposed
of* his purchase in the Manatee
country at an advance of $2,000
without touching an orange, with an
ofier of $l5O per month to super
intend the packing and shipping ot
the crop.
October 12 is going to be a grand
day in Pensacola. The tobacco ex
hibition of itself will be worth going
hundreds of miles to see, and then
the firemen’s contest for the SIOO
premium offered by the city com
missioners will be a wonderfully at
tractive feature.
Fernandina’s board of health
issued it’s edict against the steerage
passengers. It has also passed an
order quarantining all vessels from
New York, and they are required to
stop at the lower quarantine station
and there await the inspection of
the health officer.
“Watren’s cave, in the northwest
ern part of Alachua county, has
Lever been fully explored, but suffi
cient investigation has been made to
leave no doubt ot the fact that it is one
of Florida's most extensive caves. It
hag been explored to the depth of
seventy odd fe< t below the surface
of the earth and for a distance of
several hundred yards in different
directions. A stream of water as
dear as crystal continually flows
through this cave. Gainesville
Leader.
Gen. J. E. Yonge has sent to Gov
ernor Fleming bis resignation as
connty solicitor. The friends of
John B. Jones Esq., are working
earnestly ior his endorsement. Hunt
Chipley Esq., who has beeu repre
senting Gen. Yonge, is absent* at
Uriando, but his friends in reply to
inquiries, said that do 'petition had
wen formulated in his interest. The
* ews man met several members of
bar, however, who had suggested
Jar- Chiplev’s appointment to the
governor. Mr. Jones also has many
endorsers ameng the legal profes
*ton.—l’ensacola News.
The phosphate interests of Alachua
CoUlll y art * rapidly growing into
mouKter proportions. We have no
means of ascertaining definitely the
BQm inv ested, but the amount is im
mense, All the various interests of
■ * c Ounty are benefited directly or
JMirectly as a result of the develop
ff nt ot this great industry. We
tartl most of the phosphate
south of Ocala are shut
•g 'lown en account of the quarau-
? e * * l * s said that most of the
P ° 6 pliate mined in that region is
Qtraeted to be delivered at liam
urg and Stettin, Germany, and the
quarantine- has made it out of the
Motion to reach those ports during
* P rev aleuce ot the cholera.
y ears ago a peddler came
alatk,a selling what he called
lDese wat*-r lilies. These plants
* J * Bfcen K r °wing in tubs of
c j t er a! most every yard in the
f, * I • ~y some means they got a
firm • i j ln l^. e r i ver where they have
the- r , ie< Ul, til great floating beds ot
the 01 - na * V * ,e Been * u m any places on
do* r ' V>r ol Bevera i miles up and
Wr ial stream. A beautiful
r f a,( * en these aquatic curi
pLe*! Judged itself against the
i ia Southern warehouse, a day
that ° giving the employes of
ICfehc e ® la blishment a magnificent
lilies tv? the m y riad ® °f fragrant blue
•sror now in season.—
Some Orange growers in the state,
says the Oviedo Chronicle, are kick
l"g because the Florida Fruit Ex
change has advertised the growers
to hold for $1.50 per box on the trees,
ell, no one is going to compel
t 0 fake that price— they can
se for less it they are convinced it
is too much; but the intelligent
grower will consider all the circum
stances that effect the price of oranges,
and will no doubt come to the con
clu-ion that the exchange is not very
far out of the way. Of course a man
who has poor fruit and undesirable
sizes must expect to sell for less than
good fruit brings. The trouble with
many growers is that they expect to
get a “Fancy 176” for a “Common
96.”
WORLD’S FAIR NOTES.
Seats for 125,000 people are to be
provided in the great manufacturers
building at the World’s Fair for the
dedication exercises on October 21.
The British building at the World’s
F air will have among its decorations
flags bearing the arms of the princi
pal cities of the United Kingdom.
The main railway station, within
the World’s Fair grounds, where all
excursion trains will discharge their
passengers, will be a handsome struc
ture costing $225,000 and will ac
commodate 25,000 persons at one
time.
