The Newtown bee., 1901-08-02
SIX MONTHS IN FLORIDA.-FLOR IDA AS A SUMMER RESORT.
A LETTER FROM REV J. F. HOYT, FOR MERLY OF CONNECTICUT, NOW IN ST PETERSBURG, FLA.

| LETTER FROM REV J. P. HOYT, FOR MERELY OF CONNECTICUT, NOW IN ST PETERSBURG, FLA.
 It has been suggested that an article l or letter on my experiences in this fal away land, by many unknown or mis- understood, would be of interest and enable me to communicate with friends at the north as it is impossible to do by personal letters.
 If, therefore, the following account
 of the incidents and impressions of a six months residence in SOuth Florida, tncluding winter, spring and summer and of the east coast from Jacksonville to Palm Beach, and the west coast from Tampa to the Manatee region and central Florida, be deemed worthy of publication by the editor, he and his readers are welcome to it.
 After 30 years ministry in Connec. ticut concluded to follow advice giv- en years ago by physicians and friends and seek a southern home for my fam | lily for a year at least.
 While considering the question of location an invitation came to take charge of the church at Melbourne, Fla, on the east coast, and afterward to be lecturer on Biblical topics at the "Chautauqua" at the same place. Ac- cordingly on the first day of the year and century sailed from New York on the "Comanche" of the Clyde line, and after a pleasant voyage of three days, made interesting by ac- quaintance with many passengers, so- a half day in historic Charleston, s. o., reached Jacksonville, Fla. Here near ly day was spent in trOlleying the city and suburbs, so soon to be swept
 with cyclone of fire. In the evening | St Augustine was reached and ex- amined by starlight and electric light tits palatial hotels blazing with the latter in all colors) and also by sunlight the next day. On Saturday an express bore us down the east coast to our destination at Melbourne, where a the Carlton hotel on the Indian river. It is impossible to put on to paper or into cold type theIweird beauty of the scene which greeted those from the cold and frozen north as we stepped out of the hotel on to the bluff for a stroll the next morning. Flowers, fruit, vines, palms, ferns, a river near ly two miles wide, the peninsula be- yond over which broke the ocean waves in roar, all embraced in Flori- da sunshine, made most attractive PICCuINs AO PA 1ANlPhl oOlCO U ID loluCu New Haven avenue. The pleasant church, whose dedication sermon was preached by the late Rev Dr J. B. Twitchell of New Haven, was filled with reverent worshippers from nearly all the states, and more cultivated, social and friendly people I have sell dom met. Then followed three months of delightful pastoral relations to them and the residents, numerous union services. Chautauqua meetings with addresses, readings and singing of high Order interspersed with eX- cursiOns to the ocean, up the river to Tropic(a romantic region), and Rock ledge, and down the river to Pelican
 Island, where thousands of that strange bird gather, and to Palm
 Beach, claimed to be "the most beauti
 full place in the world.". The cocoanut trees of all kinds, the landscape crea- tions, the great hotel, the lake and ocean and scenic effects make the claim good in the opinion of many. AS the time approached for selecting more permanent home we passed by
 Daytona, Ormond, Winter Park and other most attractive places, and hav- ing occasion to visit Tampa, city of 1000, finely located at the head of Tampa Bay, with it magnificent hotel, crossed the bay to St Petersburg. Here we were entertained by veteran of the Civil war, who had lost an arm and received AS wounds in his country's s service. The visit resulted in a call to the only Congregational and Union church on the ''Sub-peninSula," al though there are 75 in Florida This