Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-31
Letter from Eleridn.

Letter from Florida.
| RoSE-COLoRED DESCRIPTION or THAT STATE
| HEALTH. WEALTH AND LOVELY TINE GEN
| ERALLT TO BE FOUND THERE.
Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
| ESPERANCE. SUMTER COUNTY. FLA,
December %, 1881
As Florida has become the great objective point
| of the tourist and seeker after health, have
thought it might he OF interest to the readers of
The STAR to hear from one who has no lands to
sell or axe to grind just what this country is
and in the near future destined to be. am
| now, on the 18th of December, when most of the
| states are wrapped in snow and their rivers
| chained in ice. enjoying the temperature of mid
summer. with the forest and fields covered with
| rich foliage and rank vegetation all around me.
and the garden look upon through the open
WINDOW fllied with roses and other flowers in full
Dioom Esperance. the home of Mai. W. p.
Copper, is beautifully situated on a bluff about
sixty feet from the waters of Lake Harris.
commanding a line view and noted for its gor-
geous sunsets There is quite settlement
mere. Oh educated and hosptabe people from
various states. IN the midst of fine land both
pine and hammock. where pine apples. grares
strawberries, oranges bananas figs and all the
Seml-tropical fruits are raised with proit
Lake Harris is the largest of the lakes i'm the
state: it was called by the Indians Astatula or
Lake OF Sunbeams. 1t is eight by eighteen
miles. Its shore line rises gracefully and is
dotted here and there with towns. residences
aud beautiful orange groves: in fact this is the
very center of the orange section of the state 1t
is the backbone Of the peninsula and the
waters of the lake flow through the Wthla-
co0che river, on the west. to the Gulf of Mexico
and from the east through the Ock!awaha and
the st. Johns to the Atlantic. trip up the
st. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers will repay any
one for the trouble of getting here and enioyinp
the grand scenery upon their banks. but " hen
he extends his trip further and reaches this lake
region, he will imagine he has been transported
into the Fairy lands Of the books and found a
second Eden indeed.
Silver Springs, deep pond or spring flowing
into and forming part of the Ockiawaha river.
is one of the stfarGest and grandest sights one
ever Deheid; II contains or covers about two
acres, is nearly circular and although the water
is from 40 to 60 feet deep. it is clear that You
can plainly see the grass and rocks upon its bot
tom and feel that you could reach them with
your hand. In fact. it does not appear like
water, but it is like looking into large mirror
There are four varieties of land i'm Florida
swamp, low hammock, high hammock and pine
and OAK lands The swamp lands are chiefly
used as fertilizers. The hammock lands have
always been considered the best for fruit culture
but OF late the pine lands have gained in favor
and, as they cost less TO clear than the ham
mock are selected by many. While the state is
settling up very fast there is still plenty of fine
land which can be taken up as hOmesteads or
purchased at 81 p per acre.
The great drawback now and in the past to
this section has been the lack of transportation,
but if the railroads now projected and under
way are completed, the settler will reach this
lake region in search Of home, be struck by
Its intrinsic worth. its varied resources and adj
vantages, and new homes will spring up all
around. and its fertile lands be in demand
To persons suffering with incipient consump-
ton. nervous debility, and weakened by undue
study. excessive toll or long sickness Florida
Florida which to the minds OF many like
myself has sounded like mere brag and eX-
a@geratiOn, but | ain here to see for myself
and have come to the conclusion not a half
has been told of the climate for health its
beauty "f scenery, prGductiyeness of soil, and
openings for honest toll and investment
Although one of the earliest points settled in
this country, Florida a state is vet in its
infancy, and, when full grown who can tell
what her future will be? While my friends i'm
Washington. trust. both one and all, may enjoy
a merry Christmas, they do it around hot stoves
and shiver at the cold blast from without; but
II they would enjoy a real Christmas let them
come to Florida and hask in the sunshine and
ENJOY the fruits. and they will more fully return
their sincere thanks to the Lord of heaven and
earth for His many blessings to both them and
theirs
AS many have been deferred from Coming TO
Florida on account of the idea that il is tire
some and lengthy trip, would say that | left
washington on Wednesday morning December
l4th, at 1l:1O am, and reached Jacksonville
Thursday, December 18th, at pm, only 81
hours from Washington. From Jacksonville the
other parts of the state are reached by steamer
anu railroad. NICK