The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-04-25
on FLoRrDA's GROWING CREST

Observation-Disclosures on the Santa
Fe and Hospitality Among
the EEiIIs----1TeIrose and
its People, its Beauties,
its Lakes and its Fu-
ture. The NJ. &
G. G. 5. r. II.
The nominees of Putnams democracy
reached Melrose about noon on April
23rd and were received with open arms
by such warm friends and loyal demo
Gratis as DR.. Frank 1IcRae, John 1IcRae,
Dr. Vogelbach, Mr.. Wolfe, Squire Lane
and many others. After a short rest and
a splendid dinner, we drove out of the
growing city and past suburban cottages
nesting in the shade of orange, oak and
magnolia and lemon trees-across the
historic Bellamy road, once thronged
with Spanish soldiers guarding the ira de
of the whole province in its transmission
and distribution between st. Augustine
and Pensacola, and passed onward thro'
groves Of oak and pine to see the far
famed lakes Of this celebrated region,
and we found at the Whitcomb grove the
finest location in the whole section.
Acres of orange trees occupy a rolling
isthmus sloping from the summit to a
beautiful lake on either side, and the
cosmopolitan owner, who was born in
the north, has lived for years in Califor-
MIA and has seen the whole county, is
supremely contented on the shores of
Lake Swan.
In the afternoon we were taken to the
shores of Santa Fe and embarked on the
swift steamer Alert for a sail on its wa
tiers, haunted by memories Of
priestly ceremonies, nailclad war
riors, bloody wrongs and savage ven
gence. The Spaniards probably called it
the Lake of the Holy Faith, because it
was uplifted so like q greatest chahce
in hand of nature, Gods own hierophant
to catch the first glance Of the morning
sun. And truly, it is one of the greatest
wonders Of our own wonderful state.
When calm its waters are so clear that
you can see the bass cake your hook at &
distance Of ten feet below the surface;
when the heavens frown and the winds
are abroad the white-carped waves dash
high among the green leaves of the sur
rounding forest. The lake is so feet
deep, four miles broad and ten miles
long, and the whole is lifted like a watch
tower rooted with silver, 1913 feet above
the fiowery glades, rolling woodlands,
verdant groves and fiourishing fields of
our beautiful state. Then fancy our en-
joyment as, in the Alert, under the care
of troop OF friends, we coasted these
haunted shores, and saw the groves and
cottages which crown the hills at whose
feet break the pellucid waves which find
an outlet to the Gulf Of Mexico on one
side through the Santa Fe river, and on
the other side send tribute to the Allan
tic. The broad waves tossed our little
steamer to and fro, the conversation on
board ran as usual on the threatened
war in Europe, and the representatives
of four adjoining counties discussed the
coming convention while citizens of
every state in the Union added advice
and zest to the lively interchange, but we
stood in the bow and watched the sun
sink in the west as he had often done on
the death grapple of Spaniard and Semi
mole, Briton and American, and as he
will smile in the future, when pine and
oak, magnolia and cypress has yielded
place to the orange and lemon, the hap
| by home and cultivated garden.
We admired Major Vogelbach's beau
tifuI home; we heard how Baron Rude
shein raised Black Hamburg grapes and
sold them in New York for four dollars
per pound; we listened to conclusive
proofs that around Melrose is one of the
most attractive sections in the state and
rejoiced that soon the Melrose & Green
Cove Spring Railroad viii enable the
people of this beautiful town to commu-
nicate directly with the outer world,
but in our heart Of hearts will linger
grateful memories of the friends who
showed us how tie sun sank to rest on
| the shores of Santa Fe Lake.