The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-04-10
From Florida.

by the favor of our young friend,
Hazen b. Armstrong, we are permitted /
TO make the following liberal quota
tlons from letter written to him from |
Thonotosassa, Fla, by Mrs. Z. G. |
WInans, neice of our old friend and |
townsman, VIM. P. Hazen, ESQ.,, who
is now dwelling in that land of flowers:
Uncle, as you know, is very
much engaged in his business, which
Is every year branching out in every
direction, until it now covers about
two thousand acres of land here in
FLORIDA. l suppose you have heard of
his fine mansion he is building. but
know You will be pleased to have
little description of it, and the large
improvements he has made here in
the past three years. The location OF
the house is all one could ask-it il sit
uated on the hill, about sixty feet
above the lake. If he had had the
slope graded it could not have been a
more gradual, easy decent. About the
grounds are the tall, waving pine
trees and quite variety of the tropical
shrubs and flowers, which help to
perpetuate the sweet delusion-that 1t
is Summer all the year. And so it is
to us. We know nothing of cold or
frost, and our gardens flourish as we'll
as our flowers. But to the house. 1t
is a very large, imposing, square build
ing, two storys and a-half high, has
thirty rooms, and an elegant wide
veranda running all the way round.
1t is painted light cream, with dark
brown trimmings, and there is no ex-
pense spared in adding the decorations
outside or in. You can imagine how
picturesque it looks among the the tall
pine trees, that seem as though they
were bending over the new home in
protection and wonder. Indeed, it ia
a wonder to this part of the country
4 for you know this is a comparatively
new part of the State, Though by all
. means the pleasantest), and to have 6
stylish city house put up IN theil
midst has made more than one ole
Floridaian open their eyes and ex.
+ claim, g It is the finest place in the
State" as all concede that it is, so WI
q are willing to believe it.
I The groves are in splendid condition
@ Out of the two thousand trees uncle
has put out, there are one hundred
a bearing, and one fine tree l must men
f ton to you. 1t was moved here, ,
distance of ten miles, and planted thu
, 4Lh of March, the day Garfield was In
augurated. and has now about thre,
hundred ripe fruit upon it from las
years bearing, aud is in bloom 70
I next years. crop.
a This is delightful season of tn
% year here-when the orange trees ar
q in blossom, their sweet perfume fill
!, the air, and all nature is joyous. in tn
4 early Spring.
), The nursery, which is a large one
takes considerable attention, an
pride. There are about thirty thousan
small trees, all the way from one t
# five years old, and eventually the
o will be transplanted to the vacant Ian
> around as.
:. Since the completion of the ney
p railroad through here to Tampa, ther
has been a great increase of travel, an
soon the Gorden read will be finished
which runs right through un cle's land
IL The want of railroad has long bee
/ felt by us ploneers,- and now we ifes
y that the connecting link is finishe
10 between the North and South Florids
e Yours respectfully,
p F. G. WINANs,
~ For w. P. HAZEN.