The proposed building for a col
lective exhibit by merchant tailors at
the World’s Fair, will probably be
near $ / jhciics building. As plan
ned, it will be 55 feet square with a
portico extending to the lagoon. The
tailors of Chicago have raised $lO,-
000 and $15,000 is expected from
members of the trade outside.
Dauphin county, Pa., will send for
exhibition in the Woman’s building
at the World’s Fair an elaborately
carved table of extraordinary histori
cal iuterest. It will be composed of
woods taken from the yoke of the
famous “Liberty Bell,” from the
house in which the first American
flag was made, from Washington’s
headquarters at Valley Forge, from
the old ship Constitution, and lrom
a pillar in Independence Hall. The
upper surface will be inlaid with
Indian arrow heads, relics of the Six
Nations, with whom what is now
Dauphin county was once a favorite
hunting ground.
Building material dealers will make
an exhibit at the World’s Fair. They
will also hold and international con
gress for the discussion of matters of
interest to the building trade.
The w omen of La Salle county, 111.,
are raising money lor the purpose ot
paying the expenses of some 600 or
700 women and girls during a visit
to the World’s Fair.
Late advices from Sydney, New
South Wales, sustain the view that,
notwithstanding the commercial and
financial depression existent in some
parts of Australia, the Australian
exhibit at the World’s Fair will be a
great and representative display.
From Sydney will be sent a remark
able astronomical clock. This clock
is forty-five feet high and twenty
five feet square at the base. Within
it is exhibited the motion of the sun,
Mercury, Venus, and the earth re
volving on its axis around the sun
and the moon around the earth. The
fm
POWDER
Absolutely Pure
a cream ot tartar baking powder. Higbeeto*
all In leavening etrenatk: —LaUst U. M. Ocum
mmt Food Rtport , _
BOTAL BAKING fOWDXBOO., M W l *
TALLAHASSEE, FLA., SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1892.
sun is to be represented by an elec
tric light which will illuminate the
surrounding planetary bodies.
The international chess tournament
to be held at Chicago in connection
with the World’s Fair will distribute
$7,000 in prizes.
The owners of the mammoth cave
Kentucky propopose to reproduce
the “starry chamber” in the mining
building at the world’s fair.
Arkansas will exhibit at the
world’s fair a relief map oi the state
showing all elevations, depressions,
lakes, swamps, coal and stone areas,
arable lands, wheat, corn and cotton
regions, timber and prairie lands, etc.
Sweden’s building at the world’s
fair has been designed on the lines of
the old Norse Stave churches, but
with more solidity. The building is
being constructed in Sweden and
will be sent to Chicago in sections.
Persons in Bombay, India, are per
suaded that there will be considera
ble profit in making a varied display
at the World’s*Fair. They propose
to send over twelve elephants, so
that visitors can take rides “in how
dah with mahout”; to give exhibi
tions of suttee, cremation, jugglery,
nautch, wrestling, etc., and to sell tea
at ten cents a cup. They expect to
sella million cups.
At an expense equal to about
SSOO, an industrial school at Guntoor,
India, will make a notable exhibit at
the World’s Fair. The exhibits will
be entirely of articles made by Mo
hammedan women, and it is stated
that none of their work has ever
been exhibited at nn international
or national fair. A small drawing
room In the Woman’s building will
be furnished with articles made by
the pupils of the school. Among the
articles to be sent are a very hand
some velvet portiere embroidered
with gold, velvet embroidered with
gold for upholstery, a table cover. of
white Berge embroidered with gold
and silks, a piano cover, curtains of
Indian material embroidered with
silks, fancy wall decorations, hand
some picture frames with gold em
broidery, table covers, rugs, tea
cozies, cushion covers, centre pieces
lor tables, trimming for evening dres
ses, altar clothe, etc. Some of the
articles, it is announced, will be for
sale.
mown mow bitters almanac
For ISM
c (Dtalm Om HojMlred Recipe* for mak
-1 a delicious Cadr cheaply and quickly
f t home. This book 1* *iven away at dru*
A&d general storea.
Corrected and Republished in the Monthly Bulle
tin for September.
Tbe Value and Composition ol Pal-
metto Boots.
