The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-02-14
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

DEAR ENQl lRER:-on our way 10
Tampa we stopped for several hours at
the famous Suwancc Springs. made
familiar by the ditty Way down on
the Suwanee River. and had supper
at the hotel there. This river Is i'll
northern Florida. and aitera circuitouS
course cmptieS its waters in the Cult
of Mexico. The story of Ponce de
Leon who explored and named Florida
in 1912. and his search for the fountain
of perpetual youth is known by every
school child. 1t is asserted that there
cannot he Il shadow Of doubt that the
Suwanee Springs are the real waters.
Of whose wonderful curative properties
the Indians told De Leon. His bog
rapherS declare that on the coast of
what is now Florida he saw aborigines
one hundred and fifty Years old. still
hale and hearty. and who invited him
to the interior where they could show
him Il fountain which dubbed from the
ground whose waters possessed power
to invigOrate the constitution and
lengthen man $ existence. Infatuated
with the narrative the explorer took
back to Spain wonderful story Of the
Spring OF Perpetual louth. but cruel
destiny never allowed him to behold it
nor to quatf the waters that he SO ar
IDENTIFY craved.
We were told that Il remarkable tea-
ture, however. Of this truly wonderful
spring, is that the strong sulphurated
odor eNhaled constantly from the gnrg-
ling waters. DESTROYS disease germs.
Certain it is, that Suwance is a popu-
lar Mecca for invalids who receive great
benefit from Il soiourn there.
Our readers should remember that
the town of Tampa. where the editors
tarricd for several DAYS. is the gate
way for mails. travel and commerce be-
tween the United States and the Span
disappearing countries to the South
ward, and is destined to he 4 great
city. The population now is $4,000
and has doubled within two years.
There are tobacco factories which turn
ed out nearly one hundred million Gig
ars last year With the growth of
this industry, and the increased cult
walton of tobacco in Florida, Tampa
will become more extensively and IA
vorablv known in the next few years.
Mr.. H. B. Plant. whose fortune is esti-
mated at seventy-fve millions. is the
ruling spirit on the Gulf coast of Flor
ida. and is doing wonders in the way
of developing it. He was most liberal
in his treatment of the editorial vlsl-
tors. not only furnishing them trans
pOrtation over the "Plant" system OF
railroads through his courteous pass
engcr agent. Mr.. 3. W. Wrenn. but
entertained them royalty at his magnl-
ticent hotel at almost nominal rates.
An idea Of this sumptuous hostelry can
scarcely be conveyed in words. 1t was
like vision of Eairyland when our eyes
first fell upon this enchanted spot. In
the midst of a garden of scmi-trOpical
beauty. this reproduction of a Moorish
palace with its horse shoe arches and
marbled columned corridors. more than
a quarter of a mile long, rises with daz-
zling effect Millions of dollars have
been spent in adding to the natural
beauties Of the site and improvements
are still going on. The hotel itself is
a wonder of architectural beauty. and
furnished in a style of regal magnfi-
cencc. 1t has been likened to palace
that Spanish cavalier might have
dreamed of. but even in dreams there
could not have been pictured to his
mind the gorgeous spectacle. blending
the beauties of the past with the rich
est effects Of modern art and science
that charms the guest at this delight
full hostelry. pause not to speak Of
the rare paintings. the mirrors in an
tique frames. the cabinets. three hun
dred years old, brought from some cas-
tie in Seville. the divans that were once
in the Tuileries salons. and the many
other costly articles on every hand to
excite the admiration of the visitor.
Allow me to close with the following
from the pen of famous writer:
''The arched and lowered facade. the
silver dome. again silvered by the
moons rays, lifted up more brightly
against the starlit sky. the PRESENTED
minarets. the elcctric-tircd crescent on
the color-statf the lights from hundred
windows. the soft patter Of the water
in the fountains falling on the lilly pads,
the perfume of the flowers. the splash
of an oar. and half murmur of a love
song from him who splashcd the oar
the soft melody Of the music that came
from within. and tloatcd on the almost
summer air. made me think of Ponce
de Leon 5 dream-think YOU this is not
an Alhamhric picture-then YOU have
not read AIhambra nor seen Tampa
Bay. +. $.