The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-02-19
FLORIDA.
Ta0 Land OF Flowers via. The Sea-
eoarc Air Liae r. n.

Land OF Flowers" known TO the world
- FLORIDA, or rather that portion Of the
State traversed ~ the ) A. LR.R
Taking advantage Of the cordial inv.
tation extended by the road mentioned
aud alter eul 'ylng the hospitality Of the
Times Dispatch. Mr.. W : Coleiand. oi
as editorial staff h-ing the President of
The Virginia Press Association. | lefs
"ichmoni Monday night OF Last week on
one OF The Sesboard's handsome through
trains, m company with a large party
OF Nir-i1ia newspaper men n number I
iaiieS and guests OF the Niraiuia Pre-, :
Association. The party mentioned had
oeen preceded South 10 another marty
"a en- rgeo 81 Acting President nenig of The
>tis N lines Register. and Secretary i.
l.. mart, ~ the Farsnvilie Herald, hut an
"l the = aboard's guests 10 the numb r
'i an hundred and JwentA five nr NOR
were happily united az JacksOnsvilla on
Tues lay evening. In compnnv with
those who Left Richmond in the second
section were Mr.. Il. =. Smith. District
Passenger Agent os the road. aud a na--
y 81 ladies. Mr.. Saith had charge OF an
arrangements for the trip aud repre-
Seuted his road as only iirss-class raiL-
ROAD man can do. Arriving At Jackson
Niile the press party distributed them
selves at the various hotels in the cay
anu were made the recipients of Kind nj
tentiOn from the ia ksonNiile ue,vsn..
ner-, especially the Tnaes.U mon.
On the following morning III, frst
meeting ot the Association was held. the
nuv@A hotel being chosen as the lender
Nuus. At tins meeting. alter n few brief
remarSs from Acting President Denir. tie
members aud their guests were extended
4 cordial invitation to visit Lake City. a
lovely little iaterior town. 10y Seer, tnrv
Api icy ard. oi tue Florida Press Associa-
tiou. AMI il is needless TO say that il was
ina' imously accepted. aud the visit
proved one Of the pleasantest Incl 'ents
in our altogether pleasant aud delightful
outing
At the meeting referred TO above the
association resolved to visit St Angus
the IN body on the same dav. 80 Wed
ne-day was spent in FlOrida's ancient
- tnish cry, one ofthe most UNIQUE aad
quaint sci Elements Of its kind in m.
country With its narrow streets. one
Il which Is the narrOwest in the world.
its picturesque houses. its oil Spanish
inTI ami city gates. and its magnificent
fonce re Leon Hotel -. Augustine. tn
say nothing at its climate and people.
noiIs our sufficient Undue ment u at
tract the most blase tourist The old
Tort stall looks grimly upon the waters
hut where once the proud Don STROBE
back and forth ;hpre now walks with
military treat one al tastils aud Ara
IONS late cpDqgerOr-. p lone REGULAR of
ncie Sans army. Tae government
now has TIE Tort in charge and visitors
can only travefs- it, bLttieinents during
-rFtaia hours. aud. ia accordance with
rhe rules OF the Army and Navy Depart.
f.far o
atSt. Aug stiue is,of course. dismantled
40 sketch. picture or craving can be-
made by any person % the Qualifications
Dr .roui d.
At the Ponce DE- Leon. thought bv
many TO bo Ameri.s- : Blest ho-t.lsr
tue management was rNcee iingly cordial
tnd eXtendei the ire.dOns os the house to
me visiting newspaper men. a number OF
whom took luncheon 10 it, magnificent
iiling rooms Rates arr s. Der dav
and M. ami singls meals American plan
cost : 30 Among the guests at the
lotei AT the time mentioned were thu.
Duke aud Duchess Of Mlnche- ter and the
father of the nu hess Mr. Zimmerman.
d Connecticut. who Incidentally paws
the bills Of his titl.i son-in-iaw. Their
suite of rooms Is on b. nr-t floor.
Alter travelling all night Wednesday
- tAAA-tAFs fNt Ar~N-AlAlOu ATTlNeU
Thursday morning at Tampa. Fiorida's
largest and busiest west coast city. Tie
lay there was one OF the pleaSantest
spent IN the South duriag the As-ocia
uon : stay. and mad especially 20 bv the
perfect weather encountered. Heal
quarters were established at the De
SOTO. "A very lice hot-l. but not TO Toe
spoken in the same breath with the
Tampa Bay, which. II ans thing. is hand
Somer Khan the funcede Leon. and whose
gardens exceed in beauty anything TO be
seen In that.part of Florida. and are per
haps not equalled in the entire State.
rs one strolls down the broad path
ways of this fairy land. gazing with in
creasing wonder upon the plants and
trees and flowers, life takes on a brighter
hue, and one becomes obliviOus to every
thingexcept the charm OF the scene. Here
an orange tree with foliage as green az
the waters OF the sea. there a tropical
plant swaying - and fro in the breeze,
here again an avenue of stately palms
from within whose foliage comes floating
softly the music made by members of the
ieathery tribe, seeking refuge in this cline
from the rigors Of a northern winter. Birds
81 all descriptions inhabit the gardens
and in its borders can be found almost
every kind OF tree and plaat known to-
tiorita The visitor rs he looks upon
the scene and drinks in long draughts of
the balmy air, which comes floating
across the Bay Of Tampa, unconsciously
asks himself whether or not he has been
transported to some mythical land of
beauty and perpetual summer. Violets
bloom beneath his feet and in reach oFhis
hands, but forbidden his touch. like the
fruit of the Garden OF Eden. are myriads
OF roses and iessamine blossoms. The
air Is filled with the fragrance of the Row
ers and ever and anon there comes sound
ing the voluptuons music OF the South.
The scene can never be adequately de-
-cribed 10 words, Only "a visit will con-
vino" one that such land exists in this
world of ours.
Tampa Is Il hustliBg, busy city, as is
Jacksonville, and it's people are doing
more than their share towards showing
Florida to the front. However hospi-
table the people Of other Florida towns
were to the visiting newspaper men. it
remained for the town of Lake City to
extend the warmest and most cordial re-