Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-15

will take possession in few days. Oh. they
are rushing things here at Lake Worth. There
will be lively times this summer The steam
boats are delayed at Jupiter several hours
longer than usual every trip in unloading the
cargoes OF lumber that they are bringing down
from up country.
This Fiorid. msgnate turns everything in his
direction that will aid him in his plans. He
has recently been made president OF big Flor
ida dredging company, which is land poor. 1t
receives very generous land grant FOR every
mile Of canal dredged. but much of the land
which it gained is at present good for nothing.
The company was just about bankrupt. Mr..
Flngler infused new life into 1t to the tune of
5lOJ,OO0, enabling 1t to pay off its debts
and continue its work. 1t has already
dredged necessary canals in the Indian
river as far as Jupiter. A canal will
be cut through to Lake Worth eight
miles and then the company will be credited
with twenty-five miles Of dredging in the entire
length of Lake Worth, without having to do
any work at all. and will secure a big tract of
land from the state. From the foot OF the lake
to New river, about forty miles. canal will be
dug, and then on to Biscayne bay. That means
uninterrupted navigation along or rather Just
inside the coas. line of Florida. and large tracts
OF land Will be turned over to the company.
DOWN THE INDIAN RIVER.
The trip By boat to the southeast part of
Florida will then be most ENJOYABLE one, for
the steamboat services will Of course be greatly
improved. As it il, the boat ride now is pleas
ant-between meals. But the traveller. after
the first meal. matter how peacefully in
clired. is invariably filled with a wild desire to
hunt out the cook in the galley and iniict sum
mary punishment upon him. her or il. The
true southern hospitality is all right as to guam
tlty. but the less said about the cooking and
service the better. The river IL very wide and
very shallow, and the steamboats,, whenever
Mt tn rnp and he
delayed hours at time. channel has been
dredged in the worst places, but fhe bottom is
continually changed by the shifting sands.
Tho famous Indian River oranges, which are
recognized as the best tina. reach the northern
markets, raised in the vicinity OF Rockledge
but the orange belt is gradually being extended
south. Early vegetables succeed oranges as the
staple products further south end the boats do
quite freighting business. The river bank on
on the west 10 dotted with settlers cabins,
and feature OF the river scenery is the
wharf, which is built on piles several
hundred feet from the shore, in water deep
enough for the boats to make landing. Some
times these midstream wharvss or platforms
are reached from shore by narrow raised
walk over the water. but oftener the platform
stands alone far from shore and IL accessible
only by boat.
THE PINEAPPLE BOOM.
Further south pineapple raising seems to
no'e nfao III Eecont ye0rs very SUBSTANTIAL
boom. A handsome and intelligent young
Englishman on the boat with whom The STAR
correspondent became acquainted appeared to
be well posted on the subject Of pineapple cu,-
ture and in the course of conversation it
developed that he was One Of colony Of young
Englishmen who had located in the Indian
river country several years ago and engaged in
the business Of raising plnespples, and q very
satisfactory business they have found it. They
and all their uelChDOrs are making money
He and one OF his companions landed in this
country about four years ago. They came di-
rect to Florida and sailed down the Indian
river hunting and fishing, at the same time
looking about for suitable place to locate
without any distinct idea Of wha: they would
locate for. The pineapple industry was then
| in its infancy, and notwithstanding they were
advised to 'grow pines" they continued to
knock about for year or more without settling
| down to anything. Then realizing that they
were losing time they bought some land about
six miles from Jupiter and I've have never re-
GREETED it, he said.
why dom: they grow oranges down here?''
asked.