Oranges and Alligators (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1887. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIV. A Frontier Town--Pomegranate and Magnolia--The Singing-Time of the Mosquito--Seasonable Weather--Our Daily Alligator--More Orange-Groves; the last of them --Fortunate Narcoossee--Good-bye to Florida--A Farewell Word Orlando, the county seat of Orange County, is a thriving, stirring, "live" town, full of business and movement, in the active stage of development. Only a few years ago it was little more than a centre and gatheringplace for the cattle-men whose herds grazed on such pasturage as they could get in the South Florida woods. In 1880 the railroad was opened; and from that time the neigh 224 A FRONTIER TOWN. bourhood has "settled up" rapidly, until in 1886 there is a population of 3,000 within the corporate limits of Orlando, wherein, early in 1880, before the advent of steam communication, there were barely a couple of hundred scattered settlers. Now Orlando has capital shops, several hotels, two banks, two newspapers, livery stables, an opera house, public schools and churches, -- for both white and coloured, separately--and, last not least, for the prosperity of the city, its own manufactures. Waggons and carriages, furniture, boots and shoes, orange wine, and other necessaries and luxuries of life, are made on the spot instead of being imported from the North--though of course Northern goods can be obtained if preferred. Also there is an ice-factory, which is a blessing to the inhabitants A FRONTIER TOWN. 225 during the long Florida summer. Orlando is a regular frontier town, all wooden houses of every conceivable style, size, and colour --its streets all bustle and stir and business --its shops much better inside than one would anticipate from their exteriors, which is. a satisfactory discovery, as it is the "shopping" town for many a ...