The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-14

LIE " lhtS I0OTn-
ing 1 walked across the railroad hridos
10 n Palm Beach hotels which are thu
T.oydi Ponciana and the Breakers
formerly the Palm Beach Irn.) One
mas TO a five cents to cross the La &c
eitner on the bridge or by boat. After
"rnssing the lake IL is some three quar-.
ters of a mile to the beach. Here there
Is a pier I.c00 feet long out into The
ocean. Ten cents must b. paid to gc
out to the end. Here is Mr.. Flagler's
cottage. also the cottage of Mr.. Joe
JeHerson. the great actor. Mr.. Flagler
nVes In a cottage. though he has a
beautifuf residence which he has rent.
ed out and he is building another ore
which / was told will cost 81. SOC. 600
Right near the Royal P~oinciana' i saw
MT Flagler as he was riding out in his
wheel chair. also saw Mr.. Jefferson on
his wheel.
In my travels down here my eyes
nave locke on nothing to equal the
emery on these hotel grounds. i can
not describe IL but will let the East
Coast folder tell you of the indescriba-
bic scene:
1.-The run from Jupiter to West Palm
Beach, where the train crosses Lake
Worth to Palm Beach proper. is but
seventeen miles. On crossing the fam
Gus lax to Palm Beach, where the Ho-
tel Royal Poinciana and the Palm
Beach Inn, n scores of handsome cot
tages, are located. the tourist feels that
n most expressive adjective in his
vocabulary is too Insignificant to even
suggest his delight at the m~atchless
and majestic view hat greet his eyes
before he leaves the platform of the
train. 1t is by far h queen Of all the
East Goa resorts. The groulds-fa-
vored by nature with a great variety OF
tropical growth, bordered on the west
NV IL Worth nn1 nv 4h4 aarf hy &Iz
coast of the Atlantic o~cean-have been
greatly enhanced in beauty by the law
ish expenditure of money. The shores
of the lax for miles are fringed with
stately cocoanut trees. always in bear
ing. In the Royal Poinciana grounds,
these cocoanut groves extend to the
spacious Verandas of the hotel. The
walks around and connecting these two
hotels, which are about a quarter of a
mile apart, are of asphalt, shaded on ali
sides by a variety of rare and interest
ing tropical growth. while the borders
are a solid bloom of swcet-scented flow
ers. The lawns, of which there are
acres upon acres, are planted in Santa
Lucia grass, green the entire year
through. 1t is a carpet, and there are
no peSky signs keep of the grass to
heed. Branching out in every direc-
ton are the most picturesque bicycle
Daths Imaginable. They run for milas
north and south into deep jungle,
hrnue groves Of stately palms and
trOpicaI trees, by handsome villas and
artistic grounds, nearly always with
Eircid AXE Worth in view, n within
hearing distance OF the waves of the.
ocean smashing In o the beach,"
Not knowing that 1 would ever be
permitted to again enjoy the beauties of
the scenery above described, 1 again
this evening stroii.eI the ent : distance
TO the ocean and through the grounds
Of the Royal POinciana. and 1 will not
quit the story till another Witness
'"Tic East Coast of Florida" :siscs in
testimony:
Palm Beach a been pronounced by
many persons who have circled the
globe to be the most beautiful place in
tire world and the others who have seen
it and yet not enjoyed such opportuni-
ties Tor comparative observation, have
without exception. accepted the verdict
as manifestly just. Conceive an island
broken from the mainland and Separat-
ed from it by a sheet of water possess
ing the fascination of an inland wood
bordered lake, while the opposite side
is bathed in the grandeur of the open
SEA. This, in a word, is the p sit o / Of the
strip of land that was selected for the
site OF the magnificent Royal POinciana
and the Breakers. On the side which
looks out upon the Atlantic stands the
Breakers with wide verandas and broad
~Dromenades, seemingly devised eSpeci-
ally that the ocean breeZeS might sweep
up over their vast e~splandes and
fritter away into zephyrs around their
supporting columns. Half a mile west,
directly across the Sland. stan the
Royal POincana. which. as recently en-
larged, ranks as the largest hotel on
earth. 1t faces Lake Worth and the
mainland beyond. Connecting these
49, or-nrr &c Il
broa dasphlattum promenade f1anked or
both sides by high screens of the mos
superb tropical vegetation and llluml-
mated at night by myriad electric bulbs
The climate of Palm Reach makes
this winter resort a most agreeable
place of residence during the snow tins
months and that the American epicures
of enjoyment are RAPIDLY so discover
ing is ~eloquently attested by the mum
Der of wealthy citizens who have with
in the past few years. built palatlal vii
las in this vicinity. Warm and soft i:
the air as on a spring day in a northern
valley, and yet never void OF that brac
ing in~vigoration which causes the so
soiourner to b. ever ready for golf, ten
mis- or surf bathing. 1t was the boas
of the gallant southerners during tn,
civil war, tina they could dance al
night and fight all day. The presen
day jewellers in this most admirable o
the nations play grounds. might Wit
apologies to sentiment. alter 1t to
confession of ability to dance all nigh
and indulge in the various athleti
sports all day. SO stimulating is tn
elixir which the atmosphere pourS int
the lungs. Nearby is a strange sprinI
which fable declares is the youth dis
penSing Jul SO eagerly sought o.
Ponce de Leon. and h average Vlsl
tor, upon the conclusion of a visit t
Palm Beach, would be willing to de
clare tina there is more foundatio'
h tradition for the contention"
Respectfully yours,
J. A. CREWS.