Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-12-30
FROM FLORIDA.

In a letter to Hon. Marshall Nc
Cormick, dated December %. our
old friend Mr.. !. +. Griffith. now
in New Smyrna, Fla. tells of a
fisherman who. when asked if any
big fish were ever caught i'm that
neighbOrhood, replied: The big
gest one | ever caught was 1SS feet
long and 3 feet between the eyes. 3"
He was questioned no further.
He tells of one fish that really
weighed 44O pounds. but SAYS the
largest one which he has yet seen
weighed 30 pounds. He bought it
for Il quarter. We will state that
the COURIER has been mailed TO
Mr.. Griffith every week since his
departure. He should address a
note to the postal authorities. We
quote from his letter:
Your esteemed favor Of the 18th duly
received, for which thank YOU. giving
me the news from Clarke county. as |
have not Teen favored with a COPY of
the COURIER since my arrival here. al
though | requested the editors TO for
ward it 10 me weekly. You speak Of the
protracted cold weather which we es-
capped. How different from the climate
here; the thermometer ranging from 60
10 80 and occasionally 50 degrees. and
in the night or early morn should the
mercury fall TO As or 30 degrees the ma
tiyes complain of the cold when to us il
is enjoyable.
There are already many tourists from
the North, East and West here and in
other attractive towns on the Atlarti,
coast and more daily arriving, TO avail
themselves of this delightful climate in
the land of flowers The visitors and
citizens spend most of their time in FISH,.
ing with hook and line, and 10 me it is
interesting TO draw up the bass and
sheephead Of from three 10 six pounds
and could but wish that my friends in
Clarke could share with me in that sport
Florida in development Is but in heI
Infancy but rapidly Increasing Two
crops are generally raised annually, and
the winter crops, such as sweet potatoes
and otner vegetables of great variety
are shipped North and East and sold a,
fancy prices. Nature has done much
for ihis section. New Smyrna is located
IN Indian River, in the orange belt, be.
tween the town and the Atlantic. but q
two-mjle drive to the beach and three
miles from the inlet where is light
house, and for miles are beautiful pal
mettos from forty to eighty feet tall
interpreted with stately live oaks
clothed with Spanish moss gracefully
hanging from the branches. together
with many orange groves of 80 to loo
acres or more heavily laden with golden
fruit, all presenting a most imposing
spectacle, which is not seemingly appre
ciated by the citizens as by the visitors
All along the East Coast Railroad
beginning at Jacksonville. and on Ia
81 Augustine, naytona, New smyrna
fituSyilie, Rockledge. Palm Beach, Boyn-
ton, Fort Laudeydale and Miami, which
Is the terminus of the railroad, being 36G
miles south of Jacksonville The oldes,
and most historic place of all i ST. Au-
gnsIine, with the old Spanish fort in
ruins, the many magnificent churches
and its grand hotels, the most famous
of which are the Ponce deLeon and Al
cazar, which are unsurpassed Nv any in
the United States.
Ion will please excuse me for this
hurriedly written and uninteresting let.
ter, which | will close as do not wish
to tire you. Washington q happy Christ
mas and a prosperous New Year.
Yours Very Truly,
J. T. GRIFFITH.