The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-04-23
THE SUNNY SOUTH.
An Interesting Description of the
Orange Belt, By Cracker,
A weII-Known Winni-
napuQP
sgeciaI Cor. Manitoba sun.


war, some twenty years ago, and also
during the earlier war against Osceola
and the same tribe, so vividly described
by Capt Mayne Reid. The officers
quarters are still pointed out, and the
old powder magazine is now used for the
pacific purposes of a railway station. 1t
was a pretty place, its streets lined on
both sides with fine orange trees. laden
with fruit during the winter season.
say was, as it is now almost entirely a
mass of ruins The fire fiend, in one
night, swept away the entire business
portion of the city, together with the
two palace hotels, Putnam and Larkin.
The latter was owned by mine host Cap
tain Larkin, genial old sea captain,
who passed his summers at Watch Hill,
Rhode Island coast, where his quiet un-
assuming kindness to his guests, and
first-class table, filled his summer resort
with old-time guests and friends. Alas,
this is all gone, and in place of the usual
hearty greeting death-like silence seems
to brood over the place, and the still
smoking ruins depress the spirits of all.
The merchants seem dazed, but still
eager to again battle for chance in this
worlds lottery, and even as I write Qater
of course) the air is full of the clink of
the trowel. the buzz OF the saw, and ali
the sounds of extensive building opera
tions. Magnificent fire-proof blocks are
mounting in the air, many of which
would do credit to Chicago. Like the
National Policy, this calamity may be
for the interest of the whole community,
but mighty hard on the individual. The
writer who spent many of the happiest
hours of his life here in a beautiful typi-
cal southern home, turned away with a
sigh and unused on the shortness of life,
its changes, clouds and sunshine, and
felt inclined to leave at once such a sad
dening scene. Where now! Both in
clination and personal interest answered.
''INTERLAcHEN,
"between the lakes" This is virtually a
fact, as the town is situated on high
ridge of land with a beautiful, clear
water lake on each side, nearly circular
in form and clear deep blue in color.
One is named by the natives or "crack-
ers'' 'Blue Pond" but later some person
of more classical q cultivation named it
Lake Lagonda, while the other rejoices
in the name of Lake Chipco Lagonda
is perfect gem, framed by beautiful
setting of vivid green tropical foliage,
waving moss, beautiful palms, magno-
las, bays, mistletoe, etc. and the ever
present blue palmetto, while the back
ground is filled with the stately, stalwart
long-leafed pine. with its mournfut whis-
pering sound, signing ever, as if for some
dear one gone. To hear this sound at
night has a most soothing, though sad
, dening effect, and one sinks uncon-
sciously to sleep, wondering why.
To return TO the lake. Peeping through
vistas appear settlers houses, comfortable
homes neatly kept, orange groves with
their beautiful dark-green leaves, and
> occasionally beautiful modern. Queen
Anne style, or built after the low, ramb-
ling bungalow of the East Indies. Ap
preaching these, one meets the courtesy
7, cultivation and conveniences of the
, north, with the hearty hospitality of the
south. Most prominent of these are Mrs
}. Long and family and Mr.. C. Francis anG
wife, all from Boston.
. Interlachen is but a small place as We
of perhaps 200 inhabitants-not so baC
in the south for two years of age-situat
ed on the Florida Southern Railway
Is seventeen miles due west from Palatka
& 1t is in the eastern line of what is known
l. as the "Orange Belt" wide ridge 0
1t high rolling land about $50 feet highe
D. than the St. Johns river, free from mala
1t ria and beautifully studded with innu
l. merable "clear" water lakes teamin
le with fish and alive with ducks of a
IS kinds, curlew-herons, blue, white an
II green; while the forests abound wit
TO quail. doves, etc. This belt extends fo
+ about forty miles, when lower altitud
: is reached, and the soil is richer-lowel
Is and consequently sickly during the sun
W mer. There is an abundance of rich dar
9, soil in the state. but it carries with
or malaria, an insidious disease which graz
n ually wears away the victims life. Ian
ii such as this ''Orange Belt" situate
IN high and midway between the Atant
m Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico is health
n the year round. Florida, I may hel
ly state, is not unlike Italy in shape tan
ee many say in climate), and no part of it
far from either coast. Floridians ascril
%, to the ocean breezes the salubrity of tt
4 climate during the summer season, CLAIM
-. ing that the nights are always cool an
IA the sun extremely hot only at midda,
a To return to Interlachen. On every sil
a. you see the march of improvement
Wba+ rnS huf "a xirui,1 forest q fa