The National tribune., 1910-06-16
A BEAUTIFUL GROWING CITY.
An Interesting Description OF the New
Veterans Colony Down in Dixie.
1From the Wellsville IN. " Daily
Reporter)

(From the Wellsville IN. " Daily
Reporter.)
Having lately returned from St
Cloud, Fla, very naturally meet those
wishing to learn Of the new veterans
colony down in Dixie, and I am glad to
give my views of that beautiful growing
city, st. Cloud. after living for four
months in its warm sunshine among
thousands of the happiest veterans 1
have ever met, coming from every State
in the Union, even from Mexico and
Canada. 1 liked the location Of ST.
Cloud before I went there. Years ago
! summered in Texas. put in two years
in Louisiana and stopped in Mississippi
and Alabama. Five and six years ago
spent two Winters in Fitzgerald, Ga,
but the climate of st. Cloud beats them
in two ways. 1t is located on one of
the highest elevations of the State, on
what is termed the Hogback of Florida.
SO miles west of the Atlantic Coast, 60
miles northeast of Tampa and 20 from
the Gulf of Mexico, giving better eli
mate than at Jacksonville or Tampa. I
have visited both these cities, and can
Vouch for this opinion. An hour after
sunrise we have what is called trade
winds, which last until sunset, making
it comfortable working out thru the
day.
l wish I was able to buy 100 acres
L
would care, for. The company have
sold nearly all of the 5000 acres taken
up and are planning for more. l am
more than pleased with both soil and
climate, and liked it better every day.
stayed for four months leaving there
May Is. l have suffered more from
heat in New York, Buffalo, Detroit and
fresh-water lakes about this location,
abounding with good fish, and six or
eight miles south is the pine woods,
where plenty of game, such as quail,
rabbits, turkey, deer, wildhogs, etc,
abound. Two crops from the garden
are readily raised, and nearly everything
that grows anywhere can be furnished
there except apples, cherries. timothy
hay and wheat The mockingbird was
ever ready to greet you in the morning
and the whippoorwill at night.
The company has built some nice
public buildings of white brick, includ-
ing a two-and story hotel, an
electric light and ice plant. also water
works, post office and bank. all white
brick, and are soon to build the vets
a two-story G. A. r. Hall, giving them
a life lease. Merchants are also putting
up fine brick blocks. A church and
school building are now under construc-
ton. Five hundred residents have built
houses since ! went there. and hundreds
Altho there are three saw mills and five
lumber yards where lumber is shipped
in, it cannot be furnished as fast as
needed by the carpenters, painters and
masons from the Northern States.
/ wish the old veterans would take
my advice, and go where their lives
could he prolonged and made comfort
able for many years. I must mention
Maj. Taft, who had charge of artillery
defending Gettysburg. He is located
near me at St Cloud, at the age of 81
has been deaf since that storm of shell
at Gettysburg, but seems happy and
able to work in his garden nearly every
day, and he is but one of the thousands
who are enjoying the climate. Officers
of every rank are here; rich and poor
are treated cordially. This is the Car
den of Eden. with the descendants of
Adam and Eve talso the snake).
L did not come North to avoid the
heat this Summer, tho / could always
enjoy the old rugged Empire State in
Summers. l shall miss the oranges,
pineappleS and watermel-
ons. all yielded in abundance at St
Cloud.
The company bought eight or 10 old
farms when purchasing this big tract of
land. including the Diston big sugar
plantation. The old farms nearly all
had orange orchards, as well as grape
er that they are big and paying in
iustry. l will add that Florida is |
:attle and cowboy State. There are |
hundreds of cowboys that do not own |
my land, but live in the saddle and !
nave thousands of head of stock and |
logs that Craze the year around with /
,ut any other fodder being furnished. |
All have to fence their property, but |
III the veterans are entitled to raise
took in the same way. If had stayed |
here until next week / was promised
sreen corn and watermelon by an old
'eteran who came there last Fall.
If ! live and all is well my wife will
20 back with me carly in the Fall. Come
o st. Cloud and see for yourself-J. T.
3urdick, Wellsville, n. Y.
Note.--Mr. Burdick has in his pos-
ession some nice photographs taken in
II. Cloud, Fla. One is a picture of the
lew three-story. lO0room hotel, built
# white brick and handsome struc-
ure
Other pictures show Mr.. Burdick's
the new depot and freight
lOuse of the Seaboard Air Line Rail-
way, two-story bank of white brick with
arge pillars and portico, view of New
York avenue, where four brick blocks
re now under construction, the new
'ost office, the school house, a banana
rove, an orange grove, etc.
Mr.. Burdick states that st. Cloud is
My nine months old, and the outlook
8 good for a city of 5000 inhabitants
" Jan. l next.-Editor Reporter.