The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-03
Maif Frem the Pine Woods.

| AT the Spring Garden station there is
superb forest of oaks, whose delicate
foliage and graceful outline are in strik-
ing contrast 20 the stiff and stately pine.
A few minutes walk from the station
| leads to the lake, where are the ruins of
the old Spanish sugar house. The spot
Is exceedingly picturesque, and the tall
chimney, built of bricks. which are said
to have been brought from Spain two
hundred years ago, stands amid the
ruins like sentinel on guard.
This place furnishes rich field for the
study and speculation of the geologist.
The surface of the ground is covered
with shells as small and white and un-
broken as if the sea had just swept over
1t, and the bank along the roadside to
the depth of several feet disclose a con-
glomerate of shell and sand, and reveal
the fact that for ages this part,
at least, OF the peninsula of
Florida must have been submerged
We lost an hour of our picnic at this
lovely place, because of the train being
an hour late in the morning. The free
and easy way of doing things at the
South is not more noticeable in anything
than in the frequent irregularity of the
trains. At the North everybody rushes
to the train at breakneck speed. Every
moment is so precious that for fear of
losing five seconds at his Office man
will give himself but sixty seconds to
catch the train sure to be on time.
Here, however, time has no such value
nobody is in hurry, nobody rushes.
One may allow even three or four
minutes grace, but when one has to wait
at the station an hour-more or less-it
is rather upsetting 20 all ones ideas. But
notwithstanding the uncertainty, pas
sengers must be at the station at the ad-
vertised time, for woe to ths unfortunate
who should take advantage of this
irregularity and venture to delay little.
as then he would he very likely To see
the station; such is the perversity of
material things. Nobody ever knows
why the train is late, and nobody is ever
| to blame in the matter. 1t is accepted
with perfect equanimity, and instead of
the impotence which would be mani
tested in the North at such delays and
| detentions, there is the most sensible,
happy go lucky state of feeling. This is
by no means intended to reflect upon the
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West
Railway, which we consider one of the
finest roads in the country.
| Adjoining Huntington is Crescent City,
which is charmingly located ON Crescent
Lake. Its position on that most beauti-
especially attractive, but few days there
is quite sufficient for a visitor, on &C
count of the distance from the railroad,
and the inconvenience in getting to and
| from the train. A wagon can be pro-
cured to carry passengers back and forth,
and it is supposed that there is one al
ways in readiness, but it is slow aud ex-
pensive.
Now If there were tramway between
Huntington and Crescent City, it would
be an immense advantage to both places,
and to the latter place especially il
would bring fresh life and interest. II
could be built at comparatively small ex-
pense, and after n little time it would
prove to be SO convenient, and would be
so extensively patronized, that it would
become profitable investment.
| Another objection to a prolonged visi
in Crescent City is the delay in getting
the mails. They are always day late
than in Huntington, and there seems {,
be TO reason why there should not be ;
carrier at Huntington to take the mai
| directly ove-, SO that it may be deliveret
! at Crescent City in half an hour after it i
received at Huntington. A speedy AN,
, frequent mail delivery is very essentia
to the material growth of any place.
l should like to disabuse the minds O
our Northern friends of the idea tina
there is nothing TO eat in Florida excep
what is obtained from the New Yorl
market, and that we live on canne
meats and vegetables. On the contrary
i. we have as good fresh beef and mutto
here as have ever eaten anywhere. ]
does not matter whether it comes froI
the North or the West, so long as it is {
the best quality and the transportatio
so swift and direct. AS TO vegetable
= we have every day from our own ga
dens, lettuce, radishes, beets, turnip
8 caulifiower, and all other vegetabl,
choice and rare, and our table groal
= with good things. We had our first tas
of Strawberries on Sunday, and soon y
expect to have them in abundance.
1t may be that at the Qui-si-sana v
are more favored than they are at 9th
;, places, and in the larger hotels whe
: the menu is very elegant on paper. II
is small hotel delightfully."- kept 1t
in the center of Huntington, which is
= the heart of a forest of pines. You
orange trees surround the house, a
- large fine orange groves are near |
which are open to the guests of the @
-, si-sana for their free use and pleasure
=, Our clear atmosphere is now darken
a by the smoke of the forest fires. l.
:. night tall trees were all in a blaze, a
these great pillars of fire loomed up
OF the darkness like something sup
aa naturally grand. But the wealth
,at Florida is largely in her timber lal
os and it seems as if there ought to be 50
protection against this needless q
- wasteful destruction of the trees
n. Mr. C. II. Bidwell, and his sister y
,la NJ. w. Bidwell, have returned to IL
beautiful house in Huntington, and
=. bid them welcome.