The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-08-09
OCALiANS AT SARASOTA
Sarasota, Fla, Aug. Z, 1912.

/ special Cor. Ocald Banner:
i Could our Ocala friends have stood
with US today, on Gulf Stream ave-
nue., in Sarasota, they would under
stand when | say that l have whole
years more joy in my heart now
than before I came. and exclaim with
me, 20, God, how wonderfully grand
is thy handiwork!'' Standing and
looking over the bay. we cannot but
realize that the Great Architect OF
the Universe has given an individual
beauty TO Sarasota Bay, that makes
il an uneQualled rival. with its noted
lakes and beauty spots.
Sarasota is in the famous county Of
AIanatee. on Sarasota Bay. sixty miles
ION Tampa, and ever SO many from
Ocala. The bay is landlocked. with
chain OF evergreen islands, from the
great salt gulf, and is one OF the
2randest of bathing, fishing and boat
ing grounds The islands are called
eys, and all have white sandy beach
IS. scrcwn vita shells. at low tide.
Palms. palmettoes, guavas, grape
truic oranges, mangoes. plums.
grapes. avocado pears, etc. cover
1aese islands and on Bee Ridge the
finest Of honey is produced.
Resting on the sandy beach, or
wandering at the edge OF the ever
restless waters one basks in sunrises,
sunsets, sky tints and moonbeams
that famed Italy or other noted coun-
tries do not have more magnificently.
Could We paint as we see, even the
old masters would marvel.
Sarasota is rapidly growing: has
a population of 1900, not counting her
big number of visitors There is q
large number of business houses and
dwellings going up. The hotels, Belle
Haven, Sarasota House and Bay
View, all do we'll, and an Sarasota
Key, an island, where our house par
ty is domiciled, opposite Sarasota, is
Bay Island Hotel, Roberts Hotel and
the Hotel Siesta, not very far from
our camp which is called Gleason's
Park.
Sarasota has an ice plant. eletcric
lights, sewerage, water works, fire
department, baseball team and a
brass band. and one newspaper. Ever
so many capitalists have invested
here the past winter, some owning en-
tire islands A golden opportunity is
here for the home-seeker, especially
here on Little Sarasota Key.
From our dock Spanish mackerel,
pompano, tarpon, mullet, sea trout,
red snapper jack fish, grouper, floun-
der and the stone crab are caught
This isn't just fish story, for some
of our party have landed ever so
many of the above named fish, except
tarpon. Ed overly, captain of the
camp landed grouper with hook and
line which weighed 30 pounds. Mrs.
- L AoiACA VI Gin el, -AA . Il. -
PARIS daughter, landed a stingray,
measuring 40 inches across. Katie
Mae Eagleton gigged a 5-lb. jack fish
Miss May overly pulled in a 31foot
shark Mr. Mack Christie gigged a !
3-lb. mullet Miss Anne Pope Eagle
ton landed 51lb red fish Mr.. Oil
yer Blackburn landed a Glib. red fish,
and, it was said almost caught an an
gel fish (they live on chocolate
creams) and so We might continue
through the party, for they all catch
them, as we'll as do the members of
the house party next door Frances
Harrison, the youngest of this party,
and pet of the camp, caught and help |
ed to land a 3-lb red fish What a
splendid kodak picture she made in |
her bathing suit, with her fish.
1t is quite fad for the house par
ties to have beach moonlight parties
and boat rides.
The Mercer party turned a turtle
the other night which weighed 500 |
pounds. Oh. the rich steaks we en-
joyed from that turtle.
Mrs. J NJ Fisher left for Tampa |
and Mr. Zachery for Jacksonville,
thinning our number, but today Mr..
Paul overly of Barlow was added to
the number We could write and
write, and never tell the half, so will
stoy by saying that every minute of |
our stay is enjoyed. NJ