The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-01-24
CRESCENT CITY AND POMONA.
A Soemwhat BeIated Account of Il
Recent Visit

VIM. MacWilliams and Col. Andrew
Shelley, News reporter visited Cres-
cent City. ItKas too soon after the
freeze, and the orange growers were
little too blue over the loss of their fruit
to be very hopeful of the future. But
from a casual view of the groves they
appeared to be all right, save the loss of
their fruit and foliage, and up to that
time none of the bark on the bearing
trees on even the richest land, had
split, and the probability is that next sea-
son they will bear richer harvest than
nv,r
Tine y inter rush has rot Vet st i'll at
Crescent City, though the Potter and
Braddock houses are open and are enter
tanning large number of guests. Bus
mess circles were quiet, though a decid-
ed improvement is looked for in few
LAYS, when the active business season
"reIs. The stores seem 10 be carrying
large and complete stocks, and when the
spur is run into the town by the j., T.
& X. w. R'y., the city will no doubt
take on a livelier and more vigorous
growth than ever. and will no doubt
reap the full benefit of her decidedly
healthy and magnificent location,
one of the largest and prettiest naviga-
bic lakes in the state. Lake Crescent is
| beautiful body of water, some fifteen
or eighteen miles in length and from
| five to eight in breadth, Astounding in
fish and game, and along its banks are
located many beautiful groves and mag
nificient homes.
Taking advantage of an early morn
| ing boat, we arrived at Po.- ona early
Wednesday morning, where the extern
sive groves of Messrs. Cook 6 Otterson,
where more than five hundred boxes of
fruit We're saved from the cold, as dis
cribcd in recent paper, was visited, be-
sides taking a look over the country and
spending the day in a most pleasant
manner. Already we have given n full
description of the manner in which Mr..
Cook saved his fruit by keeping fires in
| his grove. The cold all came unexpec-
ed this time, but in future Jack Frost
will be provided for, so far as this grove
| is concerned. Fuel for fires will be kept
in plenty at the groves, and a wind
| break, twenty feet in height, will be
| erected on the north and west sides,
| which with the fires will Insure the
| safety of the fruit against even . more
! severe cold than that which so recently
visited it. But few of the many trees
on the place were injured by the freeze,
and the old trees present the best appear
i Of vet Ix-th n G;r
/ the freeze.
In what is known as Pomona is situat
ed more than 80, 600 orange trees, located
on as pretty rolling pine land as can be
found in the state. The land is remark
ably productive as shown by the vigor
Gus trees and fine vegetation to be noted
on every hand. Around Lake Broward,
| Crystal Lake and the numerous smaller
lakes nesting at the foot of the hills, are
some Of the prettiest building sites in
| east Florida, while the land is high and
dry and has the best possible natural
| drainage.
Since the railroa d has been construct
| ed, large area of this beautiful land
has been surveyed and put upon the
market, and the place promises ere long
put o" the airs "f fluurishng litti,
| ..>u. VI, &. y. knuwiton 10 the posi-
| master and railroad agent, who besid es
| is the live merchant OF that place. He
| is now erecting large new store-room
at the station 30x60 feet in size and
two stories high The first floor will
"a used a store-room, while the sec
| .ud floor will be used as Il public hail
| .Or the benefit of the neighborhood. A
new church will also soon be erected,
and number of other houses are in
course of erection, while others are to be
built in the near future.
| We enjoyed long ride around the
nils with Mr.. Cook, where we caught
glimpses OF the fine groves and beauti-
full homes OF Messrs. Squires, Smith,
irwin and many others whose names
nave escaped us, where conf ort, peace
and plenty seem to be the order of
things.
Returning to the hospitable home of
Mr.. Cook, who with his most estimable
| wife has a model home surrounded by
every convenience place where hap
piness and contentment seemed to per-
meate the very atmosphere-we arrived
in time to take a short rest before dinner
was announced. And such dinner
Elegant, yet homelike, reminding one OF
the long ago before the time Of hotel and
boarding house life. The meats cooked
to savory sweetness and the bread
light and most palatable. Is it wonder
that the table was long fingered at and
left with regret?
4 An ON ission.