The writer has just returned from
an extended trip north where he has
been in attendance upon the meet
ings of various scientific bodies,
and on his return finds staring him
in the face in cold type some of
the most astonishing statements and
computations it was ever his mis
fortune to make. Worst of all too
he cannot lay it to the printer. He
saw the proof of the article in ques
tion just as he was packing his grip
sack; and in the midst of the hundred
little hurries and worries that are
pretty sure to come trooping in on
such occasions, lie failed to observe
that not a few errors were uncorrected
and that that sometimes pestilent
little mischief-maker, the decimal
point had got itself so tangled up
among the figures, as to magnify a
good many numbers by ten. The
article is therefore republished, entire
in its corrected form.
As there has been a good deal of
discussion in the agricultural and
other journals in regard to the com
position and value of the ash ot the
palmetto, the State Chemist decided
sometime since to make a little in
vestigation, of the matter, rather,
however, for his own personal satis
faction than with any intention of
publishing the facts thus obtained.
The limited time at his disposal has
prevented the completion ol some
investigations begun several months
since, and what he has now to offer
must be taken as partial and provis
ional rather than completed work.
The most obvious fact in regard
to the palmetto root would seem to be
that no two analytical chemists
agree as to its composition. It is
not impossible, perhaps not improb
able, that like some other plants the
palmetto may vary in composition
according to the soil upon which it
is grown. Then, too, the name “pal
metto” is popularly applied to several
related but by no means identical
species, and the analyses may not
always have been made of the same
plant, and this also may have added
to the confusion on the subject. The
writer does not profess to be able
to explain all these discrepancies in
published analyses. He simply begs
to submit what he himself found in a
single analytical determination of a
mature root of the ordinary saw pal
metto (sabal serulata) and which
was obtained about two miles souths
of Tallahassee, and was grown
in a rather low spot in the ordinary
reddish clay soil of this part of the
state.
First, The green root freshly gath
ered was examined the same day it
was obtained, and found to contain
65.50 per cent, of water, and 35.70
per cent, of dry fibre. The propor
tion of ash to the green root was
found to be .92 of one per cent., or
18,4 pounds to the ton. In prepar
ing this ash great care was taken to
remove all adhering silica, which
under ordinary conditions of burning
makes up a large part of the so-called
“palmetto ash.” This ash gave 24.40
per cent, of potash (K-O) and
per cent, of phosphoric acid (U-O 5 ).
The remaining portion of the ash
consists of silica, lime, soda, magne
sia, oxide of iron, oxide of manganese,
soda, etc. The exact amounts of
these elements found may be given
when the writer has time to complete
his investigations. In other words,
a ton (2000 pounds) of perfectly clean
and freshly dug palmetto roots
contains, eighteen and four-tenths
pounds of ash. But as only thirty
five and seventy-hundredths of this
is dry fibre, and the remainder water
it follows that one ton (2,000 pounds)
of the dried material will give fifty
one . and fifty-four hundredths
pounds of pure ash, containing
twelve and sixty-seven hundredths
pounds (12.67) of potash and
four and seventy-one hundredths
pounds (4.71) of phosphoric acid.
Estimating the former at five and a
half cents (si) and the latter at
five cents will give a value of a
little over ninety-two cents (.92) for
these eliments in one ton of clean
and perfectly dry roots. Other in
gredients present,lime, magnesia, etc.
somewhat increase this so that the
real manurial value of the ash from a
ton ol dry palmetto roots may be
safely estimated at about one dollar.
This, however, is very far from
representing the ash as ordinarily ob
tained. If the palmetto root is ex
amined it will be found to be covered
with the sheathing remains of the
decayed leaf stalks “petioles.”
Underneath these and concealed from
ordinary observation will always be
found more or less sand and earthy
material accumulated in the process
of growth. No amount of ordinary
washing or shaking will remove this.
Nor will its presence be suspected
unless this clasping fibrous petiole is
removed. A rough estimate which
I made indicated that at least one
pound of sand is concealed on each
ten pounds of root. Assuming even
half of this as the average, to obtain
a ton of real roots we must gather
2,100 pounds of apparently clean
roots. If we burn this material we
shall get not only the 18.4 pounds of
real ash, but also mixed with it the
100 or more pounds of sand, which of
course does not burn. Nearly 120
pounds of what seems to be ash will
be obtained, with a corresponding
diminution of the amount of phospho
ric acid an 1 potash present.
