Newspapers / Lenoir News-Topic (Lenoir, N.C.) / April 23, 1909, edition 1 / Page 1
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The News Printery U equrnpecrtcTdo your next order of Job Vtiutinn promptly, Dou't send your work out of towurwe will do it to suit you. LET US OONVINCR VOU. The Lenoir News. 11m the very best Advertlnlntf Medium, because It It read by the Largewt .Number of the people of Caldwell Couuty. : X OS IVY 01.OO THKYRAH H.C. MARTIN, Editor and Prop. PUBLISHED TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS. PRICE 81.00 THE YEAR. VOLUME XI. LENOIR, N. C, A7JRIL 28, 1909. jSTO. 40 r A i FLORIOAJYERGLADES In a Letter to Mr, John T. Walt son Mr. J. E. Mattocks Tells of His Investigating- Trip to the Everglades of Florida. Mr. J. E. Mattocks in a recent letter to Mr. John T. Walstou, of Asheville says: "Complying with your request, I take reat pleasure in submitting you a statement of the results of my investigation of the Florida Fruit Lands Company's proper ty in the Everclades of Florida. I find that on the 29th day of April, 1903, the State of Florida received, from the National Government, a patent for these lands. This was an act of Con gress providing that all the over flowed lands in the S.,ate of Florida, at that time unsold, be granted to said State. In the latter part of 1908 the Florida Fruit Lands Company acquired 182,000 acres of this land with the view of draining and colo nizing the same. To my miud, no section of the United States is less under stood than the famous Ever glades. It consists of a level tract of approximately three million acres in southern Florida, surrounded by a rim of coral formation, from three to six miles wide. This rim extends around the entire Eastern, Western and Southern borders of the State. A little north of the centor of this tract is Lake Okeechobee, a lake of fresh wa ter, abounding in fish, and form ing the lowest part of the Ever glades. This lake is twenty one feet eight inches higher than sea level. A canal has been made connecting it with the head waters of the Caloosahat chee River, thereby affording transportation from the lake to the Gulf Coast. Five other ca nals are now being dredged from the East coast through the Florida Fruit Lauds Company's property to this lake. These canals are being made by the State in connection with the above mentioned company. The State has a drainage fuud ap proximating 2, 000,000. It will be augmented each year by a tax of five cents an acre for drainage purposes. This gigan tic scheme of roclaimiug proba bly the richest farming lands in the world, is the product of the fertile brain of Ex Governor N. B. Broward. Governor Brow ard undoubtedly understands the Everglades better than any man living to-day. He saw that the undertaking was en tirely feasible and, iu spite of the once almost tierce antag onism, he has succeeded in con verting the entire State to his view. It was inv good fortune to be a member of the Governor's par ty on a trip from Fort Lauder dale to where one of the big dredges was at work, sixteen miles in the Everglades, and about the central point of the Florida Fruit Land9 Company's holdings. This was made in a motor boat up one of the big canals. It was doubly instruc tive as I had the benefit of the explanations of both Governor Broward and that most affable gentleman, Mr. H. Russell Wray, Vice-president of the Florida Fruit Land Company. These canals are sixty feet wide, and fifteen feet deep, with a very perceptible current. As the trip was made in a motor boat, it was very easy to see the nature of the soil through which the cut had been made. I found this to vary from two and a half to three feet at the beginning of the canal, to from twelve to fif teen feet at the point where the dredge is now working, and I am told that the further in the Everglades one goes, the deeper is the soil. It is composed of a black muck or loam, and is probably as rich a soil as can be found anywhere on earth. Un derlying this loam is a stratum Of marl, from four to six inches deep; itself a fertilizer. Beneath this marl is a layer of white sand and beneath the sand a coral rock which composes the founda tion of the entire State. The Everglades are covered with a growth known as saw grass, from three to four feet high, in the places we visited, andafew smali clumps of bushes. These clumps vary in size from twenty feet in diameter to pos sibly a half mile. I gathered that not exceeding three per cent, of the area is covered with this growth. This entire sec tion, during the wet season, is covered with a thin layer of water, flowing either toward the lake or away from it, as the lake is above or below normal. I had often heard that this water was pure and wholesome to drink. 