The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-02-26


Sanford is about two hours from Hunt
ington on the Jacksonville, Tampa and
Key West Railway, and it is called the
Gate City of South Florida, it being the
the South Florida Railway. The Expo
sition just at this time was a good
scheme for the town, and though small
it was very creditabIe affair
The great fire that swept over large
portion of Sanford year ago Tor there
abouts) must have seemed at the time a
terrible catastrophe, but the new town
that is rising up ph9nix-like out of the
ashes will be a living illustration of the
truth that apparent evil is often the
highest good. They are now erecting
fine substantial brick buildings, which
have the advantage of durability as well
as beauty, and the thrift and energy
called into exercise in thus restoring and
the old place give promise
that i'll time Sanford may be one of the
fairest cities in Florida.
La.,a Monroe, into which the st. Johns
River expands at Sanford, gives an adj
ditional attraction to the place. and the
Sanford House is pleasantly located near
the lake, with walks and garden leading
down to the border.
There is also here a small grove of tall
palmettos, which ought to be carefully
preserved and cultivated, it being a dis
tinguishing feature of this tropical eli
mate, but somewhat rare in this high
pine region.
We continue the journey from San
ford to Orlando on the South Florida
Railway. and there is very perceptible
difference between this road and the
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West,
which we have just left. The track
does not seem to be nearly so well laid.
1t i uneven and has probably settled in
some places on one side, giving one the
sensation of tipping over.
There is little variety in the scenes
along the road, except that here and
there the forest trees are draped in long
graceful festoons of the Southern moss
which gives to them very singular and
wierd effect. They look like an array of
gigantic gray friars with their cowls on.
Dat however pretty and ornamental the
moss may be by itself, it robs the trees
of their beauty and becomes to them
really funeral pail.
Between Sanford and Winter Park,
however. are some of the finest orange
groves in the State, among them the
hundred acres. At Maitland and Al
tamonte the groves lie along the road
for considerable distance, and being in
high state of cultivation are exceed
iogly beautiful. Frequently the straight
rows of trees run back from the road to
the water for there is always lake
somewhere in Florida, seldom a field or
grove without one, and these long ave-
nues of white sand, with the silver sheen
of the distant lake, produce dazzling
effect which is unrelieved by the brill
liant green of the orange trees.
Winter Park is one of the great gar
dens of Florida, where everything has
been done to allure the turist to pro-
longed visit. One special charm of the
! place is the refreshing greenness, for
oats are planted everywhere, which
grow no taller than grass, and the
whole aspect of the place is changed.
Instead of the wearisome white sand
there is lovely soft green carpet, for
which one is ever longing, but which
in this part of the State.
There is a tramway from the station
at Winter Park to the Hotel Seminole,
and rolling along SO easily and quickly
over the broad avenue that leads to the
hotel, is the pleasantest part of the jour
ney. They have nice open car, drawn
by fine looking mule, which takes you
directly to the hotel door. 1t is a large
house with every appliance for comfort
and convenience. A broad walk con-
ducts to the lake, which is a beautiful
sheet of water, with woods skirting it all
around, and has boats most enticingly in
waiting.
The many pretty cottages in the imme-
date vicinity, each with its brilliant
flower bed, give it the appearance of a
cultivated settlement, and altogether it
is a very attractive place. 1t is chiefly
however resort for pleasure seekers,
who are glad to escape the cold blasts of
northern winter These large and
crowded hotels are little cities in minia-
ture, full of gaiety and excitement, and
however delightful the surroundings,
there is not much rest in them for an
invalid.
Orlando, four miles south of Winter
Park, might appropriately be denomi-
mated the Lake City, for it seems to be
| embosomed among the lakes, and lakes
and orange groves combine here as in SO
| many other places in Florida, to make a
| Orlando is styled the "Phenominal City,
doubtless on account of its rapid growth,
| its large stores and its thriving business.
1t supports tramway also, which is a
| great convenience, as the best hotels and
the finest residences are quite a distance
from the business centre of the city.
| Among the hotels the San Juan is the
most pretentious, but the Arcade. which
is a few rods beyond, is much more
pleasantly located, and far more de
sirable. 1t has balcony entirely around
it ON the second and third stories, from
tensive view of the surrounding country
| and in the out-of-door life that one lead:
in Florida panorama like this evel
| hafnre one is an il1nrnanse delight AHdac