The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-08-03
LAKE WEIR IS MUCH ALIVE
Freeze Of Ninety-Ffve Has Been Long
Ago Forgotten

Editor St. Petersburg Independent:
In your issue of July 9Th, was an ar
ticle headed, Would Regulate the
Tourist Houses signed by w c.
Chapman In his argument to prove
the need OF sundry regulations which
he recommends, he cites the experience
OF Lake, Weir. his reference to the
place being follows:
Lake Weir, Florida, once a -four
ishing tourist resort, equal to, or sur
passing our city. 1t was filled to ov-
erfiowing EACH season with its gay
crowds of pleasure seekers, and its
citizens looked proudly forward to the
coming future day when it would be-
come one Of the representative cities
of the state. Then came the big
freeze The houses had no provisions
for heating, and the guests nearly lost
their lives. Some never fully recov-
cred from the effects. Never again
| were the tourists seen in its streets.
| Its fine hotels and other buildings
stand now rotting on their founda-
tons"
| This part Of his article is a literary
| curiosity; it would be hard, if not i'm
| possible to crowd more misstatements
| into the same number Of lines. Take
| the first statement, Lake Weir, Flor
| ida, was once f1ouriShing tourist re-
sort. equal to or surprising our city,
| l have lived at Lake Weir for the past
| twenty-siX years. and know every foot
CT it's beautiful shores, but it is news
| to me that there ever a town
! there of any considerable size There
are six little settlements or hamlets
| around the lake, each with their post
, office. The freeze of ninety-five was
a setback to Lake Weir as it was to
all of Florida. but 1t was one from
which it quickly rallied.
| 1t is true that some groves were
| abandoned and some houses very
few, were allowed to decay, but no
hotels. The Martin hotel. at Weir
Park. and the Lakeside. at South Lake
Weir, the only hotels on the lake, have
been kept in perfect repair, and are
enjoying a fine patronage, most of the
tourist season being filled to overflow
ing.
My own place. pheasant Hills at
South Lake Weir. although not aspir-
ing to the dignity of a hotel, has en-
| jOyed the patronage of first class peO-
pie who tax it's accommodations to its
utmost, and who return year after
year, and I have generally been OBJ
liged to decline applications of more
THAN 1 have received. The picturesque
shores Of the lake are Ornamented
with dozens OF fine residences occupied
by an intelligent. progressive and ur
to date people as is to be found in
Florida or elsewhere. the lake attract
ing more and more attention every
year. and is becoming the summer
home of many Of the leading citizens
Of Ocala and other places, among
whom are D. F.. McIver, Or. \. l.. IZlar
George MacKay Mr.. Camp and others
Of Ocala.
The orange and grapefruit groves
about the lake are among the finest
and most productive in Florida: the
station agent at South Lake Weir told
me last week that there We're shipped
the past season from that station
alone ?9.479 boxes of fruit. besides
nine carloads shipped in bulk-and il
is reported that some 10000 boxes were
sent out over the Lake Weir branch o,
the S. A. L., being shipped across the
lake to that point. South Lake Well
station has also shipped to date Ove1
forty carloads of melons, which hav,
brought very remunerative prices.
The Lake Weir navy" has now ovel
thirty power boats, and it's regatta:
, are source Of much pleasure to the
owners and other residents. \ early
morning and a late evening train OF
the A. c. l.. from Leesburg to Jackson
vile and return enables all who wiSl
to spend the day at the lake, and alst
enables men to spend the night there
with their families
, If Mr.. Chapman will visit Lake Wei
. he will find a highly prosperous com
, munity and anything but the scene o
dissolution which he pictures. And viii
, not be led into such an egregious erro
again. F.. s. Upham.