Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1892-03-10
Another Interesting Letter from
Florida.
Correspondence KEowEE COURIER.

AI1 IA 1870
Several days since we arrived in Tampa.
In a two years absence a most bewllder-
ing change has taken place in the old
City of the Bay. The prediction that
Tampa is the coming city Of Florida is
verified to such an extent that n can
foresee what the future viii be.
Many points of interest go to make up
the environment of Tampa, and the days
speed away swiftly. The n absorbing
object of interest, however, is the Tampa
Bay Hotel, which was four years IT
course of erection, and costing millions
of money. It stands to-day at the head
the list of all hotels in the world for Its
gigantic proportions. 1t was built by the
great railroad and steamship magnate,
ii. B. Plant, who with a munihcent hand
built and equipped this palatial hotel Tor
the accommodation of the travelling pub
lie, thereby securing for this portion OF
Florida a constant stream of tourists
who represent the moneyed population
of other sections.
Walking down Franklin street (Which
is the principal business street of Tampa)
and crossing over the handsome iron
bridge spanning the Hillsboro river, one
irresistibly pauses in the center to gaze
upon the enhancing scene OF river, bay
and the beauteous grounds of the hotel,
and to watch with interest the swiftly
| fying sail boats or gayly painted yachts.
We catch the echo of gay laughter as II
floats across the waters. We see a NOV
inc panorama of handsome equipages
upon the asphalt drive, and crafts o.
every description upon the sunlit waters
But we go across the bridge and follow
the asphalt pavement and enter chg wide
opya.n gates to the hotel grounds. We
find ourselves amid a wealth of floral
beauty and enchanting scenery, ten acres
of blossonlng pansies, mounds Of frinsed
petuniers parterres of geraniums, hedges
of roses, laintily shedding a spicy per-
fume u,on the air, while strains OF
music g eet the ear from the orchestra
upon tie piazza. We wander on through
serpen.ine walks into leafy and fern
emboy cred grottos, hid away among
waving palms, and at each turn q new
obj5ct is revealed to our admiring view.
Az last we reach the greenhouse, which
SIC at first thought to be su%perfluous in
this semi-tropical cline, but we find in
them hundreds of costly orchids and
other rare stove plants, which only thrive
under glass. Three immense green
houses furnish a wealth of dainty lilies
and orchids for the decoration ct the
hotel parlors. From here we pass out
into a curving walk, through a terrace OF
brilliant g%eraniums, and follow to an
eminence, where a fountain feeds a min
iature lake, and here we have a view of
the whole scene-the gigantic length OF
the hotel. with its five stories and over
five hundred feet of piazzas and glitter
ing link covered Turkish towers, behind
us: before us the artistic grounds stretch
ing down to the river; arching above us
a dome of blue ether, without q single
cloud; and gently swaying the feathery
ferns and brilliant plants, a delicious sea
breeze cools the air.
And now we ascend the massive steps
of the hotel, the huge doors swing open
and we are ushered into a scene Of gor-
geous luxury. The Office and rotunda
greet us with a sumptuousness that defies
criticism. In the centre, just beneath
the dome, stands an upholstered monde
scrip or central divan, which is crowned
by a life size bronze of the Goddess Vesta,
a pretty conceit being a recess between
each seat around the d:van, which is
filled by jardenier, in which is a growing
palm; and dainty pictures the fair danes
and blushing maidens make as they sit
empowered thus. Many pictures are
upon the walls. some of them rarely
beautiful. while others-well it would
not take a practiced eye to tell that they
were not the work of the"0ld Masters"
The long halls stretch away from the
rotunda on either side, which. followed
reveal the parlors. Here rich dark
carpets cover the floors and one
seeks to find this style carried out in the
furnishing. but the furniture is in the
slender gilded style. and is a reproduc-
ton of the date of the Salon of the
French Empire. However, the genera!
effect is so dazzlingly beautiful that any
little incolgruity is easily passed over.
The main drawing o is replete with
many objects of interest, and rich har-
monies delight the. eye. y rare bit of
sculpture in carrara marble, THE Sleep
ing Beauty occupies a pedestal just
inside the door. Mr.. and Mrs. Plant. in
their search in Europe for the furnish
ing Of this hotel, procured, among many
other curious things. three cabinets OF
gold and ebony and a mosaic table which
were once the belongings Of the FULLER
les: a divan and chairs from the boudoir
of Marie Antionette. also a set of chairs
from the palace of Louis Philippe and
a Jewel caSket three centuries old.
Hours upon hours are spent here, the
senses beguiled into forsetfulness of the
fight of time. Reluctantly we wander
on down the corridors until we come to
the solarium, or sun walk, which is a
curving gl~ass-inclosed corridor leading
into the dining-room. Pictures fill each
panel between the glass, and a continu-
array of palms and handsome plants,
in majolica pots, line the walls on either
side. Reaching the wide door, which
swings noiselessly open at a touch, we
are IN the dining hall. Here again the
glittering silver, rare china, costly tapes
try hangings and elegant furniture en-
chain the attention. The t~wenty-seven
side boards. or Bullets, display a wealth
of ceramic art, china in beleek ware,
wedGe-wood. satsuma in all its beauty
suggests the perfection of a de jeuner
at this famous hosiery. And yet far
Their on we wander into the hidden mys-
teries of the culinary department, where
a French Chef, with an air of a dancing
master, superintends a large corps Of
acSic+on4c in tho decoction of Eonillon.