Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1904-03-02
Correspondence.
Winter Trip to Florida.

ANKoNA, FLA, Jan. 26, 1904.
To the Editor of The American:
l will endeevor TO write sonnet hing
about my visit and trip to this town, hop.
ing 1t may be OF some interest to the
readers OF THE AMERICAN
/ left Bar Hsrpor Dec 81, with my son
Bert, and on the % sailed from Boston
on the steamer Seminole, arriving at
Charleston, 8. c., on the 9th, twenty
hours late after very rough passage.
This makes my fourth visit to this city.
The FIRST one was "beior de wah", and
twice 10 The summer after the war. The
harbor and city OF Chsrleston are inter.
esting to every American cit z.n.
After crossing the bar, which Is nine
miles from the city, you pass the battle
Scared Fort Sumter OF the left; Fort
Moultrie on Sullivsn's island on the
right. A fine view OF tue city Is obtained
by approaching 1t from the ocean.
We took a stroll about the city aud saw
some fue buildings - city hall, court
house, custom house, bu 1t OF white mar
BILE (who oames Dr.. Crum?), post off e
and the Charles hotel. The battery
fronting on he hsrbor is one OF the most
attractive places. TIE streets are clean.
We remained here eight hours aud then
steamed away for jacksonville, arriving
next day. Here we took rooms at the
Union View hotel.
Jacksonville is situated on the st. Johns
river twenty five miles from its mouth,
and has population OF 5000. The
streets are regularly laid out and shaded
by live oaks and paved with vitrified brick.
Shell cycle paths lead in all directions. A
large number of hotels are located in
pleasant streets back from the wharves
Commercially Jacksonville is the greatest
city In Florida. There seems to be a large
northern element In business here.
After remaining two days we took the
East Coast railroad for Ankona, on the
Indian river, fifty miles north Of Palm
Beach, and In due time arrived at the
plantation of A. B. Hamor, formerly OF
Hull's Cove.
His place contains 100 acres, about
thirty acres OF pineapples growing, three
acres In truck farm, oranges, lemons,
lines, guarvas and bananas.
1t requires a vast amount Of abor to get
a pineapple grove started; 1t costs about
SS5 per acre to get the land In condition
to set out the slips, aud it takes two years
for them to mature; then they bear for
twelve years.
About / 500 pounds of fertilizer to the
acre is required twice year. May and
June are the months for picking and
packing. Mr.. Hamor last season shipped
about 5000 crates to the North and West.
The labor is chiefly done by negroes.
From the piazza l Can count several
kinds OF tropical trees-red bay, satin
wood, jumbolimbo, palmetto, rubber,
mulberry, etc.
Indian river is fine body OF water 100
miles in length, and one mile wide,
straight as a line. 1t is separated from
the Atlantic ocean by a strip OF untnhab-
-ited land one mile In width. The water
is salt.
Fred Hamor, Bert Hamor and myself
made an excursion to the ocean. Our
pilot rowed up creek to about fifty rods
from the ocean Tue beach Is covered
with shells. Standing back from the
beach Que quarter OF mile is a mound
thirty five feet high. We took out some
bones; among them was a bone with
three molars attached. w. B. II.