Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-01-28
EDITOR HARRIS TRIP.

Ocala Daily Tanner, recently returned
from a trip 90 Key West. After 20.
fcrring 90 Jacksonville's phenomenal
progress he continues his write.up ~
hi' trip a. follows:
Though the oldest city In the west.
ern world. St Augustine. as Il g. to-
day Is the creation Of Mr. Flagler.
Much Of the prettiest portion Of IL he
redeemed from the sea.
when he first beheld tits narrow
streets and quaint buildings. its cid
fort and city gates-his wonderful in
tuition instantly told him that 6,
would make an ideal tourist retreat.
ana in the formulation OF his plans To
tl.s end the Ponce de Leon. the Aica-
zas and the Coriova hotels were mere
evolrtions OF the wonderful intellect
thct made the East Coast the Appi-r
Nay aud che rendezvous Of the tour
Is. travel OF the United States.
Fashion empties itself on St Angus.
tine and the whirl OF society I'm win.
ter begins and ends there.
For many years yet 10 come il will
be- the tourist Mecca. and more and
more so after the completion OF the
Key West extension and the Panama
canal.
The hotels Of St Augustine are no
ted for their elegance. grandeur and
beauty OF design. and when the sea
son is at its height no lovelier vision
is allotted to man than 20 behold the
crowds OF well dressed men and hand.
somely gowned women that make
their homes under the roofs Of these
luxurious abOdes
1t Is said that no scene OF earth Is
more brilliant than a ball at the Ponce
de Leon. The innumerable cOlored
electric jets, issuing from crystal
globes and golden candelabra, emer-
aids, rubies. opals. pearls. sapphires.
glinting from the bOsoms
and brows Of the fair participants.
add lustre 90 the scene and make il
a picture rivalling the courts Of roy
atty.
As you travel on down the PENN
sular the scenery becomes more beau
tiful and tropical I'm appearance and
the atmosphere more soothing and
delightful.
We met a German gentleman who
said that he had travelled IN Italy,
Sicily. Frame and Spain, yet nowhere
Is there such a climate as there Is on
the southern East Coast OF Florida. !
and that IL is compelled 20 attract
the tourist trayel'of both hemispheres. |
AT Palm Beach, between Lake
Worth and the ocean. Mr. Flagler has
erected the largest hotel I'm the world. |
and as everything conspires to make |
this spot a jewel in beauty, he has |
made II his home and spends most OF
the winter months there. Whitehall |
his residence. Is a luxurious palace. !
and the grounds which adiOin those |
Of the Royal Poinciana and the Break |
ers contain every rare plant and |
flower that will thrive In the tropics. |
and Il is, indeed. a fairy land
AT OrmOnd. Miami Nassau and al |
knights Key Mr.. Flagler has built his |
system OF hotels that las Eow become /
famous all over the world. The most |
colossal ones are yet 90 be construct |
ed. one az Key West and the other In |
When these two shall have
been finished he will then have an
even dozen, and they are without |
a parallel In the worlds records. |
When Il Is stated that the opening OF
these hotels alone costs S25O.OOO some |
Idea Of their grandeur can be ascer-
.ained.
When Mr.. Flagler first entered |
upon his work OF development and be-
gan the erection OF his hotels and the |
Of his railroad they were |
% as 'Flagler's folly yet |
while still In their infancy, they are
paying dividends on their investment |
and the earning capacity Of the road |
Is but eighty dollars less per mile than |
The Atlantic Coast Line, one OF the |
oldest established lines In the State
What will il be- when the extension 20
Key West Is completed and Il becomes |
the feeder for Panama canal?
"Oldumers held zap their hands I'm