Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-03-01
INTERESTING LETTER FROM FLORIDA.

in EKESIlNG L. l En- KUN FIUHfDA.
A PRETTY WINTER RESORT-SOMETHING
ABOUT AUGUSTA PEOPLE IN FLORIDA
HOW TO "BoB" FoRsBAss IN FLORIDA
WATERS, &C.
Correspondence of Staunton VINDIcAToR. ]
WINTER PARK
ORANGE Co., FLA. IS, 1889.
This is indeed ''the loveliest spot on
earth, J" and just think of it, our townsman
DR.. Arthur, OF Staunton, formerly owned
most of the ground upon which Winter
Park is built Now it is one of the most
fashionable winter resorts in this country.
There are cottages here with the grounds
worth from $40, 900 to $4,000 each, owned
principally by wealthy Northern people
who come here to spend their winters.
The .'Hotel Seminole, which takes its
name from the Seminole tribe of Indians
who inhabited this country almost exclu-
sively up to 1860, is superb piece of mod
ern architecture and grand in its appoint
ments. 1t has $50 rooms which are always
filled during the season. From the top of
this hotel one is simply dazed by the grand
ure of the scenery. Thirteen beautiful
lakes, like so many sparkling gems, can
be seen, nestled among the tall pines and
expresses with their long grey boards of
moss reaching almost to the ground, and
thousands of orange trees with their rich
green foliage laden with this delicious
golden fruit.
A remnant of the Seminole Indians,
(about ], 1000 under the rule of Chief Tiger
Tail, still live 20 miles South of this place.
The climate here is as near perfect as can
be. The register to-day at noon was $50
i'll the shade. 1t looks strange to one from
our mountainous country, to see people at
this season of the year going about in their
shirtssleeves, light summer suits, straw
hats, &C., yet such is the situation here.
The people derive their revenue princi-
pally from the culture of oranges, lemons
and grape fruit. You occasionally see a
banana grove, which is new industry
(they are raised in great quantities further
South on the Indian river). Strawberries,
(now ripe) are grown here in large guam
titles and some few pine apples.
1t has been our good fortune to stumble
up against a good many Virginians and
some few familiar faces away down in
this land OF everlasting sunshine and flow
ers. j. E. Graham and his brother Charlie
are located at Sanford, on the st. Johns
river, a thriving city of 1900 inhabitants
and seven railroads. They are doing a
good business in the manufacture of ferti-
ind Tod IA, fn,.
courtesies. Dr.. NJ. A. Henkle of New
Market, and brother of our DR.. Fred. L..
Henkel, has thriving orange grove here
and splendid practice, that is when there
is any to do. He tells us the only trouble
with the medical profession here is that
the people are distressingly healthy.
j. L. Bryant, formerly of Staunton, is
now Judge of this, Orange county, and
doing the largest practice of any attorney
in this county He is located at Orlando,
the county seat, a city of some 5000 souls.
The forests abound in game-Such as
quail, woodcock, ducks, squirrels, rabbits,
and deer. The lakes are filled with black
bass, Called trout by the natives),sand we
have enjoyed some fine sport angling these
gamy fish. We came thoroughly equipped
tor the full ENJOYMENT of this de ightful
Observation-Disclosures rods, nicke1-pIated
multiplying reels, Turing minnows and
flies, &c., but soon discovered, alter several
unsuccessful attempts, that our fine tackle
was out of place and might as we'll have
been left at home. The people laughed at
us and told us the way to catch fish in these
lakes was to dob for them. Well, we
concluded to try our hand at sbobbing, -
and with the assistance of an old fisherman,
we rugged out an outfit which consisted of
a heavy pole IS feet long, two feet of line e
of an inch i'll thickness, a gang of very
large hooks knit together and fastened to
end Of line, and piece of fat bacon about
the size and shape OF your middle finger as
bait. With this formidable weapon we
proceeded to lake Maitland, where we
made our debut in bob-fshing, and our
success was indeed wonderful. We were
out several hours and came home with IS
bass weighing from one to six pounds.
George said to me, won't the boys at
home laugh when we tell them about this
new way OF taking bass from the water ?"
The art consists in keeping the bait NOV
ing tleAulously- all the time on the sur
face of the water, and when you get a
strike just haul the fish into the boat. But
oh, dear; our poor arms, how they did suf-
fer
Alligator hunting is another fine sport in
these bayous- done at night-with "a boat,
a rifle and a Bulls eye lantern.
Before closing, must not fail to make
mention OF Dr.. Homer Henkers flourish
ing young orange grove on Lake Killar-
ney, which in "a few years will yield him a
handsome annual revenue. SO prolific is
the crop, that ii single tree has been known
to bear as many as 10000 oranges in one
year.
Adieu for the present. l may write you
again from st. Augustine, Where we go IN
a lew days. W. L. Nice.