In point of fact judging from the
samples of palmetto ash which I have
received for analysis—the ordinary
process of open field burning gives
even a larger percentage of sand
than this. I never yet have seen a
sample of palmetto ash from an ordi
nary producer that gave over six per
cent, of actual potash, showing that
in some way, ash produced in open
fires on the silicious soil ol Florida is
likely to he at lea>t five-sixths sand.
One question which seems to have
puzzled a good many people it may
not be amiss to refer to. The writer
by a goodly number of soil analyse
has demonstrated that some soils in
Florida are very deficient in potash
an<l from geological and other con
siderations has pointed out the proba
bility that all or nearly all are so.
The question has naturally been
asked how it can be that a plant that
consumes so much potash as the
palmetto can flourish on a soil so re
markably deficient in this essential
element of plant food. A little at
tentive consideration of the matter
will explain this apparent inconsist
ency. A ton of clean and dry pal-
metto roots contains as above indi
cated over twelve and a halt pounds
of actual potash. It is doubtful if the
amount ol roots growing on an acre
of our poorest pine land soils ever
exceeds ten tons, which of course
would require 126,7 pounds of potash;
Now the very poorest Florida soil I
have analyzed contains eighty pounds
of potash in a million, or assuming
Johnson’s estimate to be correct that
one acre of soil to one foot in depth
weighs four million pounds (too low
an estimate for Floiida) this would
give 320 pounds in one foot of soil.
The roots of the palmetto extend
often to the depth of eight or ten
feet. Assuming them to reach only
five feet, this poorest Florida soil
would give 1,600 pounds of potash
or between thirteen and fourteen
times the amount needed, within the
possible reach of this potash loving
plant. On low, moist ground, where
the palmetto prows so abundantly,
the potash is present in much larger
proportions. So that the apparent
inconsistency at once disappears
when the matter is subjected to the
test of examination.
In the very hurried examination
which I was able to make, some
c, her facts were brought out which
may be of interest to the public.
The question of the existence of
tannic acid in the fresh root has been
the subject of considerable discussion.
Some chemists are reported to have
declared that the palmetto root con
tains no tannic acid, while others are
said to have found it in abundance.
A part of this discrepancy may arise
trom the fact that some may have
made their examination of the green
and others of the dry root. It is
quite likely, however, that the ques
tion is one rather of the definitions
of terms, than of actual composition.
If the meaning of the word “tannic
acid’’ is,restricted to that which is
sold as such in the drug stores of
that which is found in the bark of
o; k or hemlock or sumac, or any or
the substances ordinarily used for
tanning leather, it may be truthfully
said that the palmetto contains no
tannic acid. If, how’ever, the word
is used with that larger meaning
which includes the astringent princi
ciple of catechu, cinchona bark and a
large number of kindred vegetable
substances, and which resemble each
other in their power of forming a
precipitate with per-salts of iron and
rendering gelatine iusoluble in water,
then the palmetto contains “tannic
acid” in great abundance. The fresh
juice of the root throws down a green
precipitate with per salt of iron
rapidly turning brown, instead ot a
violet black which is characteristic of
the ordinary tannins. A number of
other reactions were observed which
show the difference between palmetto
tannin and the ordinary article. It
does, however, precipitate gelatine
An eleqant assortment of Nainso* k and
wiss etnbrodenes. at Miss Steplnnson’s.
China silks for dress and millinery pur
poses, a select assortment, at Miss E. J.
Stephenson's.
ENJOYS
Both the method and results when
Syrup of Figs is taken; it is pleasant
and refreshing to the taste, and acts
gently yet promptly on the Kidneys,
Liver and Bowels, cleanses the sys
tem effectually, dispels colds, head
aches and fevers and cures habitual
constipation. Syrup of Figs is the
only remedy of its kind ever pro
duced, pleasing to the taste and ac
ceptable to the stomach, prompt in
its action and truly beneficial m its
effects, prepared only from the most
healthy and agreeable substances, its
many excellent qualities commend it
to all and have made it the most
popular remedy known.
