The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-02-12
Mr.. KEITH IN THE SOUTH.
Writes an Interesting Letter About
People and Places.
he Is Now Convinced That There Are Such
Things as Flying Fish,

yacht Courier" makes interestin.
reading ami is well worth quoting
Writing from Key West, Florida, Feb
ruary 6. he says:
You say that we have not had mucf
the best OF you IN the matter ol
weather, yet, OF course. we have. Blu
when one expects IL hot. IL is sur,
prise 10 lind that "A heavy Overcoat il
necessity, AZ was the case last nlght
IN this sOhthernmOst port OF the Unit.
ed States. They have no heating ap-
paratus In the hotel here, save one fire
place in the Office. around which the
men congregate, while the ladies' shiveI
ia their rooms and are obliged 10 wear
all available wraps one OF the bel
boys when asked by the manager q
make fire did not know how. never
having done such a thing. This may
have accounted for the lack of heating
apparatus.
"A squall came up suddenly soon
after our coming 10 anchor here and
snapped the chain like a pipestem, and
the yacht would have been pounded 10
pieces against the dock had II not been
Tor the slillful handling OF the captain.
This left us in the unfortunate position
OF having no anchor at all the other
having been broken in hosting at
Jacksonville. COquina. mixed with
sand, forms an almost smooth bottom,
andWhen an anchor gets inta crevice
II STAYS there until something breaks.
according 60 Capt. Myers OF Jackson
VIE, whose knowledge OF this southern
coast Is said 10 be excelled by no other
mariner
During our trip from Miami the
weather was SO smooth at upper Mati-
cumbre Key that We stopped 20 visit
capt. AdDlphus Pindors' settlement,
and were treated there to the pure
water and Jelly OF the green cOcOanut
taken from the tree in our presence. to
tomatoes from the vine and some OF the
day s catch 4 fish. Capt. Pinders is "A
confederate war veteran of 50 years
lie owns the whole island. which is 500
acres In area, and the only inhabitants
are the immed ate members of his
family and their descendants. They
have their own schoolhouse and the
county provides a teacher six months
in the year. The captain mas feet
OF schooners plying along the coast OF
Florida, and he evidently lives a life
OF perfect contentment. being an actual
lord OF all her surveys we hope to
call on our return and pay another
WISH, when we are To look over his
pineapple farm. and have "A chat with
his we'll l-pFeserved father, also a con-
federate veteran. and man who. at
's Is towering giant, sound physi-
cally and mentally.
Il never fully believed that there
were flying fish till saw them off up
per Maticumbre Key, but the way
titcy- shot from and flew over the sur
face OF the water was as convincing
proof as that which ] had OF the ex-
lstence Of the seahOrse when taken up
by gondolier with his small net i'm
the lagoon In Venice. The flying fish
seem 10 Jump and scull over the sun
Face OF the water BY lightning
movement Of the fins and tail.
The clearness of the water OF this
portion OF the coast OF Florida is the
1rst thing 10 impress itself upon a
newcomer. Spcnges are sailed over by
The thousand and one large yard here
S filed with them. The distinguishing
characteristics OF Key West are bar
rooms, dirty streets and poor, lean
horses, and the visitors stay is usually
United TO the departure OF the next
boat following his arrival. But there
5 no discOunting the soft. balmy
)reeZe from the ocean. Unless i'm
ported. all the drinking water used
ONES from the roofs.
The big feature of Miami is the
Cast Coast company's hotel. To which.
With the railroad, the town is indebted
or its existence, as the holel was the |
roken, some four ana a half years |
go Mr.. FHagler's enterprise and the
larNelous system of his hotels, rail-
Dads and steamboats, is a nine days |
onder TO the practical business visit |
r, who cannot avoid taking into ac- |
)unt. wherever he goes, the improve |
tents made upon previous wasted oD- |
ortuniues. | have seen in the Flagler /
vstem. between Jacksonville and Key |
N -. as.ftf f.ta
'r these good and sufficient reasons
)uld doubtless be given by the man
no pays the bills. That Mr.. FIagler
nows the fun value OF refined expert
'rvice. is manifest among all his Of
,ials. from his general manager down.
ell all your friends To go 10 Palm |
each II they can. l have seen nothing |
equal IL az home or abroad and the
me is also true relative 10 the Hotel |
once de Leon. ST. Augustine True.
ley serve but five oysters for a por-
On, but the building and it's surround
rs easily make up for the other BIZ
i've. One of the outs at the Royal
aim Palm Beach. Is placing strang-
: together at the same table during
e light season, but one almost for-
its this when strolling about in the
oplcal gardens surrounding the
lilding, oftentimes barely missing a
coanut on his own cocoanut as IL
lis from a cocoanut tree, or when !
cking ripe oranges from the trees. !
r which the natives charge one three
mes the retail pr ce I'm Boston. Grape
uit and bananas abound i'm equal
ofuslon.
Many GUESTS at the swell hotels |
.ar breakfast coats at dinner.N and |
liters attired i'm evening dress while
rving breakfast are not uncommon |
yhts i'm ,ae sunny south. But. who |
res, when the climate admits of HIS |
'ptnsing With any coat. II so inclin-
, while you are shiyering I'm furs at a
mphony concert or detained I'm town
reason OF a blizzard. mayhap.
We stopped at many ports on our
~ here ST. Augustine, the Oldest
Nn I'm the United States. interested
very much. Besides the well pre-
VII facade of the Spanish clihe-
ll and the old foi't. nov used as "A
litary PRISON, IL boasts as one OF its
fractions the islani of Anastasia.
th its eighteen miles OF hard sea
lch, which affords one of the finest
ves In the country. \ thirty-minute
y from the Ponce de Leon. over the
bridge. and through swami
punding with marsh hens. blue
ron. the Span sh bayonet. coqu.na
aries. rattle and other snakes.
(ConInucd ON page FourJ
500 = ward, 500.