The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-03-27
FROM rHE LAND OF FLOWERS.
Another Interesting Letter from Flor
SUMAzRRLIN HOUSE.


ORLANDO, Fla, March is, 1884.
EDITOR NEWS: Six. miles from Ocsla
Il Silver Spring. and that was g COM
plets surprise to me, az had no idea
the spring wss upon 50 grand g scale. It
Is Q round pool from 800 to 400 feet in
diameter, and said 10 be ninety feet
deep. - clear as crystal, and out of that
aoWS the OcklsRahA river, upon which
was the steamer Oceola. ready to start
for the down trip 70 Palatke. The Oce-
ola Il eiGhty-Ave feet long and about
twenty broad, and had thirtv-two pas
sengess. although they often carry sew
enty-Gve, but when they do they are
crowded too much for comfort. For
about fifteen miles the average depth OF
the river was about ten feet, and the wa
ter was % clear that We could see every
fish and turtle that We passed over.
Then the upper branch came in from
Lake Grifin, and Is that water was from
the swampe above 1t discolored the
stream 90 that we could not see anything
after that but alligators, aud they were
numerous, and many of them very
large.
The scenery along that river Is said to
be the widest in the state. But that
wlldness is being toned down now by
evidences of civilization along the
banks, where the people are braving the
terrors Of malaria and clearing land and
putting out groves.
returned to this place expecting to
find that my mail had been forwarded
from Jacksonville, but was disappointed
in that. I have been in the state over
FIVE weeks, and had but one letter and
no papers. 1t is said that the mail serY.
ice in this state is the worst in North
America, and i believe it, too.
The lakes and rivers of this state are
very low, owing TO the fact that for two
years they have not had their usual pro.
portion Of rain; and for ak months they
have he'd none aE all except few hight
showers within the last three weeks
The gardens are suffering severely. The
vegetables have all been up from q
month 70 six weeks, but do not grow
any. In the orange groves the young
trees are not growing, and the bearing
trees are not blooming, and that means
q short crop Of the golden fruit nexi
year, even If they should have good
rains soon.
There is great complaint of the cold
weather, not only during the winter, but
this spring 30 far. Two or three day.
will be pleasant, then the wind will
change and come from the north
or west and turn cold again. Tha'
means here that the thermometer drops
to say 90 degrees during the day anc
below so degrees at night. 1t was 4
last night, and some say that We had {
frost, but was not up in time to decide
whether we had or not.
If person comes here TO buy he viii
find plenty of land and groves for sale
In TACT. believe that the whole state il
for sale. They give some very plausI
BILE reasons for wishing to sell, but
believe that in many instances It il be
cause there are SO many groves being
put out that orange culture will not b
profitable much longer. If 1t is not
Che climate will be worth as much pc
acre e. ever it was, and that IL 9 grea
deal. for I have seen many individual
who have been benefited by the climate
many of whom have come here ever
winter for several years. It is said tina
the hotels have improved within q yea
or two and I find them generally fair
On the river the hotels charge q pc,
day and in the interior generally 81.
Yours truly,
| e. p. BRURER.