The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-05-20
LETTER FROM A. B. GRIFFIN.


EDITOR PRESS: AS the following questions
where is Eustis2" Where is Lake county?'
have often been asked by friends at the North
I have decided to answer them through the
PRESS.
No wonder these questions are asked. for no
map dating back of 1885 can reveal the location
of any county in Florida by the name of Lake.
and probably not of Eustis for the latter is only
twelve years old still. it has been an incorpor-
ated village some ten years, the laws of Florida
permitting very small village to assume that
dignity and elect its Mayor and Council.
Lake county is located hear the center of the
State. 1t joins Marion on the north, Volusia on
the east, Polk on the south and Sumpter on the
west. OF course it was carved out of two or
more OF those counties.
Eustis is located on the eastern shore of q
lake of the same name.
From the lake the ground rises gradually fer
mile or more. The village is well laid out on
this slope. This allows the citizens a fine view
OF the lake from their residences. There are
three very pretty churches, public school and
a seminary; and what is very important here.
good sidewalks; a printing Office tthe Lake
Region, a live paper, is printed at this office,
an ice factory-capacity tons daily bank,
also stores of various kinds, Sc, sc.
The colored people have settlements of their
own within the corporation. Have their own
houses of worship. They appear to be very
quiet and generally Industrious. There is the
best of feeling between the two races; it is we'll
ii is so for to a certain extent they are depend
ent upon each other
Eustis is called a yankee town, and well it
may be, for nearly every white family halls
from the North. AS to be expected. every men,
ber of the Council, as well as nearly every bus
iness man. is from the North.
Having the advantage of early incorpora-
tion. the saloon has failed thus far to secure d
foothold within its limits. 1t is claimed that
liquor, as bevere ge, cannot be secured here
even on the sly. am inclined to believe this
for. with all my skill in that direction. have
failed thus far to secure nip. An ex -Marshal
said to me that during his three years of official
service, he had occasion TO arrest for intoxica-
tion three persons, only, and those were I'M
ported.
Eustis is not on through road. No doub;
this is the main reason why so little is known OF
it abroad. Passen gers coming here from the
North-Yia Sanford. the usual route-are dump
ed at Tavares, soae five miles distant. and have
to remain there over night, with rare eXcep-
tions. going and coming. Those coming by the
Ocala route are obliged to stay over night at
Leesburg, if they take the noo1 train at Jack
sonville. which is often the case. Even the
shining interest here is las Hook at it) of suf-
aeisnt importance to call for better rail 10 ad
facilities. Taking the orange crop alone there
has been shipped-as am credibIy inform ed
81 600 boxes from this depot this season. TO saw
nothing of the garden truck, that is shipped
from here. This shows that there is p well set
tied country around here
Ada tn this the fact that the orar re groves
,,o,rTn hearing are voung trees and will in
-. .ho;, ,,,.odroto yo,rIv. +bat tba older tbo
80 a. ,,,oro ,,.o1;fc IL becomas Ada 20 tbis
..;,, tto r,c+ tbat new r.oves are cortirna1ly
added
E,,s.is resds hettar railwav recommendations
This is a healthy place. A citizen IA forme,
.ol,oco orosidant from wast vtro,nia,, cold n