Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1895-02-22
In FLORIDA.

TAMPA AND THE COUNTRY WHEREABOUTS.
Editor ofthe Register To-day brings
us several home papers and stack of
letters which have been detained some
where north of Washington in the
snow drifts. After all, Notwithstanding
Florida has had her second frost-bite, it
remains "the warm State" ana the only
place this side of the tropics where there
has not heen general freeze. While we
actually had light furry of snow in
Tampa and the temperature fell to %
for short time, 1t was no worse than
we often experience in Vermont in Octo-
Der.
1t was our purpose to be catching
Spanish mackerel by the barrel about
these days, but the fish have failed to
keep their GATE and come up the bay as
is their custom about February |. 1t is
''all caused by the cold snap, they say.
We find Tampa enjoying boom in the
way of increasing population brought
here by the cigar industry, which is
rapidly changing from Cuba and Key
West. Manufacturers of "pure Havana
cigars" can import the pure leaf and
make a better article here at less cost
than on the island and at the same time
save n heavy duty on the manufactured
/ =
factories, employing from 80 to 800
hands each; and during the last year
the population has increased at the rate
of 500 Il month. This, of course. re-
qures land and houses and creates
demand for nearly all kinds of labor.
The cigar makers (mostlv Spaniards)
earn from $40 to $40 week. according
to skill aud grade of goods, ana it re-
qures from $50, 900 to $50, 900 to meet the
weekly pay roll. Money here is rapidly
changing hands, as the Spaniards with
few exceptions are not misers. AS
rule they care well for themselves and
families and have "a good bit over for
such pleasures aS horse racing, cock
fights and other things too numerous to
mention. Were they living in cold
climate, their habits of economy would
necessarily improve.
need not tell you the land Spectator
here knows his opportunity and is sup
and dressed Besides the cigar indus
try, Tampa boasts of the finest fire
proof hotel in America, the Tampa Bay,
built by MIR. Plant, the railroad mag
nate. at cost of about $1,000, 900. Con-
slderlng the army of help required to
run it and the very excellent service, the
rates are thought 70 be reasonable.
Should Middlebury conclude to come
down en- masse, | will quote prices, as
it might be convenient to know before.
hand the denomination of the bank bills
required. Your correspondent has
managed thu far to live on cheaper
hash and take the other by faith, which.
all things considered. may be as well
for digestion, to say nothing of his now
emaciated pocket-book. Last Monday
while sitting around the open fire and
reading of the intense cold at the North
we were agreeabv surprised to hear
familiar voice, which proved to be that
of q. f. Marshall Of Middlebury. After
the usual sautations aud pumping him
dry for home news. we invited him out
to lido the town. This complete we
called his personal attention to the COM
ing town for homeseekers. The name of
it is Pasadena and it is bound in the
near future to Guido its rival in CalifOr-
MIA. This young and thrifty village is
located on the highlands 30 miles north
east from Tampa and reached by the
F. c. & p. railroad. TO the west lies a
most beautiful lake. miles in length,
called by the Indians "crooked water" on
account of its many Days between the hills
which surround it. On our arrival we
were received at the station by Col. &. +.
Spencer, with whom had already made
a very pleasant acquaintance. Mr.. Spen-
Ger located the town in 'SS and is its
pioneer settler. He showed us over his
farm of 100 acres, 100 of which are al
ready under successful cultivation-50
acres in orange grove and the balance de-
voted to vegetables, hay, grain aud stock
raising. His residence is on a most beau
tiful hill nearly 100 feet above the sur
face of the lake and commands view of
20 miles south and west over a more fer
tile country than ever expected to see
in Florida. 1t being near dinner hour,
Mr.. Spencer turned us over to the very
generous hospitality of Rev. Mr.. Drew,
whose native place is Fairfax, VI. Mr..
Drew's health having failed him, in 80
he came here TO end his days comfortably
or regain health if possible. He now
looks well and hearty as one could wish
at 81 and expects soon to resume his call
ing, but he will continue his residence
here. Mr.. Drew's faith in the place CAN
not be questioned, as he owns 70
acres of fine soil, besides several houses
and an interest in "a very fine hotel at
which he invited us to dine. He has al
ready plated very beautiful town-site
on his land, and is ready to sell lots at a
very reasonable figure, wishing to bring
a good class of people who are anxious
to better their condition not only health
wards but financially as well. This, to
my mind, is the ideal place for winter
sanitarium; it is high land, free from
fogs and having an abundance of seem
cry, boating, fishing, good water, roads
and society. After satisfying our hun
ger with a genuine New England dinner
we returned to Tampa, satisfied that we
had visited an ideal place not only for the
III in fot al fl,
year-round resident. With the exception
of slight colds and the usual rheumatic
pains caused by sudden changes of tenn
perature, Mr.. Wright and myself are
both enjoying fair degree of health.
Yours truly,