Syrup of Figs is for sale In 60c
and $1 beetles by all leading drug
gists. Any reliable druggist who
may not have it on handwQl pro
cure it promptly for any one who
wishes to try it. Do not accept any
substitute.
CALIFORNIA FIG SYRUP COL
•AM FMAMCIBOO, CAL
lomvtui. Kt. mcw rout, as
WHOLE NO. 333
DIRECTORY OF FLORIDA LAWYER
J|OHl*l\* a GKAHAn,
ATTORNEYS AND COUNBELLOBB-A7
LAW,
Titusville, Fla.
[Postofflee box No. 250. J
Practice In all the Courts.
Q.EORGE W. WALKER,
ATTORNEY-AT-x AW;
Tallahassee, Fla.
HF~Offlce up stairs, over Postofflee. w
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW,
Arcadia, Fla.
J W. BRADY,
ATTORNEY-AT LAW,
Bab tow, Fla.
Practices in all the Courts.
jg B. BRIGGS,
ATTORNEY, COUNSELLOR AND
SOLICITOR,
No 6 Gould Building, Mw Ave. A LeaMMIS
Tampa, Fla. Lakeland/FIT
|y Practices In all the Court*.
JAMES T. SA.YDERS,
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR-AY
LAW,
Titusville, Fla.
""" 11 ■ ■ i—. i———
JgRED T. MYERS,
ATTORNEY AND COUNSELLOR-AT-IAW
Tallahassee, Fla.£
IyjXGRIFF Sc MILLER,
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW,*
Tallahassee ; Florida,’
(Practice in all courts.
Q.EORGE GREEN HOW,
REAL kEBTATE AND INBURANC*
Tallahassee, Fla.
£y Desirable City, Suburban a&drYkni
Properties. S-ly
J> A, SHLYE,
AGENT rOB TEHEE OF THE BEST'
FIRE INSURANCE COMPAK]
Continental, Western,
and
Gebman American.
March S-tf
D h. G. S. WILSO.Y,
DENTIBT.
up 6tairs in Saxon’s new brio
building. Aug. 27,
pKASII S W. CLARK,
WATCHMAKER AND JEWELER,
* OPPOSITE ST. JAMES HOTEL.
I do work that others can’t do. I dOBI
charge for what I don’t do.
I# All work done promptly and war*
ranted. May 21, ’Bs4f
GILMORE A DAVIS,
Baildera mad Coatractars,
Only First-Class Wor* done.
Lumber always on band. Address
ent,
F. C. Gilmore, Tallahassee, Fla.
t G I Davis, Quincy, Fla.
H. FREELAND’S ’
BARBER SHOP AND BATH ROOMS.
Opposite Rawls’ Drug Store.
For Flbo Clears
and Graveily’s tobacco, call at the drug
siore of M. Lively’s.
RULES OF PRACTICE
OF THE
Supreme & Circuit Courts
Neatly Printed in Book Form.
JOHN G-. COLLINS.
(Tallahasseean Office,)
T J 1 ( Eli A
Sheriff’s Sale.
Ida V. Bryant, claimant, Julius Ball and L. C. Yae
ger, sureties of claimant'a bond.
▼B. .
John F. Warner & Cos.
TENDER AND BY VIRTUE OF AN
L execution issued from the court of the
county judge ol Leon couDty, Florida, in
the above eniitUd cauje, bearing dated'
September 2, 1892, for one hundred soil
ninety-tour dollars and eighty-three cent 9
and costs of sale, I have this day levied upon
and - ill expose tor sale to satisfy said exe
cution, on ihe first Monday in October,
beiog legal sales day, in front of the court
house in Tallahassee, dur ng legal boars of
sale, the following real estate, as p ropertv
of Julius Ball, claimant’s bondsman, situ
ated and being in Leon county, State of
Florida: Southwest uarter of northeast
quarter aDd south half of southwest quar
ter ot southwest quarter, section
ship 1 tontb, range 1 west, containing 00
acres.
The 2d. day of September, A. D. 1892.
John A. Peabce,
Sheriff of Leon ootustj.