The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-18
WINTER PARK POINTERS.
Hotels, Railroads and Poiitics-Bish-
Op WhippIe on Bear Grass Culture.

Hotels, Railroads and Poiitics-Bish-
Op WhippIe on Bear Grass Culture.
Winter Park, Fla, Jan. 1.-THE last of
President Plants winter hotels is now
open. and all are under new managers.
The Seminole hotel here threw open its
spacious doors to-day in a steady rain
There is one thing about our well-kept
Florida hOtels-they retain certain class
OF patrons years after year, so that they
open with the certainty of a good bust
ness.
Indications point to a strong Mckinley
delegation from this state, unless ex-
President Harrison rallies his old office
holders to his support. EX-Postmaster
Dolph Edwards, an old newspaper man of
Sanford, is reported to be preparing to
start a republican campaign newspaper,
probably in support of one of these two
leaders. Tom Reed is not ''in it, here in
Florida, where Mckinley is the most pop
ular man and Harrison has a good follow
The friends Of Bishop II. B. WhippIe
will be sorry to learn that a sudden i'll
ness which, while not serious, confines
nun TO his bed. prevented him from going
to Washington, d. c., on Monday last
to meet the other members of the board
of Indian commissioners.
l notice that a brownsville correSpOn-
dent of the Morning News wants to go
extensively into the culture of bear grass
for its excellent fiber. The same objec-
ton lies against such a movement as
makes Ramie culture undesrable-there
Is no proper machine yet in general use
to prepare the fiber for market. Bear
grass, or yucca Filamentosa, is also called
bears thread, and Adams needle, and is
one of the most beautiful ornamental
plants in Florida when in bloom. Unfor-
tunately. like the Spanish bayonet, IL
only blooms in the summer, when we
have few visitors here. The terminal
panicles grow up out of the. plant from
five to ten feet nearly, and then pro-
duces a group of beautiful, cup shaped,
pendulouS flowers, of a rich cream color
As an ornamental lawn plant, when prop
of the yucca family is much admired
The fiber of the uncultivated plants is
very strong and farmers use IL for hang
ing up meat and for other purposes.
The second attempt to sell the Florida
Midland railroad at the upset price of
$4,000 has failed, as will all future efforts
in that direction. Commissioner Eagan
proposes to try 1t again next Monday at
Orlando, but he will have to come pre-
pared by order of the court to accept a
very much lower bid as a starter, say
$4,000 Receiver Chubb felt quite sure
that the bondholders would come in and
purchase the road at a low figure, reor-
ganlze the company and hold on to the
property until it could be sold to better
advantage than at the present time. But
the bondholders do not appear to be tax
ing any steps in the matter and should
Commissioner Eagan put the road UP
Monday with an upset price in the neigh
borhood of $4,000 it is probable that both
the Plant System and the Florida Cen
trail and Pennsylvania railway will bid
for 1t. John H. Dave & Co, the builders,
operated ii for long time before it went
into a receivers hands, and Dave is now
interested in the sale 1t is not believed
that Flagler has any intention to bid on
1t for the purpose of extending it from
Longwood to the East Coast and from
hlSSemmee TO the West coast.