Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-06
SOUTH FLORIDA.
CHARMING SITE OF THE SEMI
MOLE HOTEL.

sion of Beautiful Lakes-LOcatiOn
Of .'Kissimmee City'-A Brace OF
PiOneers--Oapt. K. f.. ROse-The
Work of the Drcdge BOats-Busi-
ness Firms-Wm. Cannon-2, 50O,-
900 Acres Reclaimed Land-Sugar
Culture-Going at itln Earnest-A
Trim to the Canal, Etc.
During the writer's late sojourn at Or
Iando he one afternoon took the $50 p. m.
TAMPA train and rode over to Winter
Park, one of Florida's inchoate cities, and
certainly charming winter resort. The
town is owned and controlled by a
wealthy syndicate, who sell lots only to
anproved parties, and prescribe the char
acter of the improvements erected upon
them. Thus regulated, quite number
If handsome villas have been built by
Northern capitalists for their families,
the Rollins College, with an endowment
Of about $4,000, put in operation, and
the "Seminole," one of the most
elagant hotels in the State, con-
tanning 200 rooms and every modern
anpliauce, finished and opened on Jan. l,
of the present year. The site of this struc-
ture was most happily chosen, and is
lovely in the extreme. In the rear two
beautiful lakes stretch out on either side,
atfOrding a long vista OF water view IN
setting Of vivid green, and then, gently
bending round, appear again IN sight with
their silver sheen to the right and lett Of
the front Of the building. The effect is
almost enchanting, and, supplemented by
luxurious apartments and an unexcep-
tiopable cuisine, it is not surpris-
ing that the hotel was crowded
the season through, and cleared
TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS
in three months. Ithas recently changed
hands and will receive an addition of 100
rooms before the fall opening. Robert
White. Jr. and John r. ErgoOd are the
principal merchants of the place, which,
IL the innumerable lots duly staked out
Are ever improved, will rival Jacksonville
mextent aud population.
kssaying to return at 6 p. m. to OFlan-
V0.sour correspondentwas mystifed as to
ganoInts of the compass,
TOOK THE WRONG TRAIN,
aud was soon speeding in the opposite di-
rection towards Sanford. IL was not un-
I'll we had passed Maitland that he dis
covered bis error, and interrupting the
conductor IN the midst Of an animated
and unintelligible squdbble concerning
their fare with about two score raw Ital-
ian emigrants, not one OF whom could
speek a syllable of English, asked that he
might be put off at the next station. This
proved to be
LONGWooD,
sndithere he was landed without "bag or
baggage" on the Wayside. Day was just
closing in, AID. after several inquiries, a
friendly darkey showed him to the ''hO-
TEL" where he was kindly received and
lodged by the obliging landlord, Mr., g. B.
Wright, and his gentle spouse.
After supper he retired amida
sERANADE OF FROGS
from an adjacent pond, partially filed up
with sawdust, which rivaled the anvil
chorus at the Cincinnati Musical festival.
The mosquitoes also put in their sharp
bills and shrill notes, but were happily
kept at bay by good net, and plentious
annointment of
OIL OF PENNYRoYAL,
which is too much for the Olfactories OF
the little miscreants.
Sleeping well, through it all, in the
morning we rose at mututinal hour
and sailed forth to view LongwOOd. and
make the acquaintance of her citizens.
1t is a thrifty little town about Eve years
old and Boosting big hotel not vet occu-
pied, and several hundred inhabitants.
The principal feature OF the place is the
extensive mandatory of doors, sash and
blinds, and the mills of
"A. DE1IENs co.
who are also house contractors and rail-
road builders, being now at work upon
the Orange Belt7 railway from Long
Wood to Sylvan Lake. Mr.. Denies is
President of the road. The principal
merchants are A. NJ. Taylor, a large
dealer in general merchandise; drugs. $.
NJ. Brewster; groceries. j. n. Park, j. r.
Poole also postmaster and S. W. Whit
more; millinery and fancy goods, Mrs.
h. W. Beesley.
At 4. m, the writer, first taking an
observation by the sun to make no mis-
take, returned to Orlando full of linked
experiences" since the previous day.
KIssISIdEE
Is the next place in this land Of towns and
lakes to which we would beg the reader
TO bear US company.
Theroute from Orlando traverses a piny
woods country, poor but healthy.
and Astounding with clear lakes
whose banks are fringed with
living green, and are the redeemlng
feature of the landscape. There are con.
road, so that 1t is seldom that the dusty
travellers, with the thermometer in the
sVs," is without the refreshing pres
ence of
DAINTY SHEETS OF WATER,
clear and sweet, and suggestive OF cool
oatbs aud greedy trout, ready to rise at
any moment to the seductiOns OF the an
gler's tackle. Ever and anon, too, upon
sandy plateaus covered with zines and
oofderlng some pretty lakelet, the
INEVITABLE CITY ON PAPER"
presents itself with long lines of neatly
etaked and lettered lots. still sleeping
quietly IN their solitude. but ready TO re.
spond with magical celebrity at the Inspi-
ratlon OF capital. Soon we roll into Kis.
simmee City, which is located at the head
Vi lake and rivernavigatiOn to
CHARLoTrE's HARBoR,
On the Gulf Of Mexico, $50 miles distant
w tne tortuous water courses.
y. me town stands at the head of Lake
IgnOpekaiiga, fine sheet OF water, Is
mics IN length, whose bosom is now
proved by several small steamers and
numerous barges aud sailing craft. A
i,ue over Tour years ago, the site was an
rIIeclaiined pine wilderness, without
sornlary habitation. In advance OF the
t,SiiIoad 10 1881, ana 10 Inaccurate the
iIans OF the"OheechobeeL Land Company"
oauYenlurpus spirits, Capt. r. n. Rose,
~ ucuHt courier OF that stupend0us en-
sclprlse, and Col, j. W. Aderholt, Of Ma.
AZ, va appeared upon the scene. drove
ssgpTh their stakes, and erected rude
hneii'efs OF rough pine boards. They have
Vac IA b