St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-04-20
Correspondence.
OUR FLORIDA LETTER.

Florida over the Keys 10 CuDH-i""P"
10 be the Seaport of Chicaeo'
Special Correspondence of the cALEpoNAN'J
ST. AUGUSTINE, April 3d-Last evening
there came knock at my door. 1t was
not the tapping Of Poe's raven, but that
of two birds from st. Johnsbury who flew
South some four or FIVE weeks ago and
now are on their return trip-Mr. and
Mrs. T. M. Howard. never saw them
| ook so well, and their song was, as
listened, "Florida is certainly most de-
ightfu place in which to pass the WIN
ter" Their bird-house while here IS the
Alcarzar, one Of the three FlagoIa Hotels.
OF this group the Ponce de Leon takes
the lead, but how can describe build
ing that represents in its art and magni-
ficcnce S4,OO0,0O0. ! was not person
ally acquainted with the architect OF the
Pyramids neither was present at the
dedication of Solomons Temple; but
still often wonder if those artisans
even would not like to take some air
line electric car to the earth again, and
register at this hotel. We could not
show them doors Of solid gold with their
heavy carvings, but we would conduct
them under gateway rs massive with
sculptured design and through beauti-
full tropical garden into a building cover
ing six acres OF ground, This to us at
least is a study ofart and luxury. The ho-
tel is a castle OF towers, courts, fountains,
loggias and sheltered retreats, in the
blended harmony Of tints from the CO.
quina rock with the grey manufactured
stone and terra Gotta trimmings.
Let MS take the evening as the time to
visit this castle AZ O'Clock the orchcs-
ira play in the rotunda and all the tour
ist-world centre there to dream and
take in the richness OF the scene before
them The supporting pillars are all in
heavy carving, while the panels Of onyx,
costing $4,000 each, rest themselves in
the walls as plcnliluly as though they
were only of the cheapest pine wood.
If we step into the dining-room we are
shown single pieces of China that say
$500 to YOU. If we enter the large par
Tors and sit i'll those luxurious chairs
everywhere are furnishings of the great
est value. Coming into the rotunda
again is poem of blended tints in the
costly rugs before the office windows.
Do you know what they are for? I've
made up my mind they are simply placed
there for a man to fall upon when his
bill is presented to him There are many
tourists spending the winter here at the
rate of fifty dollars day. and the aver
age expense is from fifteen to twenty-five
dollars for twenty-iour hours soourn.
At one side of the Ponce has been erected
this year private residence for Mr..
Flagler, of proportionatc value, Just the
woodwork inside costing eighteen thou
sand dollars; but since the owner is
said to have an income of four million
dollars a year, this is but penny to
him.
The new railroad opened this year
from st. Augustine to Rockledgc is being
continued to Biscayne Bay near the
southern point of Florida. Last week
Mr.. Flagler broke the ground for anoth
er immense hotel at Lake North, and
rumor says that in the near future he
will bridge the Keys, which lie near to
gethcr and connected by shallow water
Then by fast steamers, in the wink of ;
few hours, one can land in Cuba. Her
it is said new hotel, far surprising tn
Ponce de Leon, and which will be
marvel to all the gods and little fishes
is to be erected by this same king of en-
terprises.
You see it is only question of time
the winds and the waves being willing
before a solid vestibule train will Ian
the frozen inhabitants of ST. lohnsbur
to the land of Cuba and without chang
of cars. So take courage
Property at Lake North has trcbled
value during the last few weeks, and II
highest prices are not yet reached.
This is country, even in the presen
OF great achievements 1t is report(
that as soon as the Chicago fair is ov
stock company with unlimited capt.
will turn their attention to the makr
OF Tampa the seaport of that city fro
South America, thereby cutting off Ne
York as a market of merchandise VIII
ever heard of city before making i
seaport 1000 miles away? After t
goods are landed at this port it is on
the question of the fight of electric Gu
rents and the strength of steel to viii
them over to Chicago This is no inco
venience.
NOTES.
An immense canning factory for pi
apples and descated cocoanut is in pi
ect at Lake North.
Strawberries are retailing at 10 a
20 cents box, Ripe tomatoes are
old story.
The thermometer registers 500 nea
every day and the thin white dresses
summer are the things to wear.
The Florida flea is already weeping
cause so many tourists have depart
ANNIE l.. GoRHAM
Charles H. Sage of Denver, well
membered in this place, has a rea,