Chapter 3 - Letters from Florida
Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5,
Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Biography of Editor
|
|
John, Mother, and Sisters |
This letter and the next were written by John H. Weaver to his mother, Susanna Hollinger Weaver, who was 73 years old. His father, Christian G. Weaver had died 4 years earlier at the age of 74. There are no photographs of his father, since he believed it was wrong to have his picture taken. The original letters were written in long-hand in ink on ruled tablet paper. I have them in my possession.
1500 Miles from Ephrata
R. R. # 1
Kissimmee, Fla.
Nov. 18, 1925
My dear Mother:
I would have written you long ago, and would have had enough to say, but did not know how long we are staying here, and what address to give you. Besides we were very busy from all sides, etc., etc., etc.
|
|
John Lehman's Yard |
Well! I shall tell you viz:- We are located just about the center of Florida, the two ways. We came here last Friday about 3 o'clock to a small railroad station called Thoughman. Two miles from this station lives a man by the name of John Leaman, formerly from Intercourse, and Father knowed him from little up, and wanted to see the man. (This was the first people we knowed to speak to since we left my home this morning two weeks ago), and him I did not know. Well! I was sick and tired of living on the road, free camps, and expensive hotels, etc. And I said, "Mama, we have went far enough. What is the difference do we go 100 miles farther East, West, North, or South. Let me look for work and a place to stay."
Now we had expected to go to the west coast to St. Petersburg and south to Tampa and on down the coast to Sarasota 100 miles south of St. Petersburg. We, however, will go to this place before we come home if the Lord wills. Then we expected to come back again over the route we went providing we find no better place.
After we left Jacksonville, Fla., St. Augustine, and Daytona we struck inland toward the center. At Daytona we saw the ocean as the tide was coming. Wonderful! Here my heart swelled up to my mouth with emotion and I don't know why. But I said in my heart, "How great is God and his ways past finding out.
All along this route I saw much building going and knowed a job was waiting for me somewhere - for God had told me so - but I did not know where. Well! At Thoughman we turned around. I made arrangements at Thoughman for the night. Now about 4 miles east of this place I saw as we passed a very large tract of land cleared and surveyed for a city 13,000 acres (that is big!). I went to this place and made application for work. Now the contractors and foremen had left for the day, but the people of the place (real estate dealers) told me I am sure to get a job if I invest in a lot for $1500. I asked them if the tradesmen were unionized. I was at once told it's open shop which, of course, appealed to me.
|
|
Tourist Camp |
We went back to town for lodging. Next morning we went back to the city again (Interocean City), struck camp, got our breakfast on the ground and I got to the carpenter foremen to look for work. All the sub-foremen, which are 3 or 4, had no work for me, but one of them said Mr. Carr is taking supreme charge as foreman of the entire works. Perhaps he would put me on some men. I met Mr. Carr and applied. "No", he said, "Mr. Weaver I have enough of men, or are you a foreman or something?" Well! In order to get a job I was obliged to tell him so. (This was Saturday morning.) On Monday morning I took charge of a big frame building (two story) 60 ft. by 120 ft., 5 stores below, and a large amount of apartments on second floor. This is my hobby, and I think, "Is this the place God intended me to stay?" But wait a bit, it is not all gold that glitters. We have no place to stay yet. I am not putting from $3000 to $4000 in Florida bottom land. No! No!
|
|
Campbell Station |
You will please excuse the pronoun I because upon me rested all the arrange-ments to be made. I was told that Interocean City firm has a boarding house for its work people at Campbell Station 3 mi. up the road (This is still in the city.) A Mrs. Smith runs the place. I applied for a room for us three and board. I was told she has a room if she moved 4 men out of it. The room suited us alright after Lena worked all day to clean it fit for us to get in. We have an open fireplace and a fine room in every particular. Well it was a mess. Lena may tell you next spring when we get home. We pay $8.00 per piece board. I don't know what I will get for work, but at least 80 or 90 cents per hour. Perhaps $1.00.
|
|
Administration Bldg |
Well when we went to the table about 25 men came in, sitting to the table started to grab at what was on the table to eat, and gulped and grabbed it before it got all, and we soon saw if we don't do the same we will be left. The men were decent enough, but were forced to such actions same as we.
If I was with you I could tell you for 2 hours how awful things we saw here and went thru from Saturday noon until Tuesday noon, but suffice it to say in all my life I have seen no such immoral people than the Smith family and very sloppy. (Things were fairly good to eat what was of it.) The family consists of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a son about 20 years old and his wife, 14 years old, and a daughter of 16, and a boy 12 all slept in one room. The most shameful, immoral things were done at the table in our presence that I ever saw any human beings do. Well! We would not stayed longer thru Monday, but we knowed the Smiths were leaving. Things were too rank. They were legally ordered out and had to leave.
