The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-07

~ run OF 80 ullles, pdSSlnB SIX sta llOtlN,
brings us TO Titusvile. near the head
Of Indian river. From here the East
Coast has a branch leading TO Sanford,
Winter Park, etc. resorts OF the Plant
system.
WHERE INDIAN RIVER ORANGE
GROWS.
Titusville Is a county seat. has sew
eral small tourist hotels, well paved
streets, electric light plant and fine
business places. 1t is the principal
shipping point for fruit and vegetables,
particularly the Indian River orange.
Here are groves of palm called "Gul-
llver's Busters" because of their like
ness to enormous feather busters with
the handles stuck in the ground.
Along the bank of the river is the
home of the crane. white and blue
herons are often seen from the car
windows. From Titusville steamers
regularly run to Rockledge, Lake
Worth and Palm Beach. The Indian
river here reaches a width of nearly
six miles, in the center of which is a
charming piece of tropical land, where
frost and freezes never come, called
"Merritts Island" under high culti-
walton md producing prolific crops.
Indian river. so well known To the
people of the North from the fame
of its oranges, is one of the greatest
charms of Florida Its head COM
menCes near Titusvlle and runs paral-
lcl with the Atlantic Ocean and the
East Coast railway for about $50 miles,
having but narrow spit Of land be-
tween it and the everglades of the
- "a an
lagoons, making continuous stretch
of water scenery for more than go
miles. and with Biscayne Bay now
united with Lake Worth gives an uu-
interrupted waterway of $50 miles,
The novelty of it's scenery is as strik-
ing as are its charms and luxuriant
beauty. These connected inland waters
vary from weird twisting narrows one
hundred feet wide To spreading lakes
from three to six miles wide. Some
times they look out Of inlets upon the
Atlantic and again into the mouths
Of winding creeks and fresh water
rivers from the main land. The lands
adjoining the lagoon are very fertile,
producing all the southern fruits from
| oranges to cocoanuts in great profu-
sion. The river is equally noted for its
pompano. mullet and tarpon. also tur-
! ties of great size even to five hundred
pounds in weight. BESIDES the willy
alligators often expose their corrugat-
ed backs on the same log with the
| sportive turtle and numberless water
| snakes.
! For ten miles in stretch the train
| runs so close to the banks of the river
nf Ia
track. At three points the river is
miles wide, and almost all sorts of
| craft, sailing. steam and naptha, can
| be seen scudding along over it's smooth
| waters. over one hundred varieties
| of birds, including immense cranes,
| herOns, etc. Cwho are caught in the
act of fishing themselvcs) are seen
| frightened away, however. on the ap-
prOaCh of the train.
For many miles our train passes
| through large savannahs. hardwood
hammocks and cabbage palmetto
| groves From a broad sand beach
stream at Ttusville the river con-
tracts in eighteen miles to a narrow
sheet of water at RoCkledge. where it
washes against the side of pcrpendic-
| lar ledge that continues for miles up
and down the river. This ledge is Of
| cOquina. and Rockledge is named from
! it. The foot walk for several miles
on the high river bank through grove
after grove of splendid oranges, many
going to decay for want OF pluCkng
| ana care, and past elegant mansions
and tropical gardens, with the grand
| outlook across the river to the sea, is
TO say the least interesting and fas-
, cinating. Several modern and we'll
appointed hotels are located here, with
| prices to suit every purse.
THE PINEAPPLE SECTION.
eW are now in the heart of the FAM
Gus Indian River orange belt. that eX-
tends from Osmond to Eau Gallie. 50
miles in extent. At Eau Gallie are the
| largest groves in the state, and right
here the Indian River and the Ban
| ana River form junction. Right here
is the northern limit of open-air pine
apple growing and called "'rhe Pine
| apple Section" The railroad skirts
the shore of the Indian River now on
for l25 miles and constantly crosses
! creeks and rivers whose beauty adds
much to the already charming seen
cry. The land, too. is rich and beyond
| reach of frost, where orange groves
| have never failed to bear, and the
most luscious pineappples are har-
vested season after season and mile
after mile of pineapple plantations are
seen on either side Of the train, and
vegetable gardens without end. To
the NOrtherner the cocOanut, the pine
apple. orange and fig groves are no
less inviting than is the prodigal lux
urance of the tropical flora, the Cy
press. the magnolia and the palm, in
the most prolific colors and in the
widest array. This land of fruits and
fora opens up a new heaven and a
new earth 10 the behOlder.
The next station of importance of
which | should make special mention
is st. Lucie, -four miles this side o
Fort PierCeD the winter home of oul
senior senator, Matthew $. Quay. anC
his town-brother Senator NJ. &. Butler
of South Carolina, visible from the train
for miles. 81. LUcie is 289 miles soutl
of Jacksonville. OF course, as Penn
sNlvanian, proud of our senator, W,
alighted from the train to view the
vast pineapple plantation and thrift!
orange grove of the senator miles il
extent, both among the best in Florida
senator Quay is proudly referred Il
here and all along the east coast, a
"Florida's third senator" and is a
popular here as in Pennsylvania. o
among his colleagues at Washington.
THE NOBLE REDS.
Fort Pierce is an old settlement anG
one of the chief trading posts of tn
Seminole Indians, back OF which, i
he home of the Cow Creeks" on
branch of the tribe. Groups of then