The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-03-13
Ollie rIoR1pA LErrEk.
The PeFigrIatioas OF Captain = p
BrnReE in the Land of Flowers.
OcKLAwAHA House,, EUsTEs. Fla.
1904 4

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OcKLAwAHA HOUSE,, EUsTEs. Fla,
March 2, 1884
E9TroRs NEws:-I received but one
letter from home before leaving Jack
sonyille, and no papers, AMI since that
time have been so Constantly or The
wing that have not been able to order
my mail Forwarded, 30 ! am getting
anxious to hear from home. When
tourists G q late paper the first thing
looked up Is the weather reports, to see
how cold it is up north. In my last
letter / slid that this winter climate was
perfect, snd now ask the privilege of
correcting, or at least modifying, that
statement, as it is not quite perfect,
owing to the fact that for several days
1t has too closely resembled Kansas
during March. and 20 me that is our
most disagreeaole month Here they
now keep up fires all day, and we do
not go ont without our wraps. AT noon
the thermometer was SO and at night 1t
fell to 40, with strong breeze from the
west whistling through pine forests and
dIOuD0 LAC AOhSC 81 a way AAoS A1kS
up memories of home. The people
here say that the season is exceptional
in such way as TO again
remind me of Kansas.
With all the Boosting about the eli
mate and soil of Florida being able to
produce anything in the way of vege-
tables and fruits, no other state in the
union comes anywhere as near to i'm
porting everything that they live upon
as this state. They bring in from the
north what they feed their horses and
domestic COWS upon, and that is all that
they live upon, for pasture is not known
here. They ship in everything for the
table but oranges and few vegetables.
Still, think that of the latter more will
be produced as the country becomes
chickens should be fifty cents apiece
and eggs thirtY-fve cents per dozen in a
couatry so we'll adapted to the ie Ithered
tribe, unless it is because the people are
all wild upon the subject of orange
groves, and 1 believe they are wild on
that subject.
This place is comparatively new with
about 300 people in the town, and the
city limits here generally extend two
miles each way, Qtour sections) and un-
improved tImhered land near the limits
is held at from 800 to 5000 per acre,
with thousands of acres around
them just as good. This corner
of Orange and large part
of Sumpter counties are full of large
lakes. This place is on the beach of
long and six broad and connects with
several other lakes through narrow
channels, some larger and some smaller.
All are very beautiful sheets OF water,
but to-day dashed into fury by the strong
wind. l believe that these lakes are
eighty feet above the level of the ST
Johns river, and pine lands Use grad
ually to height of eighty feet above the
level of the lakes.
Yesterday wagon load of US drove &c
the village of Mt. Dora at the eastern
end of Lake Dora, and it was over 8
beautiful country, with halt a dozen
lakes in sight almost all the way. But
l doubt the productiveness Of the high
sand hills that we drove over, even il
they do hold the land at 800 per acre
Our driver, young North Carolina col
ored man, furnished US a good deal o
amusement by his quaint ways and awful
name of Ida Bookerout McClam Frank
ling. Here III the Interior have formed
e with few II will probably result in life
long friendship. l have received yer,
warm invitations to visit various place
: in the north and east parts of the state
/ This series OF lakes has several small
steamers navigating their waters, and a
y Jevares they are building three more
They carry pass myers and freight t.
t the various towns and settlements from
the railroad terminus at Lane Park
Tomorrow l think l will take pas
sBge on boat to Leesburg, thence b.
rail to O'Cala, and from their by boa
l. for the romantic trip down the Ockla
waha, eighteen hours run to PIlatks
then up the ST. Johns again 20 Sanfor
l. and Orlando, where l will probably &c
: my mail.
=. 1 forgot TO say that this place b"
two churches finished, Episcopal an
- NJ. E and Presbyterian organized
I and they will build church at onc'
+ We see but little of the old Bourbon ell
= mcnt, as they are selling out and NOV
: ing down towards the everglades, All
> their places are beng taken by goo
e north RI people. The local option la
'r of this state is working well in sue
d communities as this, TO the exclusion {
!. liquor.
-, Hoping to hear from home soon, r.
u main, yours truly, E. P. BRUNER-
d