Mr. Smith was paid to work such as run the light plant for the boarding house, fix trucks, etc. Mrs. Smith rented the house and boarded the men. All the boarders are decent when in the company of decent people. Of course some were not decent with the Smiths. Mrs. Smith demanded that I pay my board one week in advance, $24. I was afraid I would lose some of it, but she turned back every cent when she left yesterday. I think she was afraid of our God because she rankled and fought with every man on the place but us about the board. Everybody is glad they are gone. The rest of the men did not pay faster than one meal or a day at a time, the firm had so instructed. I was not told and took everything for granted, and being an absolute stranger was left to struggle by myself.
|
|
Mrs. Bishop & Pets |
A Mr. Bishop and his wife took charge of the place last evening (from Bedford, Pa.) and things are much better, only the poor woman is no cook and housekeeper. He is better. I am working three days and heard no man swear, relate a smutty story, or crack an indecent joke. That beats Ephrata.
People live very simple here; no fences, no yards, no grass, tropical trees and fruit. All cattle, hogs, chickens, horses, etc. rove at large and pretty near starve. Poor land? Weeds even don't grow here. Everything level and full of stagnant pools and larger lakes. No farming all over Florida as far as we've come except where the land is tilled. Around Sanford (a city) we saw truck farms of the very finest kind; cabbage, lettuce, onions and garden things in general, but all the land was tilled and the water drained into the ditches and finally into the lakes and creeks, etc.
|
|
Interocean City Apts. |
At Stanford we would have liked to stay. Much building, but no room and land must run away up into thousands of dollars per acre and lots the same. Why here at Interocean City the cheapest lots 40 ft. by 100 ft. sell for $1300 to $1500, nothing but swamp and white sand and wild, bitter grass. (I can't explain.) But believe me, I will lose no money in Florida unless I am deliberately robbed. The land is worthless, absolutely so! It is only the real estate brokers that run this Florida land scandal. Why some people buy lots for $1500, hold it for a week, and sell for $2000. Why that looks good? Not to me, sir. I don't want that kind of money; it's a gamble, it's a lottery. Some time between the rising of the sun and the setting thereof, the millionaires and real estate men will shut down, withdraw their bait, and not gamble anymore, and the business will fall flat.
Between Jacksonville and where we are, we saw city after city laid out in lots, and men by the thousands are clearing the land for building purposes and not a house to be seen for 10 miles around. I know by observation that people are flocking into this state by the millions, but don't think it's full yet. Florida is as big as Pennsylvania, but all the people live in the cities. Buy land in Florida? Not I, Not I, sir.
|
|
Building #4 |
We like the climate. I work in my shirt sleeves. It was raining over Sunday and a little cool. It is 9:15 P.M. and have my coat off; no fire and am very comfortable. All workmen are from the Northern states.
I write you a big letter sometime when time. Show this letter to my children, and to my sisters Anna Mary (Metzler) and Susie (Martin), and James and Hettie (Shiffer) of course too. I am your ever loving son. Hope you are well & God bless you.
John
P.S. I wish to tell you this yet. Being your son, your brother, and your father, you very well remember with what great anxiety, fear, precaution, premeditation and much prayer I undertook this venture. I tell you I was not mistaken as to the enormity of the matter. We got all I expected, but not more unless it has yet to come. I could tell at some length of the free camps, outdoor sleeping, hotels, etc., but listen here I slept all night before we left home and from 5 to 8 hours every night since.
|
|
Lena on Porch |
Now see here that is one side only. We enjoyed it immensely and are enjoying it all along, and I suppose if this winter goes off alright, we may come again if nothing happens. Financially I be gainer and possibly physically too. Say, I am not the whole cheese. Mama belongs here at the hind end of this letter too. After rushing her south to the land of perpetual summer, through this southern wind and sun, she has taken on the aspect of an Indian or something. She is tan.
Now write us from home. Give us all the news, but send no valuables until I say so. Hold all checks, papers, and license tags, etc. But address all mail to the below address.
Oh, I forget mama. Mind you she cleaned two more of these bed hovels of their filth this afternoon and expects to clean the hovel tomorrow for the Bishop family. She looks very pretty there in bed sleeping. She doesn't know I look at her sometimes.
As to the mail, I got a box R.F.D., but am not quite sure if it conforms with the Florida law. Will be able to tell you by Saturday. To date we have not heard from home. We are anxious but contented. Discontinue Box #32 and write R.F.D. Our address is as follows:
John H. Weaver
Kissimmee
RFD #1 Florida
2nd P.S. Haw, haw. I would like to hear you say Kiss-e-mee but that is not the way.
Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5,
Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Biography of Editor