Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-02-28
The Queen q the Antilles.

L
Mr.. Geo. w. Haines. Charles Town.
| w. Va:
Dear Sir:-After most successful
wears business and hard work Mr.. L. NJ.
Shepherd. President of the Cumberland
Dry Goods and Notion Co.. (of which |
am Secretary and Treasurer.l and my
self decided we were entitled to a vaca-
ton and thought trip though the south
land would make an ideel one. So Tues
day. January II. we left Cumberland at
Sis going to Washington. d. C.. over
the B. & o. and changing at the beaut,-
full Union Station to the Atlantic Coas.
Line X. r.. arriving at Charleston. S..
c.. the next morning for breakfast. We
took touring car and saw all the beau
| tiful places of interest. Charleston Is a
quaint old city and we were very much
pleased with what we saw Leaving
that evening we ran over to Savannah.
Ga. for the night. and that following
morning we took tour over that fast
growing and prosperous city. We then
caught the New York and Florida Spec
ial. solid Pullman. train of steel cars
with every convenience one could wish.
and surely enjoyed the trip to Jackson
sonville very much. You run for miles
and miles without seeing house of any
description, the road bed being cut
through the solid mass of pines, palmet-
to. scrub oak. over marshes aud perfec'-
ly straight as far as the eye could see.
Arriving at Jacksonville we stopped
about fifteen minutes. going on through
to St. Augustine. We stayed in that
quaint and historical city several days.
going all through old Fort Marion with
her dungeons so dark. damp and desc
late looking. Having my kod ak along
we roamed all over the top and / had
Mr.. Shepherd to get up the tower and
snapped" HIM as he was looking out
through the iron bars. We went over
and the breakers were most thrilling,
They have large alligator farm there
containing abont 1000 gators and
they manufacture the hide of the ga
tor" into many useful articles of which
the tourists buy generously. Coming
back we stopped at the Light House. one
Of the largest on the Atlantic coast. and
a lady from Canada aad myself and
guide were the only ones in the party
who had nerve enough t. go up. 1t paid
us for the venture as 1t was very inter-
esting and wonderful sight from the
tower. At night we took in the city and
visited the Ponce DeLeon hotel. build
Ing of magnitude and beauty. costing
over three million dollars. The grounds
were simply gorgeous and band OF
music was constantly playing. To me
thought ST. Augustine with her ancieLt
i buildings and narrow streets. her mag
ni6cent hotels, palm gardens. oranges
and other tropical fruits was paradise,
and Mr.. Shepherd could hardly get me
away. We left there after three days.
going through the famous orange belt of
Florida on our way to Tampa, and riding
through the orange aud grape fruit
groves ON those palacial cars seemed
like dream. The orange trees with
such beautiful green as background,
the yellow oranges with the bright sun
shine,ng on them is sight shall never
forget. We stopped at Lakeland 80
miles from Tampa, and as Mr. Shepherd
has son in the Phosphate Mining busi.
ness at Mulberry. we changed cars and
phoned to him and he came over in a
ICadalac 1911 car for as. The ride Of IS
miles that night through Florida was a
most delightful one and ended all to soon.
The mining which is done by Hydraulic
drills is most interesting. and as it is a
formation of bones OF fish principally.
they find many curious things down there
20 feet below the surface. One of the
foreman who is cousin of ]. p. Nor
gan and who by the way controls the
mines, gave me a handful of sharks
teeth that had been worked up by the
drills. The next two days We were au-
ltoed all over that section IN radius Of q
hundred miles and had good opportun
lily to see Florida rural life. On Thurs
day Mr.. Shepherd IT.. took US to Tempe
going through the old Spanish section
and stopping at Tampa Bay hotel fol
lunch. Tampa Bay hotel is close rive
to the Ponce DeLeor. at ST. Augustine
la the afternoon we went out to the races
staying until dark. and coming back W,
went to famous cafe for fish dinner
They serve them in any and all style
and quite au assortment of fish. At 9: 3,
we went over to Port Tampa where W
sailed at 1890 p. M. on the Peuisula
and Accidental Line for Key West as.
miles on the steamship A.ivett-. II is
beautiful boat and as we had reserved
our berths two days ahead from Mulber
A Try we had them well amifship. Tn
next morning about o'clot felt hut
CRY and thought would go down to III
dining room. Coming out on deck
). could see nothing but water and the SIX
and as the gulf was Sloppy" that NOR
and the boat tossing. soon decided al
: ter reaching the dining room was need
ed on deck TO feed the fishes" which
proceeded 10 do with quite few other.
From the deck. as soon as was able |,
walk. made for my bunk" and stage
there until the ship reached the docks Z
Key West at ago p. m. was feelin
much better and enjoyed the nativ