The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1894-02-23
From the Times. Unlon
QUEEN OF THE ockLAwAHA.
That's What the Palatial 0keehumkee
of the Hart Line Is,

That's What the Palatial 0keehumkee
of the Hart Line Is,
PALATKA, FLA, February Is Near
~ four centuries ago IA. D., 1922 the
brave Ponce de Leon, landing on the
coast of Florida, trAversed this PENN
sulAr, ascending, in his course, the
dark, mystic and ever-winding Ock-
lawaha, uniil he discovered, at the
head of one of it's continents, the crvs-
tai and fAbltd f1un ain OF perpetual
youth aud strength, IN which he
bathed, drank of its healing waters
and named il Silver Springs.
In 1857, Colonel Hubbard l.. Hart,
when boy, left ms home in Vermont,
doomed 10y his physicians to die of
pulmonary dis+a and came TO this
land of flowers, moved, possibly, by
the same impulse as the great explor-
er. lie, too, like many others before
him, sailed up this remarkable river
uctil he reached the slme matches
fountain mirror, which he found IA
well-sprlug of health and prosperity;
but his approach thereto was in one o.
his own trim and staunch steamers, of
most unique design, which, with re-
cess wheel and skillful pilot, could
harmlessly glide now and then against
the banks and cushion around the
trees and the many sharp angles of
the swift currents of this narrow and
most crooked Stream. AT great eX-
pense he cleared out aud opened up
this river 10 Steamboat navigation
Heretofore deemed mnavigable by
other than small boats aud in 1850
he established "a line of tourist steam
ers, which lsince 1867 he has kept up
continuously every season.
Hart's'Orange grove at P,ilatka, one
of the two oldest in the state, aud
Harris line of tourist steamers, on the
upper ST Johns aud on the Ockla wa
ha river, have long been we'll known
aud patroaiz~d by many tourists of
eminence throughout the whole c0un-
try, and the man grmAnt has been
with such care and skill that no acct
dent has ever occurred to any passpn-
ger in the whole history of this line
through any fault of the steamers or
their commanders.
The new, elegant and palatial
steamer Okeehumkee, just complete I,
the popular aud long experienced
Capt. ". II. Harrison in command,
has returned frOm her initial ana sue
cessful trip to Silver Springs, with
large number of northern tourists on
board and, though bearing the name
of the famous Indian chief, looking
both in her exterior and interior in
comparably the most beautiful craft
ever seen ut Silver Springs and the
veritaOle queen of the Ockhwaha.
Her hull Was built one year ago, being
of the same design and dimensions of
the former Okeehumkee, and her up
per works have just been finished on
an entirely new plan. She has til
largest passenger carrying capacity
of any steamer ever sailed up the Ock-
lawaha. She has two saloon decks,
connected by easy stairway, and
twenty-siX c0mmodious and well-fu-
nished state-rOOms, besides additional
rooms for officers aud crew, and hav-
ing ample accommodations for sixty
first class passengers. The berths
Throughout the steamer are wide and
comfortable, and system of plumb
ing, including the state.rooms, bath
and toilet rooms, is among the other
numerous conveuiencts, and tue
whole boat is fitted up in first class
shape throughout, and the comfort of
the tourist carefully studied in the
new plan.
Four observation windows at the aft
end of the first saloon afford "a SPLEEN
did view as the journey is made up
and down this wild and picturesque
stream, while All ,cent thereto are two
small tete-a-tete or conversation
rooms. The large space on the for
ward promenade decks is IL noticeable
feature in the increased accommoda-
ton.
The large boiler just placed in this
steamer 10y Roberts Il Co, the celebra-
ted boiler III tnufActurers of Cam
bridge, Mass, is certified by them to
be the most satisfactory piece of work
they have ever turned out The lih-
eral and generous bill! of fare, always
found on the steamers of Harris line,
and equal To that of our best hotels,
is a noticeable characteristic of the
enterprising spirit of Iii, pioneer Of
tourist excursions in Florida.
a rOIyPTST