Middletown transcript., 1893-07-08
PINEAPPLE
FEVER.
STRIKES THE PEOPLE ON THE
FLORIDA COAST.
THE BALD.HEADED EDITOR
Goes Back to That Country and Is
Stricken With 1t I'm a Bad Form.
But He'll Survive and Return to
MiddIetown Shortly.
EAU GALLIE, Fla. June %.

This Is the present terminus OF MT. Flag
ler's railroad, and is on the west side of tn,
Indian River, and 1872 miles south of Jack
sonville.
The distance from this place to LAX,
Worth is about 100 miles, about half o
which is graded. The road will be opened
through to Palm Beach in November
! Freight and passengers are now transferred
here from the railroad to the steam.
ers which connect it with the
, Lake Worth country. Five OF
or six boats are bringing pine apples up the
river and taking lumber down for Mr.
Flagler's big hotel and other enterprises.
For ten miles north of this point the
side tracks are filled with train loads Of
region.
Everything connected with this new
Fagler road is first-class, especially the
equipment, which is the best have seen in
the South. Very neat and tasteful station
houses are being built as the road progress
ses. The winter tourist is going to find
the trip over this road most pleasant and
attractive one, giving him, as it will, a view
of the picturesque Indian River during
much Of the 40 miles from Titusville to
Jupiter.
Thr pine apple crop has yielded the grow
ers good returns. I hear. Tine heaviest
1 shipments are now over, but small lots Will
be going to market until October, or later.
1t is stated that nearly half the crop went
to Chicago. Eight or ten carloads went
North to-day from this point. hear Of
one grower whose receipts have been up
wards of $4,000 from thirty acres not all
of which are in full bearing.
The pineapple fever is quite epidemic all
and the Lake Worth country. Any man
who comes down here is liable to catch it
in bad form. Nobody here talks of any
thing but pineapples and Uncle Henry's"
railroad. "Uncle Henry" is the East Flori-
da popular name for Mr.. Flagler, who is
doing SO much and spen ding money so
freely to develop this truly wonderful
East Coast country.
Eau Gallie is a small place, but just now
is of some importance as the railroad ter
minus.
The trip down by the sea from Baltimore
to Savannah was very pleasant. The ocean
behaved itself in most beautiful fashion
and no stomach worthy the respect Of the
person who carries it around would allow
itself to fail where the table is daily sup
piled with soft crabs, spring chicken, white
perch, and similar attractive fodder.
There were few passengers save six or
eight Baltimore drummers who INDUCED
in mild game of draw pok er at night and
talked "shop" during the day. 1 listened
at this conversation two days, hoping to
hear an original remark but finally gave it
up. A fellow who was not in with this
crowd but who wanted to be sociable, and
had had drink or two said in my hearing
that the passengers on this ship were the
"deadliest lot of people he had ever
Travelled with" He meant "deadest," Of
course, and he included me, no doubt. but
don't mind a little thing like that; 1 never
take offence at trifes when travel.
On the train between Savannah and
Jacksonville the news agent kept plling up
on my seat lot of books with the follow
ing thrilling titles: Life of the James
Boys" Zone Eyed Dick, the Sleuth-hound
of the Detectives" Twenty Years in Sing
Sing, by Ref .rmed Murderer" -Four
Years in the Legislature, and other Crimes"
Leaves from the Autobiography of a
Bank Burglar" etc, etc.
Just what he saw in my face to lead him
te believe that reveled in that sort of lit
erature am at loss to know. have been
thinking over it ever since, and the whole
thing is still as great a mystery as ever.
When the fellow came back and called
my attention to the pile of books by my
side, looked at him coldly and shook my
head. felt that was justified in trying
to indicate by my glance that ! was not
used 20 his style of literary atmosphere. He
went off with his books and
almost Immediately returned with another
small volume, which he put in my lap and
then went away.
The title was, "The Undertaker's Hand
book, or How to Embalm Dead Body, in
Five Easy Lessons"
1t seems to me that this news agent bust
ness on railroad trains is rapidly becoming
nuisance. 1t is hard enough for person
to be cheerful when he has to travel at
best, especially on the Savannah, Florida &
Western Railroad, along which there is no
scenery worth speaking of, except saw
mills and raZor-back hogs.
But there was girl who sat in the seat
ahead of me who think, could be cheer
ful under any condition. She went out of
her seat to get drink of water and when
she returned sat squarely down upon her
new summer hat, which she carried wrap
ped in a newspaper by her side,
A man would have ''cussed" with half
that provocalion. but that even-tempered
girl only arose with a smile and made a
facetious remark to me about the occur
ance.
A girl who can sit on her new summer
hat and arise from the ruins with smile
will make some man a mighty good wife
some day.
l fonud the weather a little warm in
Jacksonville, but Lot up to the record OF
Philadelphia. The milk shake" is great
summer institution at Jacksonville, and is
exceedingly comforting when the mercury
is about so in the shade. Somebody ought
TO introduce this refreshing drink at Mid
dletown. 1t seems to brace person up
when he has a long felt and inexorab!e
thirst better than any other sort of drink
have ever come in contact with.
The Jacksonville market is well filed