The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-11
THE CHARMS OF LAKE CITY
 DESCRIBED BY MAJOR SCREWS
Thriving Florida Town Has Handsome Public Build ings and an Excellent Supply of Water.
 Beautiful Lakes.

Lake City. Fla. March 9-(Editorial orrespondence.) )-rAs far back as terri torial days this has been known as one Of the towns of Florida. It is easy to ind people hereabouts over 60 years of age who were born in this place or in Coiumbia County. of which this is the County site. This section of the State has reputation for healthfulness. which Is we'll sustained by the splendid health statistics. The old settlers, and there are great many of themA never tire of talk ing about the fine climate in the winter, and the equal temperature in summer with never an unpleasant night
 Until within the past four or five years Lake City was not a point of unusual prominence and its population was small Its growth has recently been rapid and its prospects for the future are bright conservative estimates place the popu-
 lation at 5000 and that would seem to be
 too small judging by the residences and
 the business transacted. There are three
 railroads here. and all of them with wide reaching connections. The Atlantic Coast
 Line fzn,e, old. old Plant system has branch
 line along the West Florida route to
 Tampa. The Seaboard Air Line runs
 from Jacksonville through here by Taf-
 iahassee and then to River Junction.
 where it strikes the L.. and N. to Pen
 sacola. Through cars are run on this
 route from New Orleans to Jacksonville
 road but little known in Alabama is
 the Georgia Southern and Florida, but 1t IS great factor in the building up of
 this State: It runs from Macon. Ga. to
 Palatka, Fla, via this place. while there
 IS also line from Valdosta, Ga, which Is the intersecting point of the system
 to Jacksonville. This road belongs 'to
 the great Southern Railway Company own, as to officers. etc. So 1t will be seen that Lake City has the benefit of the great systems; the Atlantic Coast Line, the Southern and the Seaboard and With twelve passenger trains day into the place and innumerabie freights go- ing each way. 1t has busy, live ap- pearance all the time.
 There are great many good business
 houses. representing every branch of trade. They have a good country from which to draw and flrst-class freight fa- cilities. The public schools are rated high and the buildings are quite commo- oious and convenient. The State Agri-
 cultural College is located here. This and the public schools undoubtedly have ton of their children. The college. iudg- ing from what is said by citizens. was for long time handicapped by being a sort of football for politicians. That evil seems to have been overcome and the ises to be career of great usefulness. pr. Taliaferro, the President, is a very capable man and has A good faculty to aid him. The college gets the Morrill, and a portion of the Hatch funds. and the last Legislature made an appropriation for 1t of $9O.0o0. Buildings are being add ca and the agricultural feature has been widened by the purchase of several hun dred acres of land, which will be culti- yated in the very best style under the direction of an experienced professor of agriculture. Girls and boys both attend the institution. There are several hun dred students. A gymnasium for physi- cal culture is nearly completed. It Is a very handsome building with every con ceivable athletic requirement at hand. fine bathing and swimming pools etc It Is the gift of MT. H. M. Fiagler and there are those who say that in view of what he obtained from the Legislature in the way of a divorce law; which fit his case nasium is but small recognition of the favor shown him. MT. Flagier has been great developer of this State, and made winter Paradise of it's eastern coast. His railroads and hotels have been the cause of many thousands of people visit ing Florida and the present season seems to have been the greatest in all It's his tory.
 One of the charms of Lake City is to he found In the abundance of good water, which comes like that in Montgomery, through an artesian system from a depth of several hundred feet. It Is pronounced chemically pure and Is clear as crystal There is In 1t very slight trace of sul- phur but 1t can scarcely be detected There is an excellent system of water works
 There are a number of beautiful lakes in the corporate limits and 1t ls in con temptation to make a good hard road around them all which would give a driveway several miles in length and be a great attraction.
 There are churches here of nearly ev- cry denomination and the religiously in- c1ined can easily find the place of wor- ship desired. The Baptists and Presby- terians have brick structures. The oth- CTS comfortable frame houses.
 There are several buildings here which would do credit to towns of ten times the population. The court house of Co., lumbia County is on the main street with open space in front; which will be made