1 made a trial of this and found the statement to be true. 1 visited experimental farms along this canal, and found vari ous crops growing, and in excel lent condition. The land through which the dredging has been done is drained, and therefore re-claimed. I was assured that if the larger canals were not suf ficient to drain the land, that la terals would be dug at sufficient distances apart, and this process continued until the results was accomplished This method will practically put transportation to the door of every man who lives in this area. Although my visit was made at a time of the year that would correspond with the month of June in this lattitude I did not find the heat excessive, but on the contrary, the air was very pleasant. A steady breeze blows constantly over the Ever glades. There is never any frost in this section. The vegeation is inteusely tropical, and any thing can be grown here success fully that grows iu any other part of tho country. I tiud this reclamation work will be completed, with reference to the Florida Fruit Lands Com pany, during the latter part of next year, 1910. also the entire Everglades will virtually be re claimed within ten years. In order to gain a better uu derstanding of what the reclama tion of tho Everglades will mean it will be necessary to give a brief description of what was alluded to at the beginning of this article, as the rim surround ing the state of Florida. This is, at present, the habitable portion of that part of the state, south of the center. Here the coral rock, that has beeu spokeu of as underlying the Everglades, comes very near to the surface. None of the rich Everglades soil is found here, yet it is of sufficient ly fertility to produce enough vegetables and fruit to load three hundred cars a week south of, and at Miami. This seems al most incredible to one who has not seen the conditions, Miami is the principle town in Southern Florida. It is within six miles of the nearest point of the Flori da Fruit Lands Company's hold ings. It is thirteen years old, has a summer population of 8000, and a winter population of prob ably 15000.1 t has all the modern conveniences of an up-to-date town. It fronts Biscayne Bay, through which the National Gov ernment is now dredging a deep water channel to connect Miami with the ocean. The roads are perfect, being made of coral rock, at a cost not exceeding $500 per mile. If this section can produce such a great abundance of fruit and vegetables, and build such good towns in so short a time, it simply staggers the imagination, when one compares it with what the results will be from the Ev erglades, with its depth and fertility of soil. I find the people industrious and enterprising, the climate mild and pleasant, the section healthful, and malaria practically unknown. I saw very few mos quitoes, and then only during one evening. I am told that mosquitoes are unknown in the Everglades. Summing up, it must be con ceded that Florida has four es sentials that will make it unsur passed as a farming, and fruit growing section. Wheu this re clamation is completed, it will have the soil; it now has the cli mate, progressive citizenship, and the transportation facilities. This letter will be greatly aug mented, as colonization proceeds, and other railroad systems build their lines down into the state. I believe it is safe to predict that in ten years Florida will be the richest agricultural state in the Union. With kind regards, I beg to remain, ' Very truly yours, J. E. Mattocks. The Corner in Wheat. Charlotte Chronicle. The prediction has been made by one of our exchanges that the price of flour will go as high as ! a bar rel. Such a rise, while it would add still further to the already high cost of living, would not cause much surprise. It has already been forced up to !?7. The situation confronts the laboring man and the man on a salary thus In-comes even more of a problem, for the high cost of all commodities has made living a problem. One of the di rect causes of this rise in Hour is a corner in wheat, and theconditions are quite intelligently summed up by The Newbern Journal, which says that out in Chicago, for months, a gentleman named Pat ten, has been buying millions of bushels of wheat. Mr. Patten does not run a Hour mill. He is a speculator in futures. He does not buy wheat to sell to any con sumer, but buys futures in order to make those who sell him futures, settle at some price that will yield Mr. Patten what he wants in pro fits. Mr. Patten disclaims any wish to force up prices of wheat and yet he buys millions of spec ulative futures, bread knows noth ing about, and yet which the ignor ant consumer of wheat has to pay increased price for his loaf of bread, because speculators can force wheat prices to heights only touched dur ing war times, or w hen famine pre vails. This speculative craze in wheat will last until one of two things happens, the outside suckers will come and take Patten's futures, and go down to ruin with the load, or some unforeseen event will force the Patten crowd to get rid of their speculative holdings as best they may. Hut while the craze lasts, the innocent bread consumer must be forced to pay famine prices for his daily loaf of bread. One firm in New York City, heavy dealers in grain, has been forced to suspend, and this is a sign, judg ing from previous corners in grain, of the beginning of the end, when the crash must come. If only speculators had to suffer, it would be enough, but speculative corners in consumptive commodities, un settle all kinds of trade conditions, and cause unnatural situations to arise. Surprises Wife and Her Admirer. Altoona, Pa., April 18. Ed ward Russel, aged twenty-six was shot late last night by J. K. Craig, who surprised Russell and Mis. Craig together in the latter's home in this city. Russell died in the hospital today. Craig, who is twenty-five years ol age, is a loco motive fireman in the Pennsyl vania railroad yards here. For some time he has suspected his wife, the information coming from his brother, who boards with Un couple. Last night the husband went to work as usual, but at ! o' clock returned and finding his wile had gone out, hid in an upper room. About midnight Mrs. Craig returned home, accompanied by Russell and another young man and woman. Mrs. Craig put her three year-old daughter to bed and then joined her companions in the parlor. A few minutes later Craig slipped down stairs and hearing voices in the unlighted parlor, went in and found Russell in Mrs. Craig's company. After Craig had shot Russell he sent his brother for a physician and remained with the injured man until the police and mbulance arrived. He was then arrested. Child Burned to Death in a Barn. Salisbury Dsspnteh, lilth, to Char lotte 'ews. A most heart rending accident occurred on the Lincolnton road, about four aad a half miles west of this place, today, when James, the little 4-year-old sou of Mr. and Mrs. C. J. Carriker, was burned to death in a barn which he is sup posed to have set on on lire while playing in the loft. Mr. Carriker is the proprietor of a store on this road, and he and his wife were there when the lire was discovered. It seems that the child came into the store and asked his mother for some candy, which she gave him. and then went to the barn to play. Some time later it was discovered that the barn was on (ire but it was not known the child was in it tin til the mother saw his lody fall from the hay loft to the red hot emlx-rs on the stable floor. The body w.is uickly gotten out but was so badly burned as to be al most unrecognizable. Sues Seaboard Receivers. 'luirlotti- t Miservcr. Lucy Auston through her next friend, Robert Crier, lias brought suit in Superior Court against Messrs. S. Davis uartield. R. Lancaster Williams and K. C. Duncan, receivers for Uie Seal ward Air Line. It is alleged that the plaintiff, m ho is a child of tender years, was put oil' by a Soalxiard conductor some time ago at Mat thews, or some neighboring station, about ." o'clock in the morning, on the ground that she was of full age, while riding on a half ticket. It is said that she was unaccompau ied and Invsidcs this, that the con ductor overstepped his rights in passing judgment on her age under the circumstances. Charlotte OI server. Mrs. Theo. F. Muttz Dead. Charlotte Chronicle. Salisbury, April '(. Mrs. Theo. F. Kluttz, wife of former Con gressman Kluttz, and a sister of Mr. J. P. Caldwell, editor of The Charlotte Observer, died this morning at ." o'clock, in a local sanatorium, after a brief illness. Mrs. Klutts was Inirn in States ville in 1S4X and was married to Mr. Kluttz in 1S7,J. She was a leader in social, literary and church circles and was loved by the entire community. Surviviug the deceased, besides Mr. Kluttz, are two sons, Theo. F. Klnttz, Jr., associate editor of The Observer, and State Senator Whitehead Kluttz, and two daughters. The Cost of Any Refrigerator Lies, Not in the Purchase Price, BUT IN 1HE COST OF ICE THAT IT CONSUMES So the best in the long run, though perhaps it may cost a little more, is the cheapest box for you to buy. The Odorless make are so constructed that ice keeps much longer than in any other box foods are perfectly preserved. We guarantee no taint and if any refrigerator purchased of us isn't just as represented, your money back. WE SELL THEM ON EASY PAYMENTS No. ::, Ice Capacity ru lbs 12 00 No. :4, Ice Capacity 7" lbs 15 00 No. .S.", Ice Capacity lot) lbs 16 50 ittf See our Window Display. Resolutions Wiikijkas, It takes more backbone than it does wishbone to succeed in business RESOLVED, 1st --That wc will continue to buy our hides: RESOLVED, 2nd That we will tan our own Leather; RESOLVED, ird That we will make better goods. RESOLVED. 1th That we cut out all talk altout competitors and stick more closely to our own business. RESOLVED, .th You resolve : "WHEN IN DOUBT, BUY OF PRICE!" PRICE ( LINE HARNESS & TANNINC CO. CORN PLANTERS 66 IlL'Y THi: RIOHT KIM) : The Daisy " Rival Gordon Plows Cull nnd See 1 hem R. H. SPAINHOUR & CO. Robbers Secure Over $3,000. San Francisco, April 17. James M. Thompson, vice-president of Thompson Uridge Company, on entering his otliee today with a sack containing .', 200, was con fronted by two masked meu, one of whom shot him through the chest, inflicting a serious wound. The men escaped with the money, but were captured. Mr. Thompson had just drawn the money from the bank of Cali fornia and when he entered the office he discovered his bookkeep er tied to a chair. On turning his head Thompson was confronted by the masked men who promptly fired upon him. Then grabbing up the sack, the men made a dash for a buggy nearby, which one of the robbers entered, while the other made his escape. The fleeing man was pursued by policemen in an automobile and finally was captured. MIL MM TO BE IN LENOIR. Karl Jansen. the Scandinavian impersonator and humorist will appear at the (Jraded School next Tuesday night, April 27th. You should go out and enjoy an even ing of rare pleasure with this wonderful man from the "Land of the Midnight Sun." Seats l.", 2. and J5 cents. The (iastonia correspondent to the Charlotte Observer says: 'Tuesday night the auditorium of Central graded school was near ly full when Karl Jansen, the Swedish impersonator and entertainer, appeared on the stage. Mr. Jansen entertained his crowd well. As an impersonator he ex cels. His descriptions of life as it is lived in his native country, Norway aud Sweden, the Land of the Midnight Sun," is excellent and proves especially interesting to an audience here."
Lenoir News-Topic (Lenoir, N.C.)
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April 23, 1909, edition 1
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